by Emilie Glen Colsted

Bedtime routines

A lot of people like to stay up late and there are many reasons for it. For example, getting a chance to relax and unwind after a long day. This time may be spent scrolling through social media or watching Netflix for some people while others like to enjoy the calm evening hours with some tea and a good book.

You are most likely not a stranger to the temptation that many people are faced with before bedtime. “Just one more episode” or “It’s not THAT late” are thoughts most of us are familiar with. Nevertheless, some bedtime routines often come at the cost of some well-needed shuteye and hinder us from greeting the next day with a refreshed mind.

That being said, sometimes it may be preferable or even necessary to stay up late like when you're burning the midnight oil to finish an important project or when you simply want to enjoy some alone time.

The important part is that you consider the costs and benefits of your routines before bed. This is also called a cost-benefit analysis or an advantage-disadvantages analysis which is a classic technique used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

You can apply this technique by examining the pros and cons of your activities before going to bed. Are they habits that leave you tired and unmotivated throughout the coming day? Or do they help you in some way?

Then weighing out these pros and cons can give you a more objective overview of your sleep hygiene which can help you decide if you can replace any routines before bed with some more adaptive ones.

To help you find your balance, Nuna has a tool all about building helpful bedtime routines. If you want some help with planning a new bedtime then try out the tool "Reassessing Bedtime" by downloading Nuna today.