The Importance Of Winding Down

These days, people are busier than ever. We’re working from home. Homeschooling kids. And doing everything we can to stay healthy. Add the holidays and shopping for gifts to the mix and the day can become hectic and stressful.

You can’t wait for the end of the day when you can relax and unwind.

But at the end of the day instead of turning off your devices and relax with a good book or meditate to get a good night’s sleep, you have the TV going, checking out Facebook, or you have your laptop opened up to catch up on emails. Sometimes you might be doing all three at the same time.

You swear you’ll ‘shut down’ at a reasonable hour. The next thing you know it’s two o’clock in the morning. On a Monday, your body can handle it but by Thursday, you feel like a zombie over the lack of sleep.

Why We Should Make Winding Down Part Of Our Nightly Ritual

Psychology Today says winding down at the end of our day is important to help us relax and initiate sleep. It’s a process where we intentionally put aside the events and worries from the day so they don’t get in the way of our having a restful night. Something that’s essential to optimal brain restoration and functioning, memory, and learning.

So how do you wind down at the end of the day?

First, keep mobile devices out of your room. Not only do you lose sleep but the blue wavelength light decreases the natural amount of melatonin in our bodies. Melatonin is the hormone that controls when it’s time to fall asleep and wake up. Televisions and laptops have the same effect.

Another suggestion? You know how instead of counting sheep to fall asleep, you’re counting the things you have to do the next day – which keeps you wide awake? Why not write out a list of the things you have to do the next day. That way, you can unwind the mind and get to sleep faster.