Last Updated on April 15, 2024

Sound sleep is a must, and my night routine is necessary for me to achieve it! Like many others, I’ve struggled getting a good night’s sleep in the past. With a few adjustments to my schedule, I started getting the best beauty sleep of my life!

There are little things you can do in your night routine, like sleep meditation, calming music for sleep, or using an eye cover for sleep. Learn how to get better REM sleep with these night routine ideas. We will go over 10 + tips I’ve personally tried and incorporated into my nighttime routine to help you find your best night routine!

And, I’m even more excited to be doing this in partnership with SOL Organics. All thoughts and opinions are my own, for more information please see my disclosure policy. 

night routine

Have you ever fallen off your sleep schedule, or is it just me? I find myself consistently resisting bedtime, and I’ve fallen into a slew of bad habits. One of my goals last year was to create a healthier night routine so I can get sound sleep. 

I also wanted to improve my quality of sleep and feel refreshed when I woke up.

And if those under-the-eye bags happen to disappear, too — I wouldn’t be complaining. You know…good old-fashioned beauty sleep is what I am talking about here!

I’ve been consistently working on all of these things for the past six weeks, and while my eyes are still a bit puffy, I’m really excited to share all my tips with you on how to sleep better! 

First, SOL Organics makes dreamy eco-friendly sheets that make you want to get in bed, and I’ll be sharing a bit more later in the post. But when it comes to sleeping better, the number one most important thing is that you need to find a small ritual that works for you.

I know there are tons of videos online all touting the best night routine. But they’re always so elaborate and can take hours. And, while that may work for some people — I have a busy life. Not only is that unrealistic, but I don’t want to spend that long ‘winding down.’ It honestly sounds boring and uninteresting. 

I’ve found success in just picking one or two things I know I can commit to, then doing them consistently which signals to my body, ‘It’s time for us to wind down.’ I’m going to walk you through my nighttime routine that’s short and simple, and then share 10 proven ways you can sleep better and improve your quality sleep naturally. 

my nighttime routine: 

I recently did a YouTube video on my nighttime routine on Sundays, which is a bit more elaborate than Monday – Saturday. Just to reiterate, I find long routines to be laborious, so even my Sunday night routine is kept to 45ish minutes. 

• Stop working at least two hours before bed. 
• Brew a cup of herbal tea, and take herbal sleep supplements and CBD an hour before bed.
• Turn off the TV and all tech devices half an hour before bed. 
• If it’s shower day, take a hot shower.
• Skincare routine.
• NO TECH IN BEDROOM.
• Breathing exercises. 
• Sleepity, sleep, sleep.

a few notes about my night routine:

• My herbal tea ritual is a ritual. I boil my water, steep loose-leaf tea, and relish in straining it out. Then I sit in my favorite cozy corner and relax while I sip on it. My rules are no working, no checking emails, no doing chores while I sip. I just sit and sip. Sometimes I’ll watch a show or read a book, but I’m always sure to turn that show off 30 minutes before bedtime.
• I like to take my time with my skincare. I fully enjoy the warm water and massaging each product into my skin. This alone can take quite a bit of time, depending on the number of products you like to use.
• I do the breathing exercises in my bed so once the sleepiness takes over, I don’t have to get up and possibly wake myself back up while getting back into bed. It’s a lovely way to get some thinking done, or to not think at all!

how to get better REM sleep:

Learning to get better REM sleep relies on a few calming things and less stimulation before bed. It’s hard with so much entertainment literally at our fingertips.

Avoid habit forming medications or supplements if you can — even melatonin, which is a natural hormone, can cause dependency and require you to take more and more of it just to get some rest. Plus, it can lead to weird dreams, grogginess in the morning, and difficulty staying asleep.

Below are a few ways to reduce activity and some calming practices you can implement to create your ideal nighttime routine so you can sleep better and improve your sleep quality! 

night routine ideas:

Spend some time experimenting to determine what a good nighttime beauty sleep ritual is for you. You want to make sure this is something you can repeat — consistency is the most important thing! Here are a few night routine ideas to pick and choose from to help you wind down at night and get the most restorative sleep you can.

I wouldn’t try to do all of these night routine ideas, but pick one or two to experiment with and see if this unplugged time helps you decompress. 

hot shower: 

Taking a hot shower always gets me relaxed. Now, I try not to make them too long for the sake of conserving water, but even if it’s only a 2-5 minute shower, there’s something about hot water and feeling clean that makes me want to snuggle up in bed. 

I like to use a nice bar of soap and exfoliate with an all-natural loofah. After I get out, I have a little bit of towel time — which is just sitting around in a towel.

do a stretch routine:

You want to avoid a lot of vigorous exercises right before bed, but try a light stretching routine. If I’m feeling tight, I like to take 5 minutes to stretch everything out.

Focus on deep breathing while you’re stretching to get you in a relaxed headspace. (I’m yawning just thinking about it.) 

deep breathing or sleep meditation: 

Take a few minutes to only focus on breathing and sleep meditation. I like to breathe with a four-count inhale, and an eight-count exhale. Try to focus solely on your breath and nothing else for a few minutes. I do this as soon as I lie down to go to sleep, so I’m focusing on the numbers instead of worrying about what I need to get done tomorrow. 

There are also apps that have sleep meditation tips and directions. Now, I say no technology in the bedroom, but if you have some earbuds and sleep meditation or calming music for sleep helps to get you snoozing, that is okay.

journal: 

If you’re like me and your mind starts racing as soon as you lie down, try journaling all of your thoughts before bed. When I write things down on paper, I feel more secure that I’ll remember those thoughts. Otherwise, my thoughts continue to speed through my mind because I’m afraid I’ll forget in the morning. 

a few other calming activities to help you wind down for beauty sleep:

• fold or put away laundry
• read a book
• massage your forehead and jawline to drop tension
• put on some relaxing music (preferably without lyrics)

make your room a sanctuary: 

Your bedroom should inspire relaxation. Clutter really stresses me out, so I try to keep my bedroom organized and the design fairly minimal. 

This helps me get some sound sleep so much better than when my room was packed with furniture, lots of books, and clothes tossed everywhere. 

I also try to make my bed as comfy as possible. Consider getting a few nice pillows and a nice set of silky or linen sheets, so you’re excited to slip under the covers. 

We spend ⅓ of our life in bed, so I think it’s worth splurging to make sure we’re wrapping ourselves in well-made organic fabric. Organic materials also regulate body temperature much better than synthetic materials. 

Switching to organic sheets and an organic mattress greatly improved my quality of sleep! There’s no more waking up at night sweating because everything is much more breathable. 

SOL Organics makes certified Fair Trade, Organic Cotton, and GOTS certified, and they ship completely plastic-free.

Their factory partner runs a transparent supply chain from farm to factory to fabric, using only non-GMO, certified raw 100% organic cotton manufactured in a FLO-certified factory.

And, as a huge bonus, they’re offering all GZW readers 20% off with the code ‘GZW20’ — just apply it at checkout.

don’t work from bed:

The bed is so comfy, and I know you don’t want to leave those warm inviting sheets, but you have to stop working from bed. 

Ideally, remove work from your entire bedroom, but with more of us working from home, we don’t all have the luxury of working in a separate room. But that doesn’t mean you should sit in your pajamas half under the covers with your laptop up. OR endlessly scrolling through social media…

I used to think, “What’s the harm in scrolling through social media in the morning or before bed?”  Or, “It’s OK if I answer a few emails from bed.” WRONG. 

I have noticed a huge difference in how productive I am in the mornings and how I sleep better when I simply keep tech out of the bedroom.  

I plug my phone into the bathroom. When the alarm goes off in the morning, I have to get up and go into the bathroom to turn it off. 

the best night routine is consistency: 

Try and head to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. 

I’m not 100% successful at this (especially on weekends), but if you struggle with consistent insomnia, the American Academy of Sleep Science recommends diligent planning in going to sleep at the same time every night and waking up at the same time each morning. 

A constant routine you do at night can help signal your brain that it’s time to shut off, which is why a realistic, approachable routine is so important to choose. If it’s too complicated, or you try to implement all of these night routine ideas, you’re unlikely to follow through with them all.

unplug early: 

You’ll find varying information online about what time you should unplug before going to bed, but I think you need to find what works for you. 

I stop using my phone a few hours before bed but often watch 1-2 episodes of a TV show after dinner and before bed. The blue light from tech devices can throw your body’s biological clock — the circadian rhythm — out of whack.

Try unplugging and participating in one of the more relaxing tasks above before going to sleep. 

reduce caffeine: 

I gave up most caffeine from 2017-2019 and wrote a blog post on the experience. I would have the occasional cup of green tea, but last year, I was drinking a daily cup of coffee. It was a small ritual my husband and I would do together, which put us on the same page for the day. 

Since we’re both working from home, it was nice to have a centered activity for the two of us. Since, I’ve added coffee back into my diet, I definitely notice a difference in my sleep quality if I drink a cup at 2 or 3 pm, so try to cool it in the afternoon, and stick to caffeine before noon! 

make sure you’re hydrated: 

I see so many articles stating that you shouldn’t drink a bunch of water before bed. And, while I agree that this is a valid answer, I frequently wake up in the middle of the night thirsty! 

My mouth is so dry, and I just need more water. I’ve always been really prone to dehydration. If you’re similar, then I’d recommend making sure you drink some water before bed instead of avoiding it. 

try to avoid eating a big meal directly before bed: 

You don’t want to go to bed hungry, but you also don’t want to eat a super big meal right before bed either. If you’re hungry, try and aim for a light snack that won’t cause indigestion while you’re sleeping. 

• A cup of fruit
• Air-popped popcorn
• Some nuts
• Whole grain toast
• Kiwi — which is actually supposed to help with sleeping! (source)
• Banana with nut butter
• Yogurt
• Edamame

get outside: 

Spending time in the outdoors may improve your sleep. Dr. Phyllis Zee studied nature’s links with our biological clocks and just how powerful exposure to natural light and darkness can be when it comes to getting a better night’s sleep. (source)

Try to take a mid-day walk or work near a window! I know I always feel better when natural light is shining through my windows. 

calming music for sleep:

Choosing some calming music for sleep is a great way to wind down and relax. Whether you listen to it for a few minutes while you are getting ready for bed or just listen to tune out other noises in the night, it helps.

And if you don’t like music but you need to tune out some sounds (like your spouse’s snoring), consider a white noise machine. They help drown out those pesky sounds that can keep you up at night.

eye cover for sleep:

Consider investing in an eye cover for sleep if you’re struggling to figure out how to get better REM sleep. They make all sorts of varieties, or you can make one yourself using some fabric you no longer need. They help block out light, so if you do wake up for a moment or two, you don’t fully wake up because you don’t see the light.

consider a sleeping aid: 

I take an herbal sleep supplement and CBD oil to help unwind and destress. Those things might be right for you. Or if you’re continuing to have a lot of issues, you might need to see a doctor. 

faqs about night routines

how long will it take to adapt to a new sleep schedule?

Everyone is different, so it’s hard to say for sure. Many people will start to notice a difference in a few days, while others take much longer. It’s important not to put too much pressure on yourself to sleep, or it may backfire. Just try to relax and follow the tips outlined above.

which foods help you get sound sleep?

Some studies show that foods like turkey, kiwi, walnuts, and fatty fish help you get sound sleep. Read more about that here.

how does your bed affect your sleep cycle?

Trying to figure out how to get better REM sleep? Start with your bed! Clean, comfy sheets, pleasant (but not overpowering) scents, and a quality, comfortable mattress can go a long way toward easing aches and pains and keeping you comfortable throughout the night.

Part of why I love SOL so much is that their sheets are breathable and keep you cool (but not cold), so hot sleepers don’t wake up uncomfortably warm.

is it possible to have a healthy sleep schedule when you work alternate schedules?

Your circadian rhythm works with the sun, which makes shift work difficult in maintaining healthy schedules. However, you can work around this with daylight lamps, blackout curtains, and a consistent schedule to trick your brain into thinking the sun is out when it’s not, and vice versa!

I’d like to thank SOL Organics for sponsoring this post. If you need new sheets, I can’t recommend SOL Organics enough.

PLUS, don’t forget about that 20% off for GZW readers! Use the code ‘GZW20’ at checkout!

So what do you think? Which of these night routine ideas are you going to try?