Do you know that lovely part of the day after completing all the work you need to do? Nobody needs you to do anything, and it is time to wind down and get ready for a good night’s sleep. Some of you are wondering what I am talking about right now because you do not have the tools to wind down, much less get some good sleep. So, let’s talk about healthy ways to relax at the end of the day.

I know you have heard that having any screen on (T.V., cell, iPad) makes it difficult for your brain to shut down at the end of the day. You very well might be ignoring this and thinking that these people do not know what they are talking about. Turns out, they actually do. Your brain will have a harder time knowing that it is dark, nighttime, time to sleep with all of the light coming off the screen right into your eyes.

But here is one that you probably recognize. You are in bed, on your phone, wanting to relax, so you go on TikTok. Three hours later, you are still scrolling through all of those snippets and no less tired than when you started. These little reels are addictive in all senses of the word. They will not help you sleep. They will help you waste an amazing amount of time!

So, let’s do it differently. Turn off the phone, tablet, laptop, etc. Pick up a book. A novel. Something fun, light. Something that does not require your brain to focus too much on anything! Read! This allows your brain to wind down slowly. Want to make it even more effective? Create a nighttime ritual that you do the same way, at about the same time every night. Take a bath or a shower. Drink warm milk or herbal tea. Snuggle up in your bed. Pick up your book.

If you do this consistently, your body will start relaxing as you start your nighttime ritual. You may even find that your sleep improves! Sweet dreams!