If you follow me on Twitter, you would know I had a bad bout of insomnia last week. Four days without sleep! I was to say the least, a body of anxiety after a couple of days. Going to bed can become a stressful situation. I end up thinking about the next day and what I didn’t get done today. I also lay there thinking tonight is the night that I get a better sleep. It can sometimes be the time of the day that I dread and I try to put it off hoping I become so tired I’ll just fall asleep quickly.

However I think the time right before bed can be a really important. It’s the time to get things in order to make sure the next day runs as smoothly as possible. I have come up with a list of six relaxing things to do before you your head hits the pillow for a better sleep. I try to do these things before I go to sleep, I now keep a notebook and pen by the bed so instead of trying to remember something for when I wake up, I’ll just jot it down.

And washing your face before going to sleep is just to me a must do! I’m going to share how to wash your face properly in an upcoming post, but try to start doing this if you don’t already. Or use a face mask, I have shared six great choices!

6 Ways To Get A Better Sleep

1. WASH YOUR FACE
This is a simple task that everyone should do regardless. Clean the impurities away, allowing your skin to become a clean palette for serums, moisturizers, facial oils and more. Before I go to bed I tend to use my heavier products because your skin replenishes during the night. I like to use a facial oil, a face mask a couple nights a week, try a facial massage or a spot treatment to get the most out of my skincare before going to bed. I tend to feel really refreshed and ready for a better sleep. If I don’t wash my face now, I feel really gross and well let’s be honest here, I haven’t not washed my face in years. I’ll use a face cleansing wipe if I’m desperate.

2. READ SOMETHING
Reading before going to sleep can really improve your sleeping pattern and helps to switch off. You become lost in the story or article you are reading and forget about the day. Reading doesn’t necessary have to involve a book, but can be a magazine or a newspaper article. Do try to avoid reading on your iPad or phone, that screen will mess with your sleep.

3. MAKE A LIST
Feeling like you need to know what has to be done for tomorrow can be made a little easier by making a small list to get yourself organized. It gives you a little head start for the upcoming day and lets you plan out anything that needs to be done the night before. This really helps me clear my mind, I’m that person who has 10 lists going at anytime. Keeps me sane.

4. TURN OFF ALL DEVICES
I make a point to switch off my phone, turn the TV off, dim the lights 30 minutes to an hour before bed. Using any device or watching TV can really mess with your sleeping pattern and cause you to not feel sleepy anymore. If your on social media it can also be a way of getting yourself stressed when you are meant to be relaxing.

5. TRY AND FORGET ABOUT THINGS
Forget about the bad day you just had. Having a positive mindset is so healthy for your mental health and well-being. Trying to forget about your troubles for a few hours can be refreshing as we are always so stressed and worried. Before going to bed should be an hour where you can chill and forget about things.

6. DON’T EAT SPICY FOODS OR DRINK ALCOHOL/CAFFEINE
Diet plays a big part in sleep. Here are a few key things to steer clear of in the hours immediately before bed:

• Eating or drinking caffeine. It can stay in your system for 6-8 hours!
• Eating spicy foods
• Drinking alcohol. I break this rule occasionally with a glass of red wine.
• Going to bed too full or too hungry
• Drinking too much liquid before bed. You’ll just end up thinking about if you need to pee again. Or you have to get up to pee and disrupt your REM cycle.