Sleepy and Cozy Activities to Do Before Bed to Get a Great Night’s Rest
Sometimes we need a boost of energy and sometimes it’s time to lean into that drowsy feeling. Here are some sleepy and cozy activities to do before bed to get a great night’s rest!
Sleep is vital to health and wellbeing. Find out how sleep helps boost overall wellness, and what cozy activities to do before bed to get a good night’s rest.
Why Sleep Matters
Sleep takes up about a third of our life. While necessary and unavoidable, sleep actually plays a crucial role in our overall health and wellness. This is because important processes happen while we rest. Getting enough sleep is important for cardiovascular health. A lack of sleep leads to high blood pressure, poor heart function, and even heart disease. Sleeping is vital for the regulation of your metabolism, which allows you to convert food into energy for use. Without proper sleep, our metabolism suffers which can lead to blood sugar imbalances, and an increased risk of diabetes.
Adequate sleep also helps to reduce your stress levels as your body lowers the cortisol hormone. This can also help decrease inflammation. Memory formation is also happening while we sleep. Deep sleep is important for memory, complex thinking, problem-solving, planning, and decision-making.
While we sleep, the body also repairs tissue, helps restore hormonal balance, keeps the immune system functioning, and cleanses out toxins through lymphatic drainage. This is just the tip of the iceberg of what sleep does for us, especially if you’re on a fitness journey. This is why we need to get a good night’s rest.
Sleepy and Cozy Activities to Do Before Bed to Get a Great Night’s Rest
Jumping right into it, here are sleepy and cozy activities to do before bed to get a great night’s rest! Sleep is vital for health, both physically and mentally. Doing little things to promote good, deep rest is a huge way to support your own needs and health easily.
1. Drink a Hot Beverage
Remember when you were a kid and your mom made you a warm cup of milk before going to bed? Turns out there’s science behind it. Many studies have found that a warm cup of certain drinks can help you get a good night’s rest. This is because a warm drink like milk can help improve melatonin and tryptophan levels in your body, making you feel relaxed and helping you fall asleep faster.
Besides milk, other hot beverages you can drink before bed include chamomile tea. This is a tea that can have many health benefits including reducing inflammation and improving skin health. Chamomile tea has also helped with anxiety and insomnia. Some hot beverages you should try to avoid are hot vodka and hot coffee. Alcohol can alter and reduce your quality of sleep while coffee has caffeine that keeps you up.
2. Doze Off with Soft Music
Sometimes when you’re feeling tired, it may be a habit to turn on the TV or grab your phone and start your endless scrolling through social media. Stop that. Instead, try to lean into that sleepy and cozy mood and turn off some soft music.
Music can alter your mood. Energetic upbeat music can make you feel more alert while softer slower music can help you feel more relaxed. That’s why soft music, which is slow and gentle, can be a great option to help you get a good night’s rest. It’ll make you feel tired right when you need to feel tired!
3. Cuddle with Your Pet
I don’t know about you, but there’s nothing better than getting some cuddles with my cat or dog. They’re just so cozy and soft and adorable, that it fills you up with warm fuzzies. So a good habit to have before bed is some nice cuddles with your furry companion.
If your pet keeps you up at night, like so many dogs or cats do, try to tire them out early in the morning! Go on morning walks or play around the house together. This will also help you balance your energy levels.
4. Raise the Temp
Lowering the temperature has been found to help with sleep. This is because when the temperature is colder, it coincides with what happens in your body. When your body goes to bed, it naturally lowers your body temperature by about 2° Fahrenheit. While not a huge drop, it is significant. Just think, two or three degrees higher and you’re already at a fever.
When your body becomes colder, the pineal gland in your brain starts to release more melatonin, the hormone that helps with sleep. More melatonin leads to a colder body. Having a room between 60 and 65° F might be a great option if you have trouble falling asleep at night.
5. Snuggle Up with a Blanket
Now I know what you’re thinking, 60° F is so cold. Okay, maybe you’re not thinking this but I am. I like to keep the house at 80° Fahrenheit. However, what’s even better than being cold and sleepy? Being warm in a cold environment under a blanket.
Snuggling up under a cozy blanket can help you not feel chilly if you’re someone prone to feeling cold like me, and it provides extra comfort and security as you fall asleep. We are creatures that need to feel safe and secure to get a good night’s rest. This is why weighted blankets are so popular, they help you get snuggly and secure!
6. Eat a Carb-rich Snack
Carbs make you sleepy, that’s just a fact. This is because the body uses energy to process a carb-heavy meal, part of the reason why afternoon sluggishness is a thing. This is especially prevalent after a huge pasta dish. No need to eat a ton to fall into a food coma, just eat a carb-rich snack before sleep. This could be something like some toast, crackers, or popcorn!
The Takeaway
Sleep is critical to our wellness. Without it, we put ourselves at risk for various diseases, illnesses, and issues. These are sleepy and cozy activities to do before bed to get a great night’s rest! Little things and activities make a huge difference, such as snuggling under a cozy blanket, drinking warm tea, or cooling down the house. Try them out and lean into that sleepy mood when you’re feeling tired!
Remember that health comes from within. Eat nutrient-dense food, move your body, and care for your mental health. Daily habits are the building blocks for emotional, mental, and physical health. As shown above, take care of your gut health! Learn everything you need to know about gut microbiota today for free here.
