Bedtime rituals help the body wind down and contribute to a more restful sleep.
With children, it’s quite clear. Every evening before bedtime, the same ritual is performed: for example, tidying up the room, putting on pajamas, and then reading a story. If you deviate from this routine, the children become restless or don’t want to go to sleep.
For adults, too, such habits help prepare the body and mind for sleep. Dedicate the last 15–30 minutes of the day to a consistent sequence of calming and pleasant activities. Write in your journal, read a few lines from a poetry collection, or water your plants. It’s important to choose activities that relax you mentally and physically. Also make sure to start your evening ritual at the same time every night, if possible.
Over time, your body will automatically associate “I’m about to go to bed” with the activities you’ve chosen for yourself. You’ll find it much easier to drift off to sleep if you consciously invest the time before bed in preparing for sleep.