Today’s PRACTICALLY SPEAKING is all about developing a healthy nighttime routine. I’m writing this as much for me as for you! There are many evening I fall into bed exhausted after a long day of work or just too much late night tv watching. And there are lots mornings I get up at 3:00 am and can’t fall back to sleep! Not good! So, I’m changing my ways and setting myself up for a great night’s sleep and a successful morning! Here are 8 things I’m doing every night before I go to bed!
Today is HOME STYLE SATURDAY! Please check out the other great posts at the end of this one!
Here’s some smart things to do before you go to bed!
SPEND 10 MINUTES PUTTING THINGS IN PLACE
Send just a few minutes tidying up the downstairs before bed. Put everything back in place. Fluff the pillows, clean off table surfaces, put away magazines and books. Put all things that need to go upstairs in a laundry basket and carry them up with you when you go to bed!
I’t so nice to come down to a tidy home the next am!
REVIEW TOMORROW’S SCHEDULE
Take a look at your schedule for the following day. Make a list of the top 3 things to get done! Note all scheduled appointments.
SORT A LOAD OF LAUNDRY LAUNDRY
source
Sort 1 load of laundry and put it by the your bedroom door. In the morning take it with you when you go to get a cup of coffee or tea! Throw that load in as soon as you get down stairs! When I consistently do this I have no laundry pile up! And I love the feeling of a closet of clean ready to wear clothes!
CLEAN YOUR SINK
My biggest pet peeve is facing dirty dishes in the sink from the night before. Make a point to clean you sink with a fabulous smelling organic cleanser every evening and you will be happy to meet your sink the next am!
Here’s a recipe for a wonderful smelling organic sink cleanser! I found this recipe on CLEAN MAMA. You will love this site!
- 2 cups baking soda
- 10 drops lemon essential oil (or any other essential oil)
- 10 drops “purification” essential oil (or any other essential oil)
- Castile Soap
- shaker top jar.
Combine the baking soda and essential oils. Put the scrub in a mason jar. Instead of a lid cut out a piece of cardstock to fit as a lid and punch 4 holes in the top. Sprinkle the scrub in the sink along with a tiny squirt of Castile soap or dish detergent and scrub it with a sink scrubber. Rinse well. You sink will be clean and fresh smelling. And so will your kitchen!
TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY
Brush your teeth, floss, wash and hydrate your face. Use lotion on your body and pay attention to your hands neck and feet. Go to bed feeling pampered and smelling pretty. Spray your bed pillow with a little lavender spray for sweet dreams!
TAKE YOUR VITAMINS SUPPLEMENTS AND MEDS
Don’t forget to take care of the inside of your body too! Take nightly meds and any vitamins or supplements that work better at night. I take my multivitamins at night because they are a little too rough on my stomach in the morning.
READ FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES
Read something relaxing. Try to unplug from all electronic devices though. The light in them stimulates the brain and can disturb your sleep. Save your magazines till bedtime!
PRAY
Don’t forget to be thankful for the day and talk to your Father in heaven before you go to bed! Praying brings me such peace!
I bet there is something you do every night before you go to bed that might not be on this list… please share! Why don’t you join in the effort to set up a nightly routine that is healthy and smart!
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Love the homemade sink cleaning recipe and idea! Thanks for sharing!
thank you! great tips
May I ask you where you got your kitchen sink….. love it and thanks for the sink scrub recipe.
Also I Bless my self every night before I go to bed and Thank God for the day. Makes for a restful sleep.
Where does one get the lavender spray? It sounds like a small luxury for yourself I want to try.
I make it. 6 TBS distilled water, 4 TBS Witch Hazel, 10 drops of lavender essential oils. Use a small funnel to add to a plastic spray bottle. Shake well before using.
Thank you. We are alive once more.
June 8, 2010 our lives stopped at 11:50 pm. Our 6foot4inch, 35 yr old son, a 14 year service man was killed in his HOME packing his kit to return to Afghanistan. The propane gas explosion destroyed his home – severely damaging houses to either side. No one else was hurt – his body was discovered by a fireman putting out hot spots the following day.
Your articles & pictures reminded us of the hunt for pieces for his home; recipes – furnishings – tools & plants inside plus the yard. Laying new hard wood flooring, painting faux pas, repurposing items (an avocado green swivel rocker – once his beloved very petite great grandmother’s ). Dad & son building a higher reinforced new platform for the chair that wouldn’t topple when he fell asleep.
Memories remain, the laughter shared, the anticipation & appreciation of completion.
Thank you. Somehow you’ve triggered the return of happy memories.
Dear May, I am so deeply moved and sorry for the loss of your son! Thank you for his service to our country. I can’t imagine how his passing changed your life. I hope you find a tiny bit of comfort by being here at StoneGable today. God bless you!
I’ve started exercising with a walking DVD by Leslie Sansone. This dvd allows you walk between 1-3 miles – your choice. It’s a good workout that includes various steps with arm movements so it’s more than just walking in place. I do it before bedtime and contrary to what some people say it does not rev me up too much. It’s pretty taxing. I work so doing exercise at night after my husband goes to bed suits my current life style. We live in Florida so it works great when it’s too hot to walk outside. Then I read afterwards for anywhere from 20 minutes or more. I turn off all electronics including my ipad and phone about a half hour to hour before bed.. They recommend not looking at any screen for at least an hour before going to bed. If there’s something on late that I want to see I just record it to watch later. I also diffuse essential oils in my house every evening. The one I use most is Stress Away which is a Young Living blend that I love. I’ve noticed that I don’t get the stress in my back and shoulder like I used to. All these things combined help me to get a good nights sleep.
I love these ideas, Yvonne. I need this very much now. I’m going to try some of these. Thank you for sharing.
Yes, prayer must be included! So many things need God’s intervention on a daily basis…
Those little habits and minutes of time can sure make a big difference! Thanks
I do most of these, but it’s hard to take all my meds or supplements because I don’t like that much water right before bedtime….for obvious reasons. Taking a melatonin though helps me stay asleep through the night. I MUST read a little bit before going to sleep. It just doesn’t feel right if I don’t. And if the melatonin hasn’t kicked in completely by the time I finish a chapter or two, I pray until I fall asleep.
Nice.
I am in the habit of turning on an audio book or a podcast that I have already heard before when I’m ready to sleep. It keeps my mind from racing but since there is no suspense, as I’ve heard it, it is not too distracting and doesn’t keep me awake. It just sort of guides me off into dreamland.
I have been the victim of a night time home invasion so I check my locks as part of my routine!
I have a bedtime routine that I need to be more faithful in doing…it’s so much about letting go, giving it to God, and recovery from the day/preparing for tomorrow. 🙂 Such a few easy things to do, and it makes such a difference!
Love the home made sink cleaner recipe. What purification essential oil do you use?
Thanks for the tips. I have fallen in a bad routine of always being rushed, overwhelmed and late in the mornings. I need to put these to practice.
Much Love,
Erica
As always, awesome and timely advise!
These are all such good ideas. Thank you for sharing.
All great ideas! I will have to make up a batch of the sink cleaner. Love the idea of using the cardboard lid with holes poked through. Thanks for the tips!
Great advice that I am going to try to follow. 🙂
Nice article Yvonne – I already do most of the tasks that “put the house to bed & ready it for morning” but must confess I don’t always take time for me…. skin care etc. Thank you for reminding me to do that. As with a lot of the others I say a nightly prayer and kiss my husband goodnight.
I’ve tried it all. I go to bed around 10-101″30. Read for at least an hour until my eyes won’t stay open…yet I’m still awake at 2:00 a.m. It’s horrible. Then, I can’t get up in the morning.. 8:30 rolls around and it’s time to get up. If I lose my eyes soon it’s 9:00.
Awww…. Benedryl is about the only thing that works fo rme. Just don’t want to take it every night.
I started laying out my clothes for the next day awhile back and that has really helped me start the morning off on the right foot. Thanks for sharing your tips.
Thanks for the reminders. I used to have a precise routine and then fell off. Your post is a good reminder to start it up again.
The. Worst is when you try to get ready to sleep and you start running the list of things to do.
I am always inspired by your blogs and look forward to every one of them. I always put things off until ‘tomorrow’, and I am going to work on this routine knowing I will sleep better looking forward to the next day without all the ‘stuff’ I have to do before getting started on the next day. Prayer is important any time during the day, but falling asleep having thanked our Father for all He has done in our lives relaxes you in a way nothing else can. Following your blog to a clean home in 30 minutes a day will help relax my mind too, because I don’t have to worry about someone dropping in unannounced.
Great tips. I’m going to add a few to my new year/new me list.
Love your ideas within your posts! I look forward to each and every post. I, too, don’t like to see dishes in the sink the next morning. I try to do my dishes and pick up each night. Also, I get all mail ready to take out to the mailbox for the next day. This include all special cards for birthdays, celebrations, grandkids achievements and hi Sistah Girl cards for girlfriends! Keep the ideas coming Yvonne!!
Since I pack a lunch for my son and myself, every evening I put out the lunch boxes on the counter where I pack our lunches.
Great tip, Pammie! Thanks!
I have been a devoted clean sink/tidy up person before bedtime most of my life. Couple of things to add. I do write out the next day’s tasks a couple of hours before bed; as I do not want thoughts of the next day’s to do’s keeping me awake. I lower the lights in the house to get the sleep mood going. And put out whatever wardrobe for the next day is required, so I am ready to get out the door first thing. Love your blog posts and look forward to your blogs in 2017!
These are all such great ideas, Karen. Thanks for sharing them.
What a nice thing to begin doing in January! I do some of it already, but am inspired to step up my game. Thanks Yvonne!
I am going to try the sink scrub. Thanks for all the tips!Also if I can’t sleep I write down whats on my mind or what I think I might forget for the coming day. It helps alot to clear your head and turn off a wandering mind!
What lovely ideas! I’m going to try them for a week and see what happens. This may be just what I need, thanks for posting.
Great advice. I put the house in order and put that days newspapers in the recycle bin. Clean the cat box and clean the kitchen sink but I am adding your advice about checking the calendar. You give great tips!
Wonderful tips, my dear friend!
I already doing all the things you mentioned except to spray the bed pillow with lavender spray and I heard this before from different resources so I will get some and try it. Thank you and sweet dreams!
Thanks Yvonne for this post. I loved reading the comments as well.
This year is my year of Kindness in addition to being kind to others I have to be kind to myself as well. Meaning doing a beauty treatment each night.
I usually wake in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep thinking about things that need to be done. I liked the idea of reviewing the calendar and making 3 things to do the next day. Also someone wrote of keeping a large note pad and pen on the night stand to write down thoughts.
I’ve always prayed before bed thanking God for his blessings that day. I try to give thanks for 3 things from that day.
Wishing you a restful New Year
Pray, that’s the best!
Great suggestions! Happy New Year and thanks!
A warm bath, reading my bible, and my bedtime prayers are my routine. I can’t rest as well if I skip them! Also, I am on my knees in the morning asking for guidance,power, and strength for me and my family for the day. Amazing how much that does, just taking a few minutes to talk to God!
I’m right there with ya, Yvonne! Coming into a clean tidy house and kitchen in the morning is The Best Feeling!!! Do all those nasty chores the night before!
Yvonne, bless you for all your wonderful posts which are always something we can all learn from. The recipe for cleaning the kitchen sink sounds great. I will definitely try it.
Have a wonderful week-end!
Blessings!
Great suggestions for preparing for bedtime! I try to do those things myself as I want to greet the new day in a good mood! Thanks so much for all of your great tips!
I know TV is a No- no for most people but for us I tape Perry Mason and we watch an episode before we go to sleep. Simpler times and I’ve loved the show since I was 4? Often we get through half its such a part of our evening routine that it signals the end of the day. Before I go to sleep I tell my loved ones that are gone that I love them & I carry them in my heart. It leaves me with a sense of peace.
I hope you are doing well, I broke my knee a few years ago I think of you often my break was pretty minor compared to your surgery. I was very frustrated but once I accepted it I found ways to get things done. We also came up with a shower plan involved trash bags & a folding chair. I also was not going to go without a shower. Take care.
All great tips! Thanks for the sink cleaner recipe, I love using home recipes without chemicals!
Great tips to go to sleep . Now the mornings can be carefree.
great ideas! thank you for sharing the recipe for the diy sink cleaner!
I do most of these, but I also try to journal at least 3 things I am thankful for that day – I keep my journal in my nightstand. It is fun to read back through them every so often.
Along with all the others I say thank you. I’ve been trying to end the day better and your suggestions are hitting the mark with me. Blessings on you Yvonne as you continue to heal and share from your heart with us.
Thanks for posting these wonderful tips. I always sleep better when I know things are in order and in their proper place. It also makes for a better morning. xoxo
I am trying to get myself in a good night time routine, these are great ideas! Thank you, have a blessed day!
Always great advice. Note to self: remember to read and pray more consistently!
Have been doing my own version of this for YEARS! Couldn’t imagine living any other way. Call me a creature of habit but I don’t function well if things in my home and in my brain are not in order. Thankfully I am also good at flying by the seat of my pants if I have to and changing the priority if I have to, but ME comes high on the list always!
Love those ideas…especially looking over our calendar, otherwise what you think you don’t know might wake you at night! all good ideas..I always read a little before I go to bed, and yes not a Kindle, the light isn’t good for our brains..
Thanks for the reminder about reading on electronic devices. I’ll try magazines and regular books.
I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog Yvonne. This is my first time commenting. 😊 I too have started a new bedtime routine for the new year and your post has helped me fine tune some of my ideas. Thanks!
Hi Kendra, Thanks so much for commenting! I hope I see a lot more of your comments!
😊
I always do a quick go around putting things in their place, so I have a tidy house to wake up to. The dishwasher is loaded and turned on after dinner and emptied while the coffee is brewing in the morning.My laundry gets dropped in the basket in the laundry room as needed, so it’s easy to load quickly. My nightly beauty routine is the same as yours. Once I get into bed it’s lights out though. If I start reading a good book, I stay awake far too late.
You think of everything, Yvonne. If we can’t stay organized with your posts, then we just aren’t putting any effort into the task. You have a gentle way of putting the everyday, practical things into an organized list. Have a wonderful day!
Just a reminder…read a book, not on kindle bc the device light Screws up one’s sleeping ability
This is wonderful, I almost do everything the same!!
Prayer is the last thing, so i will have happy dreams. 🙂
Thank you!!
After a month of no set schedules, I am looking forward to getting back into a routine. Love your suggestions. I know one think that did help when my children were younger, was to sit for a few minutes and write down things that were floating around my mind before bed. It helped my brain to turn off, and not worry about things. Doing this through prayer works as well.
I am working toward using nothing buy natural products in our cleaning routine, so I am thankful you shared the “recipe” for the sink cleanser.
Wonderful ideas for bedtime!
Love the sink scrub recipe! Going to look into getting her book! Thanks
Sounds like you have found a good way to end the day,
mine is similar to yours.I always wake up to a clean and
tidy house and always give thanks for the day and our
blessings.
I do most all of these each night. They are spot on, for me at least. Sweet dreams and rested morning!
Thank you, for your timely bedtime routine, Yvonne. Coming to your page is one of the most pleasurable things I give myself each morning the beautiful pictures and the practical wisdom, tugs at my heart each day. The kitchen sink is one thing I am sticking on to firmly this year however tired I am during the day, I love entering a clean kitchen first thing in the morning too. Love the idea of putting away everything the night before & fluffing the cushions, will start it ASAP, coz some mornings that sight overwhelms me. I write in my online journal called DAY ONE , it is a gift I give myself each night before I go to sleep, coz I take pictures of how my day went & some time later in the middle of the year or so, I go back & read my journal & it always brings a smile on my face to note how far I have travelled from the beginning of the year. Each day, I try to do something ,better than the previous day , how else do we grow? Prayer has been a constant anchor in my life. Thank you, for your beautiful tips, it enriches my learning each day.Have a blessed year ahead !
Thank you for these reminders, Yvonne! I just started the evening quick pick-up, and love waking up to a tidy house.
I found that drinking a cup of an herbal sleep tea or warm milk (flavored with Bailey’s, cocoa, or a flavored creamer) before bed helped keep me sleeping during the night. I also keep a large pad and pen next to the bed so I can make scribbled notes in the dark of whatever my mind won’t turn off. And if that doesn’t help, I “pray in the night watches.” I’d love to know more about your devotional time routines…
I really like these ideas and plan to adopt them.
Thank you for these great tips. Definitely need to turn the tv off earlier. Love the praying part.
I already do several of your suggestions as my bedtime routine. I like the idea of cleaning the sink, and I plan to try making the cleanser you told us about. My sink is black granite composite and I can’t use anything that contains bleach, so I am always on the lookout for a good cleanser that I can use.
I also pick up the house before bedtime. Prayer is the most important. “Pray without ceasing”.
All these rituals done every night go a long way…take. It from someone who practices this! Thanks Yvonne!
Love your tips, especially the pray and clean the sink. Thanks!
Thanks for your great tips!
Thank you for the timely tips…Yvonne….I try to do most things on YOUR list…I always pray a goodnight thank you to God……you are such a dearie and I am grateful that you continually channel all of us in such a beneficial direction for mind,body, soul and home-keeping ! You are the best !! ……………..Smiles, Anne
Love these ideas! I also write in my prayer journal at least one thing for which I’m grateful and /or praising God from my day.
I have learned the hard way to turn of the electronic devices! Thanks for the reminders.
Thank you! I have had trouble falling asleep for years! I will definitely try these tips to wind down before bed. I appreciate the tip about taking my multivitamin at bedtime.
I do better with a nighttime routine and got away from it during the hectic holidays. Thanks for reminding us how important it is to have a nighttime routine and how it impacts our next day.
I love the bedtime routine. I just need to remember to put the computer down and pick up the magazine. Thank you. 🙂
Love the idea of adding a color of the year! The plate hanger case is a super idea for adding color to a limited space!
I used to have such terrible sleeping problems. I would sometimes go to work with only 2 hours of sleep. One important thing I did was remove the TV from my bedroom. If I can’t stay asleep I go into my TV room and watch something I taped. It may be an hour, but I fall back to sleep again. I try not to be on my computer for an hour or two before sleeping.
Added to my nighttime routine (along with the ones you mentioned) I put the most wonderful lip balm on my lips, Lansinoh. Also, my hair is very dry so I place some elixir type oil on the ends.
I love a bedtime routine, it helps me sleep better! I have always washed my face and take all my makeup off before I go to sleep. That’s when your skin care routine works the best. Yes, and always give thanks to God for the day he gave me. I also rub foot cream on my feet before bed. I don’t like my feet to feel dry, and once I’m in the bed it’s the best time to do it. I love my sleep, and am thankful I only occasionally have trouble staying asleep. Like a lot of people, I sometimes wake up at 2:00 or 3:00 and can’t go back to sleep, but I feel fortunate that most of the time I do. Sleep is very, very important to our health!
I make sure all of the exterior doors are locked and pray for protection over my loved ones.
Staying on a sleep time frame is very important. My husband had issues for years and has none now. We have a time we go to bed pretty much every night around 10. We do not eat later than 6 during the week and we both read about 15 minutes before sleep. If you make this a strong habit your body will get on it’s normal algorithm. It takes awhile so don’t give up!
Your post was enlightening, Yvonne. So many lives are rushed with too many things to get done. Mine was but isn’t that way any longer. Writing in my journal and spending time talking with God brings my day to a close. I do spray lavender scent on my bed pillow each night…love it!
Wonderful ideas. Before I turn out the light, I tell Hubby I love him. He tells me the same. It’s been part of our bedtime ritual for over 37 years now.
Thank you, Yvonne, for providing such practical, do-able approaches to better living.
I have a simple evening yoga routine that stetches and relaxes my body. It helps me sleep all night.
I used to do that and think I will start it again with your suggestion!
I take a warm bath before getting into bed, very relaxing!
Thanks for the gentle reminder of a night time routine. As woman we sometimes forget to take care of ourselves!!
What great ways to end your day!
Great suggestions! So agree on the part about prayer.
I start the load of wash after our showers and throw it in the dryer to dry when I make the coffee.
By the end of the coffee the clothes are ready to fold and put away.
Love your appointment book paper! Wanna share on this subject in the future. Purchasing and journaling?
I also like to have notes here for 3-4 days each week about what dinners to prepare.
Thanks for being here for us, Yvonne!
I for one need a bedtime routine change. Thank you for your “smart” suggestions Yvonne. I suffer from insomnia and have no trouble falling asleep, it’s the staying asleep.
All good ideas, but maybe put pray first! 🙂