All of us have the same 24-hour period. And what we do with our time is our choice. It seems that we try to get more done each day than is humanly possible. A lot of times what gets cut is how many hours of sleep we get.
In my own life I have been working on implementing the “BALANCED” life, which starts with Bedtime. I do struggle with getting enough sleep. I keep trying to cram as much into my day as possible. Before I know it, it’s 10:30 at night and I am still working on getting into bed. And 3:30 comes very quickly for another long day. I have learned that this is not the best for me physically, emotionally or spiritually.
For each person the need for sleep will be different. We should get between 6-10 hours of sleep per night depending on age, and health conditions.
Those that are very young need a lot more sleep. A baby grows very rapidly at first and believe it or not a lot of growing happens while they are sleeping. For the first couple of years it is good for them to spend more than half of their day (24 hours) sleeping. Then it cuts back to more of half of the day (24 hours).
Another time when big growth spurts usually happen is in the teenage years. I have read that a little over 9 hours a night is best for a teenager. Wow, talk about difficult. It seems impossible to get them to get that many hours of sleep. They think they are invincible and they don’t need all that sleep. But the attitudes we have to deal with tell us something different. They don’t understand that they will have to pay for this later on in life. I think those of us that are older can attest to that.
For the average adult, we need anywhere from 6-10 hours of sleep. I think we all know when we do the best and how much sleep we really need. Now we may be ignoring the signs but deep down we know.
You all have heard the saying, “Early to bed, early to rise, makes you healthy, wealthy, and wise.” I don’t know about the wealth part, but I can say by experience that when I get to bed earlier it does make a difference in how early I can get up and have a great day. I seem to do better when I get more hours in before midnight.
I know a lot of people will say, “That all sounds good but I have a hard time getting to bed any earlier than 11pm. I just can’t seem to get relaxed enough to get to bed any earlier. I just go and finely drop at 11pm.”
It is really good to have a morning routine and an evening routine. The evening routine can be really good in helping a person to relax, whether you’re a teen or an adult. This can also apply to children and some things to babies. Most of the time if we are relaxed our babies, as well as our children, will be relaxed. If we as adults learn to be calm and relaxed in the evening it has an effect on the rest of those in our home.
But there are some factors that can help in bringing about this relaxing atmosphere.
- Journal. One thing that I have found beneficial is to journal. This can be added to your morning and evening routine. I have been using a very simple free app called “Five Minute Journal”. It helps me get a focus on my day and then in the evening I can write down my best accomplishments for the day. It also asks you what is one thing that could have been better. This clears you mind from thinking on the day’s activities.
- Make a list. I also find it good to make a list of things that I need to get off my mind. These may be things that I need to get done the next day, or any day in the future. I use the free version of “Evernote” for my memory. You can make separate notebooks and name them. I love it. So you can make a list, put a date at the top of each note and then just lay out some notes. This is a good way to empty those things out of your mind that keep your mind running a hundred miles per hour. You can even make it a checklist. Each day as you accomplish these tasks check them off. If you don’t get them done just copy and paste them into the next days list.
- Turn off all electronics. It is best to turn off all electronics at least one hour before going to bed. The lights and activity of phones, computers, and television keep the brain stimulated.
- Read a book or listen to some calm, quiet music. This is really good for everyone. If you have small children, read to them. As you are reading they will start relaxing and so will you. Even a teen can crawl into bed and have a book that can calm and relax them so that they are ready to sleep.
- Drink a hot cup of calming herb tea. This can be a great thing to do to get you calmed and relaxed. One of my favorites is “Sleepy Time”, which you can get at most grocery stores as well as health food stores.
- Try implementing an essential oil routine. This is something I have learned about more recently and I love how certain essential oils work for me. I put some on the bottom of my feet just before going to bed and it gives me restful sleep. It is great!
- Prayer. I have found this to be amazing as well. After you have gone through your routine, crawl into bed and spend the next few minutes in prayer. I can tell you this is a wonderful way to lay all your burdens on the One that cares. He is the answer to all your problems and perplexities. It is so relieving to give everything to God.
Dear Father,
Thank You that you are there to take all of our burdens. Give us Your rest as we cast all our burdens upon you.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
Remember to cast all your burdens upon the One that can give you true rest.
What routine do you do to relax yourself before bed? I would love to hear your ideas.