When Angela Holliday-Bell, MD, was in medical school, she stopped being able to sleep. “Every part of my life was suffering,” she says. “I was stressed and irritable, work was really difficult, my relationships were strained.” She decided to read “every book there was” about sleep, work in the sleep clinic at her hospital, and fix her relationship with slumber. Now board-certified in pediatrics and clinical sleep health, Dr. Holliday-Bell has completely revamped her sleep habits and helps others do the same. “I really like to make my bedtime routine an indulgent process. It’s something that I look forward to,” she says. According to Dr. Holliday-Bell, you may feel the benefits of these changes the very first evening you incorporate them—so why not start tonight?
Change the Lightscape
Your sleep routine should begin about an hour before bedtime, she says. For Dr. Holliday-Bell, bedtime is at 10 p.m., so when the clock strikes nine, she dims all the lights in her house. “In decreasing the amount of light exposure, I’m getting the signal to my brain that it’s time to prepare for bed and to stimulate melatonin,” she says. She’s also set her phone to automatically turn on Do Not Disturb mode at nine, which cuts down the temptation to look at the screen.
Set the Mood
If you have a good morning, get-ready-for-work playlist that pumps you up, consider making a bedtime version. Every evening, Dr. Holliday-Bell turns on soothing music that, she says, “makes me feel good as I’m winding down.” She fires up the playlist and a few candles (ones with notes of lavender are her favorite) to enhance the relaxing ambiance. With the music on and the soothing scents wafting in, she does her skin-care routine and brushes her teeth.
Settle Your Mind
About 15 minutes before her strict 10 p.m. bedtime—with her phone tucked way out of reach on a charger—she cracks open a book, which helps destress her after the day and distract her from any lingering anxiety. If she’s had a particularly rough day, she’ll then use a sleep meditation app that “takes me through breathing exercises, to relax and distract my thoughts from whatever happened,” she says.
Choose the Right Accessories
Dr. Holliday-Bell swears by a few must-have sleep accessories: a fan, red light, and blackout sleep mask.
Before she gets into bed, she turns on a fan for white noise—she even has a miniature version that she brings with her on the road. She also switches on a red light, which some small studies have found might “promote natural melatonin release.” The light (she uses this one from Helight) is on a sleep timer, so after 28 minutes—at which point she’s soundly asleep—it turns off.
When she’s ready to put down her book and start to doze off, she slips on the blackout sleep mask. Her trio of accessories are “positive sleep associations”, which means she connects them to a good night’s rest. They can help improve the ability to fall and stay asleep, due in part to that emotional association. Their physical qualities help too, though: “[The mask] also, of course, blocks out all the lights so it makes it easier to sleep.” She brings it and a portable fan with her even when she’s on the road, to help make sleeping in hotel rooms easier.
Then Do It Again Tomorrow
I asked Dr. Holliday-Bell how long it might take for these positive bedtime routine changes to take effect, expecting the answer to be at least a few weeks. And while she acknowledges the widely-repeated stat that it takes 21 days to solidify a habit, she also says that the impact of healthier sleep habits can be pretty immediate. “Doing the proper things even in one night can make a big difference,” she says. Of course, just because you know something will improve your quality of life doesn’t necessarily make it easy to do. Don’t stress if it takes some time to settle into your new routine; just trust that, if you stick with it, the steps will become second nature over time.
Conclusion
By incorporating these simple changes into your bedtime routine, you can improve the quality of your sleep and wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Remember, it may take some time to adjust to these new habits, but the benefits will be worth it. So why not start tonight?
FAQs
Q: How long does it take to see the benefits of a new bedtime routine?
A: According to Dr. Holliday-Bell, you may feel the benefits of these changes the very first evening you incorporate them.
Q: What if I find it hard to stick to my new bedtime routine?
A: Don’t stress if it takes some time to settle into your new routine; just trust that, if you stick with it, the steps will become second nature over time.
Q: Can I use my phone before bed?
A: Dr. Holliday-Bell recommends avoiding screens for at least an hour before bedtime to help your brain wind down and prepare for sleep.
Q: What are some other tips for improving my sleep?
A: Dr. Holliday-Bell suggests reading books, listening to soothing music, and practicing relaxation techniques like deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation to help you relax and prepare for sleep.