Last week I started talking about the first 8 things that I do that have helped create a healthy night routine for myself. It has taken time to cultivate and collate this ever-growing list of habits tips and tricks
I stop working by 5 pm usually, but if I need to work later then it's no later than 7 pm and I allow myself 2-3 hours of downtime before bed
I aim to get 8 to 9 hours sleep per night and this is "my magic" sleep number I order to me to function optimally. I know we are all different and this is something each individual has to work out for themselves.
I know that my body is repairing and regenerating at night and as I have an autoimmune condition, it is important to set up my body for success. So, I prioritise sleep as it is restorative for me.
The other thing I have been playing around with over the past year has been eating earlier. I aim to eat dinner by 630pm so that my body has 3 hours to process all by food before I go to bed. This means that my body can focus on healing, restoring and regenerating more as my food has been digested and absorbed by the time I go to bed. This past week, I’ve been on a mastermind for 3 days followed by a 3-day conference and I ate a lot later than I usually do and it has been interesting to witness the poor quality of sleep that followed eat night because we ate later. So, my body was digesting and assimilating my food whilst I was asleep when in fact it should have been focussed on healing, regeneration and restoration. And I know it's not often and hence I’m okay with this as it’s a one-off. It’s crazy before I used to eat at or around 8 pm and sometimes later when I worked late 2-3 years ago and this was my normal. Now that I have shifted things, it's crazy how my body was screaming at me this past week. And I could feel a massive difference with my energy levels in the morning. I was more tired, not as energised and my Fitbit and my Oura ring both validated what I knew already…. that my sleep quality was poorer.
I read somewhere that it is helpful to return back to the eating times when we grew up and I have been playing around with this. Dr Mercola talks about eating 3 hours before you go to bed as well.
I end my day with gratitude practice before I go to sleep:
- I recall 3 different things daily that I am grateful for
- I recall 3 great things that went well today
I do not check social media before bed
My phone goes on do not disturb and aeroplane mode as well to allow for a good night’s sleep
Leave a comment and let know what strategies you use. I am always interested in learning new strategies.
Ps: If you have not signed up for my free 5-day arm or leg mobility challenge or 3 -day wheelchair shoulder mobility challenge and would like to do so now, click on the link below and sign up to do it at a time of your choosing.
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