How to Create A Relaxing Bedtime Routine

When it comes to bedtime, it’s not just about your beauty sleep. Catching forty winks is imperative for great skin, of course, but it’s about a lot more than that; sleeping well is essential for your health and wellbeing, and at KOHA Beauty, we take that very seriously.

Did you know that just one night of interrupted sleep can quadruple your risk of catching a cold, lower your motivation and reaction times, reduce your ability to concentrate and even affect your appetite? And that’s not the worst of it; persistent exposure to poor sleep patterns can result in all of the above, as well as headaches, poor memory, and increased risk of depression. So, it’s no joke when we say that you should be taking your bedtime routine seriously too. We’ve created a KOHA-approved guide to winding down and building up a relaxing bedtime routine that will help you to sleep better, meaning that you’ll look better and feel better too.

First things first, it’s time to craft the right routine.

You’ve heard it a million times, but do you really switch off your phone hours ahead of bedtime? For a solid sleep that really nourishes your body and mind, the advice is to stop using your phone around three hours before bed; the blue light from your screen is overstimulating for the brain and can keep your mind whirring hours after you need to be winding down. To stop temptation, put your phone on airplane mode and pop it in another room, far away from idle hands – Twitter and Instagram will still be there tomorrow! Try reading a book instead, which is much better for relaxation and won’t overwork your senses like a screen will.

Next up, create an ambience that helps you to relax. Lighting a candle is proven to aid relaxation, mindfulness and sleepiness, especially if you choose one with sleep-inducing lavender essential oils, like ours. Our Lavender Herb candle is perfect to start burning around two hours before bedtime, to help you feel calmer and soothe the senses, in preparation for a deep sleep. If you can, try running a warm bath to really relax mind and body. Melt a chunk of our Shea Butter, Kaolin Clay & Lavender into the running water; the intoxicating fragrance of sweet orange, ylang ylang and cedarwood will be wonderful to relax the soul, and the soothing shea butter will soften your bathwater too. Make sure the water isn’t too hot, and bring your candle into the bathroom to continue the mellow mood. Dim the lights and let yourself soak, whiling away some time without anything to do is great for a sleepy head.

Post-bathing, it’s time to get those essential steps out of the way – cleansing and brushing the teeth, it’s a must in any bedtime regime! You know the drill by now; gently and thoroughly cleanse with our KOHA Pure White Konjac Sponge to lift any makeup, debris, oil and grime, and then give those gnashers a good scrub with our KOHA Bamboo Toothbrush.

Now, it’s time to get into bed to catch those zzz’s…

Your bedroom should be at a cooler temperature than you think, to aid in a restful sleep, so if you can, keep a window open to lower the warmth in the room slightly. It shouldn’t be cold or draughty, but just cool enough to allow for your body heat to rise whilst you’re under the covers, without making you uncomfortable.

Speaking of under the covers, bed linen is an important factor in creating a restful sleep. Breathable cotton or linen bedsheets are best, to help you stay comfortable whilst you snooze, and if you can, you should limit the number of cushions and blankets on your bed, which can get in your way and disrupt your sleep, as well as risking you overheating and waking up. Choose pillows with the right amount of softness and support, and position them so that your head is slightly elevated above your neck, for optimum comfort (and no puffy face in the morning!).

The final step in a powerhouse sleep routine is to wind down correctly. We’re big fans of the Sweet Dreams eye masks which works as a sleep-inducing must have.Once you're ready for bed, open the sachet and put the eye masks on your eyes and hold it in place with the loops around your ears. Within seconds the eye masks start to heat up and a gentle scent of jasmine will whisk you away sending you off into a restful slumber all night long.

And there you have it – a bedtime routine to help you ease into a nourishing sleep that will help you look and feel your best, every day of the week.

Enjoy your relaxing bedtime routine.

xoxo

KOHA Beauty