Benefits of habit “Set a sleep time alarm clock”
✓ Reduces stress
✓ Helps regulate sleep patterns
✓ Helps falling asleep
First step:
✓ Set an alarm 5mins before bed every day
Progress:
1. Tonight, as soon as you get home, set an alarm clock to ring 5 minutes before you go to bed. As it rings, turn off all your screens, put your phone on silent (except the morning alarm), have your last bathroom routine and go to bed. Do this every day for a week.
2. Next week, increase the time of alarm to 10 minutes. Add reading a page of a book you always wanted to read before turning lights off.
3. Keep increasing the amount of time the evening alarm rings (by 5-minute intervals or more) until you have a 1 hour bedtime routine before falling asleep.
Helpful tips to make it a habit:
✓ Same time is key. Going to sleep at the same time will also influence the routine and allow you to have it at a regular time. This way, it will be easy to form a new habit.
✓ Trigger your mind. Physical triggers are good way to remind yourself to put on the alarm. For example, as soon as you step through the threshold of your home, take out your phone and put it on. That way, you won’t need to think about it later in the evening.
✓ Let the app help. The reminder function of this app can also help you remember to put up the alarm as soon as you get home. You may also use the calendar function of this app to track the days you missed your alarm or didn’t go to bed successfully.
✓ Reward yourself. Once you’ve gone through a month of everyday bedtime ritual, reward yourself by buying a new set of bedsheets. Nothing like a great feeling of new material on your skin to lure you back to bed on time.
✓ Celebrate small victories. Every time you perform this habit, congratulate yourself! Say “I’m awesome” or “I’m so cool” out loud and with a smile on your face.
Tips for beginners:
✓ Choose reading material. Whether it’s a paper book, an e-book, or even an audiobook or podcast, make sure it’s within your reach when you’re in bed. Dedicate the time before falling asleep for activity you otherwise miss out on and make sure you read something that’s your favorite.
✓ Trouble falling asleep. Whether it’s stress, anxiety, bad sleeping patterns, turning in on the same time can be a good way to combat all these issues. Along with or instead of reading, you can try exercise, a short walk outside, meditation or even guided sleeping recording. All can be crammed into that hour, dedicated to improving your sleeping.
✓ Prepare your sleeping quarters. Air out the bedroom, fluff up the pillows, declutter the room. Try lowering light intensity and have blue light filters on all your screens that are in the bedroom. Nothing should be in the way of you sleeping soundly.
