Is it sometimes hard to switch off from a hectic day? Do you find yourself staring at the ceiling thinking about work when you should already be sleeping? I’ve been there, my friend 🙂 And I’ll give you a precious hint: watching Netflix or scrolling down Instagram feed are not gonna help! Now that we got that out of the way, let’s look at some productive things you can do before you go to bed!

1. Unplug

Disconnect from all your devices at least 3 hours before going to bed. This will increase your melatonin level and will help get ready for a calming and relaxing sleep. If you are used to falling asleep checking your social media accounts, know that this is not working in your favor at all. As a matter of fact, it prolongs your daily stress into your night sleep.

2. Have A Skincare Routine

Taking care of your skin should be a part of your self care night routine. Make sure to remove all the makeup off your face as you clean it every evening before bedtime. Use a good moisturizer that will nourish your skin during the night. You will see that you feel more relaxed as you take care of your skin. It’s a sort of meditation for me personally. Not to mention that you will postpone aging signs and other skin conditions that you can avoid by simply having a good skincare routine. When your skin looks good, you feel more confident and therefore, you are able to focus on other aspects of your life.

Related: 30 Simple Self-Care Ideas

3. Read For 30 Minutes

Reading is a great way to unwind and disconnect from your hectic daily schedule. If you read for at least half an hour before you go to sleep, your mind will relax and you will be able to reduce your stress level significantly. You will also fall asleep easier as you help your brain to disconnect. Reading in the evening can also improve your memory. When you are reading try to read an actual book, because of the melatonin level, as mentioned earlier.

4. Visualize Tomorrow

Before going to sleep, try to focus on your next day. Try to visualize your next day without putting any worries into it or fear or any other negative energy. Simply go with your mind through what you expect your tomorrow to be like. Projecting a good future will definitely help you relax and drift into a peaceful sleep knowing that everything will be fine. If you want to have an ideal day, the first step is to visualize it before bedtime.

5. Plan Out The Next Day

You don’t even need to have a planner, get a piece of paper and simply write down your tasks for the next day. Doing so will help you clear your mind and fall asleep with a more peaceful mindset. Put your ideas on paper and get back to them in the morning as you wake up. Once you see how beneficial this habit is, you will most likely want to keep it. You will not have to worry about forgetting important tasks and your mind will be free to enjoy other thoughts before bedtime. I personally write down 3 most important tasks that I want to accomplish the next day.

6. Get Clothes Ready For Tomorrow

One of the things you can do to be productive before bedtime is also getting your clothes ready for the next day. Doing so will save you time in the morning and you won’t have to worry about what outfit to wear to work. Setting up your clothes in the evening also brings more peace to your sleep as you take one more item off the list. It is one of the best things you can do to not only ease your evening anxiety but also take some anxiety from the next morning!

For some evenings, these things will have to be a matter of discipline. However, the more you do them, the more you will get used to doing them. They bring a lot of benefits not only when it comes to the quality of your sleep but also the quality of your life. Studies suggest that it takes 21 days to implement a healthy habit, so be patient with yourself. Before you know it, you will have a healthy and productive bedtime routine that will improve your life at many levels!