Nighttime Routine

I am NOT a morning person. And that is putting it kindly. 

I can barely walk, let alone talk in the mornings. It is BAD.

When I was in college I would always go to bed at crazy hours and then sleep in the next day. Or I'd be super tired at night and go to bed wicked early and end up wired the next morning at 6:00am. I was never really on a schedule, and if you know me at all, you know that I like need a schedule.

Once I started working full time and commuting on the train at 7:00am each morning, I quickly learned that a strict schedule is key. I needed to go to bed by a certain time each night and allow myself to get enough rest to be able to even think about functioning in the mornings. 

My current nighttime routine is one that I have come to know and love. By the time I turn the lights off at the end of the day I am fast asleep in a matter of minutes, so I thought I'd share with you some of my tips and tricks!

1. Take a shower or a bath.

I don't wash my hair every night, but I do always shower every night before I go to sleep. Taking a hot bath or shower always relaxes me and puts me in a calm mood before I'm about to lay my head down for the night. 

2. Take off your makeup. All. Of. It. 

Either before I shower or during my shower I always wash my face using my Clarisonic Mia2. I cannot say enough great things about my Clarisonic. I absolutely LOVE it. This little machine is seriously so powerful and works wonders with taking off all your makeup as well as any dead skin, oils or dirt on your face. After I wash with my Clarisonic every night I feel like I'm ready for a great night sleep with a refreshed face!

3. Stop eating two hours before bed, and drink a glass of water. 

I'm not always the best at this (I tend to be a snacker- especially during Bachelor Monday's), but I find that going to sleep with a less full stomach helps me to sleep longer. Whenever I am extremely full I end up tossing and turning all night.

4. Get a sound machine. 

My nieces and nephew sleep with sound machines to help block out the noises that we all inevitably make downstairs when they go to sleep at night. I ended up getting the same one for my apartment and I LOVE it. This little "dohm" is great for blocking out city noises as well as any noises from the TV in my living room, the kitchen, or even the shutting and closing of doors. It really helps me to just zone out and not get interrupted when I'm trying to sleep. 

5. Put your phone on "Do Not Disturb." 

Recently I have been putting my iPhone on the sleep mode which I never used to do, but really recommend. When you do this your phone is still on, but your notifications from Snapchat, Instagram. Facebook etc don't pop up and light up your phone. Your texts don't vibrate or ding (unless specifically specified to do so.) And your alarm clock still works for the desired time. You can also set "Do Not Disturb" to work for certain settings. For instance, I have my phone set so that if anyone from my "favorites" list calls me that it will still ring. This way I know that if there was an emergency with someone in my family, I would still hear my phone. Sleep mode or "Do Not Disturb" is also set so that if someone calls you twice within three minutes that it will not silence the call. Getting away from electronics and social media can be tough, but if you want to get a good night sleep you must "sign off" and "power down."

Another Tip:

Workout during the day to allow yourself to burn off some of that extra jittery energy and make for an easy night sleep. When I go to the gym during my lunch hour, or even after work I find that I not only have more energy for the remainder of the day (it almost jump starts my body during my mid day slump), but I also can fall asleep much quicker at night because my body is actually tired from all the exercise and movement.

I hope these tips and tricks were helpful for you! Happy sleeping!