How to Create the Perfect Nighttime Routine
If you have problems sleeping at night, you are not alone. Around 35 to 50% of adults globally regularly experience insomnia symptoms. If you've tried a range of things such as over-the-counter products to help you adjust your sleeping, then our guide to creating the ultimate night time routine is sure to help you.
A bedtime routine is a habit that you can create where every night, 30 to 60 minutes before going to bed, you perform the same set of activities at the same time and in the same order. Taking a warm bath, reading a book, journaling, or meditating can all be effective ways of relaxing before bedtime.
Humans are creatures of habit. Our brains recognise that it is time to sleep when we follow routines at bedtime, and routines help us develop routines. Your brain recognises those activities as a precursor to sleep when you perform them the same way every night.
In this blog, we've compiled some top healthy sleep tips on perfecting your nighttime routine, to get your mind and body in the right frame of mind so that you're able to rest and sleep better.
The importance of a good sleep quality
A good night's sleep is critical to a healthy lifestyle and offers many health benefits, as many studies have shown. Nutritionist Dr Naomi Newman-Beinart says, “Lack of sleep can affect everything – especially immune system function – and if you’ve got a cold and are rundown it shows on your face – for example, puffy skin, red eyes and a runny nose.”
In the past few years cannabidiol, a cannabinoid found in cannabis and hemp, has made its way to the forefront of popular wellness as a non-psychoactive compound found in cannabis. These benefits include stress relief and sleep improvement. Taken at least an hour before bed, a few drops of i-Cann CBD oil may relieve some symptoms insomnia, promoting restful sleep.
Sleep Disorders
Those who suffer with insomnia face various challenges when trying to sleep better. One of the most common is difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep. Insomnia also makes it difficult to get a good night's sleep. There is evidence that cannabidiol (CBD) may assist with sleep-related issues.
Cortisol levels may also be controlled by CBD. Cortisol is a stress hormone that is usually produced by the adrenal glands and tends to peak in the morning. The level of cortisol at night can be elevated in people with insomnia, which can increase alertness and impact sleep quality.
Researchers found that when people took CBD oil, their cortisol levels decreased more significantly. CBD oil may act as a sedative because it affects the release of cortisol.
As a sleep disorder such as insomnia is also known to be the result of anxiety disorders such as social anxiety disorder (SAD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), CBD can also aid in these instances as use of cannabidiol can help to alleviate feelings of anxiety and night terrors.
Lay off the caffeine and alcohol
Caffeine is a stimulant and by its very nature, can cause difficulty in sleep, especially for those who have problems getting enough shut eye! Caffeine affects the amount of deep sleep that you can get and as a result. If you feel you can't live without your cup of 'joe' to make you feel more awake in the mornings, just try and keep it to the morning / early afternoon. Research shows that taking caffeine 6 hours before bedtime reduces your sleep time significantly.
Similarly, alcohol can affect the amount of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep we get. Although alcohol can help some people fall asleep quicker - there is a marked impact on the quality of sleep. If you are a regular drinker, it might be a good idea to reduce your intake to see if it helps to make you sleep better!
It's time to switch off!
There's good reason to why many people recommend that you avoid bad habits like excessive screen time before bed. It isn't just a parent's ploy to get you to turn off your tablet or phone. The blue light exposure that comes with on-screen technology such as televisions, smartphones and tablets can actually cause side effects and the ability to mess with your body's ability to feel tired and ready for bed. It acts as a blocker for the melatonin hormone, which is what makes you feel sleepy. So, the next time you want to binge-watch that latest Netflix series, you might want to think again!
Instead, try listening to a podcast. There's a good reason why it is accustomed in a baby bedtime routine for the parent to read bedtime story before dozing off soundly - fast asleep. With many relaxation podcasts available today that are sleep-promoting, there is plenty to choose from so that you can benefit from a deep sleep. It's a great thing to work into your bedtime routine, as it allows you to switch off and give yourself a break from staring at a screen! The slow waves in your brain while you sleep occur at a specific frequency, and so listening to something of the same level is said to help you relax and feel ready to hit the hay!
Make Selfcare your ritual
We've already covered selfcare at length in our blog which you can read here. However, selfcare is definitely something you ought to consider making time for in your bedtime routine. Setting time aside for time to give yourself a bit of extra attention can only help to build your ability to relax and unwind, in readiness for a better sleep.
It's important to take a few minutes time for things like breathing exercises - these are great for controlling your heart rate. Regular exercise can also support a good night routine. Research has shown that the effects of exercise on sleep are similar to those of sleeping pills.
i-Cann's Soothe & Restore Muscle balm is one of our best CBD products for helping you ease your aches and pain due to its anti-inflammatory properties. So whether you're someone who suffers from chronic pain, or someone who experiences aches from a hard-day's work - introducing a product like a muscle balm or CBD gel may just be what you're missing from your habits and bedtime routine.
Unwind with Meditation
Sleeping difficulties are often triggered by stress. As a result, anxiety and tension can cause sleep problems. Some sleep ailments may be exacerbated by stress.
Meditating may help you sleep better. In addition to enhancing inner peace, it can also quiet the mind and body. By promoting overall calmness, meditation can help reduce insomnia and sleep troubles before bedtime.
Taking some CBD oil just before you meditate can help you practice the art of meditation easier. Research shows that CBD oil improves concentration, focus, and attention. As a result, your mind can resist random thoughts and you can sit without getting distracted for longer periods of time. When you meditate, you feel calm and relaxed, and you feel positive and rested - and increases your mood stability! So next time you meditate, give our i-Cann CBD oil a try to see if you can supercharge your meditation in terms of focus and concentration.
Creating the right environment for your bedtime routine
Your bedroom should be a haven and your sanctuary. It should be a place of tranquility and comfort, where you can start your bedtime routine and relax and wind-down after a long day of work. Perhaps it's time to upgrade your interior if it does not provide the feeling of sanctuary.
Many studies have shown that sleeping in an optimally lit and noise-free bedroom with a comfortable temperature increases sleep quality substantially. A bedroom environment that promotes healthy sleep can also help you feel well-rested, which in turn helps you feel more alert during the day. After all, better sleep duration and quality are directly related to our health.
Allowing yourself to be woken up with natural light, rather than an alarm clock is another great habit to introduce to your bedtime routine. It is important to wake up to sunlight in order to have energy throughout the day. Moreover, our sleep-wake cycle means that awaking to natural light can help you to fall asleep faster and stay asleep for longer periods. Morning, natural light tells your brain that it is daytime. It's how mother nature wanted it.
How can CBD help me?
There is no THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) present in our CBD oil and cannabidiol skincare range. THC is the cannabinoid found in cannabis that gives psychoactive feeling of intoxication. Strains of cannabis plants that contain less that 0.3% of THC are considered hemp. Contrary to the THC cannabinoid, CBD does not cause you to feel drowsy, it simply allows you to relax and unwind. This is why it's a great sleep-inducing ritual to introduce into your bedtime routine.
i-Cann CBD oil and skincare does not contain THC - and as all our CBD oils and skincare are made from purified CBD isolate, we can guarantee them to be THC-free with our third-party lab results. i-Cann's range of hemp-derived CBD-based topical skincare and CBD oils are made with the highest quality ingredients.
Another key CBD-infused product that can help with your bedtime routine is our award-winning Rest & Repair CBD Massage Oil. Introducing a massage into your daily routine in itself can have present positive side effects and this premise has been science-backed for quite some time. Massages can reduce pain, muscle soreness and tension, which can serve to de-stress, increase relaxation, improve immune function and lower the body's heart rate and blood pressure as a result. So these benefits coupled with the potential power of CBD in reducing anxiety and increasing our ability to relax is a sure-fire way of supercharging your night time routine.
For more information on CBD oils and skincare that can help create a good bedtime routine, you can check out our 'Rest' CBD Collection. Get 30% off when you purchase the Rest Bundle! Simply add one of our products in the Rest CBD Collection to take advantage of the discount.