When thinking of starting 2021, many of us probably said to ourselves, “wow I really need to sleep better.” Maybe your sleep schedule in 2020 was off the rails (like almost everything else in 2020). I know my sleep schedule was. I would walk to my room at around 10/10:30, but wouldn’t fall asleep until two sometimes three in the morning. Sometimes that was because I was up talking to my boyfriend or my best friend, both valid reasons to stay up and lose a few hours of rest. However, there were other nights where I spent those late hours of the night on TikTok or Instagram, or even just lying there, letting my thoughts roam free, creating anxieties in my head. These nights were damaging to not only my sleep schedule but my mental health.
I noticed, as my hours of sleep decreased due to social media use, the more my anxiety increased. I would allow myself to stress about events or situations that I had never stressed about before, I started to become very short-tempered with the family members I live with, I even put a pause on my self care. This meant I didn’t journal every night like I usually do, I stopped washing my face regularly, I didn’t make as much of an effort to connect with important people in my life; something I know makes me incredibly happy, and I was constantly worried about what people were thinking of me; if they were upset with me in any way, even if I knew they weren’t. These silly anxieties eventually became too much to handle and that’s when I knew I had to take a hold of the situation. This meant creating a sleep schedule that I could follow every night, in order to regain some lost self love. Did this happen to you at some point in 2020? Are you looking to regain a sense of routine as well as self appreciation as we start out 2021?
This new year, we should try to devote ourselves to understanding our individual mental health. We should do the things we’ve been putting off in 2020, whether that be working out to better our physical health or getting a proper night’s rest to better our mental and emotional health. Mental health should always come first, but in a year full of stress, depression and anxiety, 2020 allowed us to forget that. So, as we start the new year, let’s start working on ourselves, emotionally, physically, romantically, spiritually, and mentally. First, let’s work on understanding our individual sleep schedule, so that we can wake up refreshed and ready for each day 2021 has to bring, whether they be positive or negative.
According to the CDC, adults should be getting seven or more hours of sleep each night. I think most of us can say that we sleep for maybe five to six hours every night, which is actually pretty normal. However, when we interrupt those five to six hours with anxiety, we can start to wake up multiple times a night. That’s when our five to six hours turns into maybe three to four.
- Set a specific time to go to bed each night, and stick with it!
-
The key to getting a good night’s rest is going to sleep at the same time every night. That way your body doesn’t have to adjust to one night getting eight hours and the next getting four. So, going along with the CDC’s recommendation of seven hours of sleep, if you went to bed at 11:30 PM, you should feel refreshed and ready for the day by 6:30 AM, a pretty ideal time to wake up. If you want to fall asleep at 11:30, start your bedtime routine at 10:30, therefore you have an hour to focus on yourself and what your body needs after a long day. It might take yourself time to get used to going to bed at the same time every night, but after a week or two, it should start to feel routine and you might experience a physical change as well as a mental one. So many times when we make a change in our life we want the results to be immediate, and when they aren’t, we can give up. Don’t do this. Keep pushing and pursuing a more routine bedtime ritual even if you can’t see results immediately.
- Give yourself time for self care and self love before you get comfortable in bed
-
Making sure you are setting aside time for yourself to unwind and unpack the day you just endured is so important. Whether you give yourself 30 minutes to do your favorite skincare routine, or you take an hour long bath each night, or take time to read a book, or write in your journal, take that time for yourself. While you are experiencing these deeply enriching self care moments, make sure you are separating yourself from technology. It is so easy to look at your time before bed as a time for you to check in on the world around you. However, going on social media and engaging in social dramas can create new anxieties, thoughts that may remain on your mind well into your hours of rest. By turning off your phone and making time for self care, you will be able to connect with yourself, allowing your body to relax and breathe as you end your day.
- Create a “before bed” playlist
-
Studies show that music can help reduce stress before bed. By creating a playlist, or playlists that have music that you enjoy, music that you can associate with sleep, your brain and body will be able to gradually relax and reset as you go through your bedtime routine. So whether the gorgeous voice of Harry Styles or the smooth like butter voice of Rihanna helps your body calm, try associating music with your bedtime routine and see if you can sense a change in your physical and mental health. Check out this Spotify playlist I made that helps me calm down and prepare for bed.
- Participating in a yoga practice before bed
-
As a dancer, I have always loved participating in yoga practices because it allows me to stretch and truly breathe into my body. I have recently started attending zoom yoga classes taught by an amazing woman, someone who I have the privilege of calling a friend. Caitlin Borek, a performer and yoga teacher based out of New York has created a safe and supportive space for people through her yoga practices. She allows you to relax, breathe, and connect with your body through an hour long practice. I asked Caitlin about her journey and how yoga has helped her mentally as well as physically. “Yoga has saved me time and time again from the anxiety of living in a metropolitan to now the stagnation of quarantining. Yoga teaches you how to control your breath, and as you deepen your practice, how to control your mind. The physical benefits are only the beginning. The lessons from this moving meditation can be utilized on and off your mat,” says Borek.
Be sure to check out Caitlin as well as on Instagram @sea2bee2. There are most definitely yoga opportunities in your community as well. During the pandemic, zoom is the most valuable resource to attending safe and enriching yoga practices. By attending yoga practices or creating your own routine and going through that right before bed, you will be able to calm not only your mind but every body part that might have endured stress during your day.
- Finally, collect your thoughts and get some rest!
-
It is recommended that you don’t physically get into bed until you are ready to fall asleep. That way your body won’t be confused and go to sleep before you take some personal time. By participating in these activities, setting a specific bedtime, making time for self care; journaling, skincare, reading, playing music, and participating in yoga practices, you will be on your way to a steady, strict, and refreshing nighttime routine.
In a world where so many things are unknown and stressful, rely on your nighttime routine to always be a constant in your life. Always remember to never feel discouraged for needing extra time before bed to calm yourself mentally and physically. It can be very overwhelming when you are faced with anxiety right before bed. By participating in these mental health practices, I hope your anxiety will decrease, allowing you to get a more fulfilling night of rest, creating a healthier 2021 for you mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally.