YOUR Bedtime Routine

You have your kids bedtime routine down: bath, pajamas, teeth, story, kiss and hug, and lights out. Then, you race off to clean up dinner, throw a load of laundry in, check email, and before you know it, it is 10pm, and you haven't taken any time for yourself. So, you sit down in front of the television, and watch Gray's Anatomy for an hour. And scurry off to get ready for bed, where you skip flossing because you are beat and you want to try and get your needed 8 hours of sleep.

Now in bed, you toss and turn as you try to quickly forget the trials and triumphs of the day and ignore the 'to dos' of tomorrow. Finally, you drift to sleep 45 minutes later as you try not to forget you are supposed to bring snack to preschool in the morning.

STOP!! We all need to stop. We are probably all guilty of this psychotic parent behavior. We need to create our own bedtime routine. We need to relax and calm down, take frantic down a few notches, and revisit the days when life was simpler. Don't remember? Well, let's start from scratch.

Some things to consider as you develop a nighttime routine:
1. What time do you need to get up? If you need to get up at 6am- figure out your bedtime by subtracting 8 hours... hmm- 10pm... yes, your new bedtime.
2. Turn off the TV, computer... an hour before bedtime- thank goodness for DVRs right?
3. Avoid exercising 3 hours before bedtime, especially if you are one to struggle with falling asleep at night.
4. Follow this routine weekdays and weekends.
5. What is your bedroom like? You want it to be dark, comfortable, and cool. You may also want to consider a fan, sound spa, or other white noise maker to help drown out outside noises and possibly your mind.
6. Plan your dinner time earlier- you want to be done eating 2-3 hours before bedtime.
7. Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.

Now, what should you include in your bedtime routine- some things to consider:

• Bath or shower- use some nice aromatherapy bath salts
• Journaling to clear your full mind
• Reading a book- make sure it a relaxing book
  
• Playing a game with your husband or talking about your days
• Listening to relaxing music
• Taking the time you need to wash your face, brush your teeth...