Your Low-Stress Guide to Leveling-Up Your Bedtime Routine
Are You Burnt Out or Depressed?
And wow, are we so due for that.
The pandemic has devastatingly interrupted our entire lives, including our state of mind.
This Mays Mental Health Awareness Month coincides with the continued U.S. rollout of theCOVID-19 vaccine.
We need to allow ourselves the space to ask, How have I changed?
How do I want to show up in this new landscape?
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Ready to recharge your mind, body, and spirit?
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Grief isnt just emotional; its physical, too.
For example, when youre angry, you may feel your heart beat faster.
Watson says grief can also manifest as pain, digestive issues, or fatigue.
Thats why she says a body scan can be helpful.
Heres how to do it: Lie down on your back and close your eyes.
Once you feel the tension ease through your body, sit up.
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Scan your body one more time and notice the difference in how youre feeling.
Licensed psychotherapist andBoundary BossauthorTerri Colesays that having bad boundaries causes anxiety and stress.
What are bad boundaries exactly?
Spend 15 minutes today thinking about areas in your life where youre overcommitting and over-giving.
Where do new boundaries need to be created in your life?
Once you establish your new boundaries, be ready to enforce them.
This minimizes internal and relational conflict and fosters better self-esteem, more satisfaction, and mental well-being.
We [Black women] need to give ourselves time to rest, she says.
Sometimes this means literally taking a nap, sometimes this means getting eight hours of sleep.
It means prioritizing yourself even when there is so much work to be done.
We all deserve to rest, but we need to help each other for it to happen.
Day 4: Make time for play
Our culture glorifies being busy and productive.
We cant be any more productive.
Latham Thomas says play is vital to our well-being; we need it to recharge.
Play helps us to expand and be in the present moment of doing something that we love.
Thomas urges everyone to give themselves permission to play every day.
This means doing something forthe sheer joy of it.
I have aha moments that in some cases contribute to problem-solving or shaping my work in some meaningful way.
Rather than creating a punitive model of work only and no play, integrate recreation into your daily routine.
Call to action:Want to have a role in helping others recharge through play?
Day 5: Say no to something
Remember a few days ago when you did some boundary-creating?
Now youre ready for level two: practicing the art of saying no.
Saying no is important for your health.
It is impossible to show up for everything and everyone.
Saying no is a sign of knowing healthy limits, says Minaa B.
Of course, wanting to say no and actually doing it are totally different.
But Cole says saying no is what putting your boundaries into place looks like in action.
Did you decide that too much time with a certain friend drains your soul?
Respectfully decline their invitation to an outdoor brunch.
Time to actually do it.
When you first heard the request, what was your gut telling you?
Two, remove emotion from the situation.
Do you really have to say yes?
What would happen if you said no?
Three, if youre still torn, imagine saying yes.
Then, imagine saying no.
Which one made you feel more at ease?
After going through each of the three steps, youll know what to do.
But theres a difference between routine and ritual.
In essence, routines are something to get done, while rituals are done with more intent.
For one person, this may bemindfully whisking matchain the morning.
For someone else, it could be journaling or a meditative afternoon walk with the dog.
Rituals help us establish a daily routine that enables us to improve our mental health, Anwar says.
We can do this by prioritizing specific self-care activities to engage in every day.
One scientific article published in theJournal of Sports Medicinecalled Walking On Sunshinehighlightseight key mental health benefits simply from walking.
Among them: lowering anxiety, less psychological stress, and lower feelings of loneliness.
Just like flowers and plants need sunlight to grow, so do we, saysWell+Good ChangemakerandHike ClerbfounderEvelynn Escobar-Thomas.
While on your walk, really soak up your surroundings.
Today, reach out to a friend or a loved one.
It could be someone youve lost touch with during the pandemic and just really miss.
Or it could be someone who is regularly in your life and brings you joy every time you connect.
Either way, reaching out is the antithesis to loneliness.
Loneliness can have profound impacts on your overall health and well-being, Grazer says.
Call to action:Become a pen pal with a senior person throughReady To Care.
Community fridges feed body and soul, saysChange Foodfounder and activistDiane Hatz.
By donating to a fridge, you help your neighbors put food on their table.
You also help strengthen community bonds and bring your neighborhood closer together.
If theres not a community fridge in your neighborhood, Hatz encourages you to start one for your community.
(Dont know where to start?This is a good place.)
Day 10: Write a letter or thank-you note
Being thankedas long as its genuinealways feels good.
This practice is scientifically proven to improve overall mental wellness.
Expressing gratitudein the formof a letter is an actionable way to work toward healing, line by line.
A day without TikTok or Instagram?
But neuropsychologistMarsha Lucas, PhD, assures that doing so is a way to recharge your own mental battery.
Then, she says to make a list of what youll do instead, planning ahead.
If needed, she says you might enlist a friend for accountability.
(While youre at it, turn off your notifications.)
Enjoy life outside of the algorithms.
(Oh hey, remember back when we were creating rituals last week?)
Only have a shower?
Kaufmann says you’re able to still make it a meditative experience.
Try a deep breathing exercise and allow the warm water and steam to calm you down, she says.
For example, do you want to feel well-rested?
Connected to loved ones?
This is an action that is completely unrelated to productivity.
Instead, its crafted to help you connect to who you want to be.
When youre done, pin your to-be list somewhere youll see it throughout the day.
Sinking your hands into some dirt.
Another scientific paper states thatgardening reduces feelings of fear, anxiety, and sadness.
Clinical psychologist Carla Manly, PhD, says gardening can be a way of meditating.
One small study showed thateven just looking at flowers can lead to feeling more relaxed.
Take a page out of Arianna Huffingtons book and have a phone-free morning.
(She does it every day, but starting with just one is a good step.)
How you start your day sets the pace for how you will live your day,Dr.
Manly previously told Well+Good.
Have no idea what to do instead?
Hows that for motivation for creating some soothing vibes?
Then with your fingertips, tap the crown of your head with a comfortable yet vigorous pressure.
Move your fingertips outwards to the side, front and back of your head for two to three minutes.
Be sure to take deep belly breaths while youre tapping.
We can do this practice throughout the day as a quick yet simple way to recharge.
Manly previously told Well+Good.
She explains that tidying up increases feel-good neurochemicals while decreasing stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.
Whats powerful about breathwork is that its an opportunity to disrupt the body, Ash says.
The pattern of breath provides a change of pace, energetically.
Ash adds that changing your breath also can work to change your mindset, too.
Ash points out that most people spend the majority of their day stagnant.
This can create nervous energy and cause us to feel jittery.
But when you jump up and down, it releases this nervous energy.
This is very powerful and allows our conscious mind to relax, she says.
So throw on some of your favorite jams and literally shake it out.
(Cue Florence and the Machine.)
Release that trauma, anxiety, or anything else that isnt serving you.
Theres no need to sit with it any longer.
Search bungalows onAirbnbor text your friend to get the name of that winery they went to last year.
Whatever punch in of vacation excites you, nows the time to plan it.
Then, you have it to look forward to up until the day you pack your bags.
Day 22: Take a nap
The pandemic has rendered us collectivelyburnt outand mentally fatigued.
Sometimes, the best way to deal with that is bytaking a nap.
Naps are a powerful sleep tool, sleep doctorCarleara Weiss, PhD, says.
For this reason, spending time outside is something she recommends to everyone as a way to recharge.
It can give you that extra boost to help shake off a slight depression.
That way, you might bring some of that beautiful nature into your home.
Do one thing today that you know will make you happy.
Peterkin says this will look different for different people.
For one person, it may be doing something creative.
For someone else, something active.
Creative journalingis a way to engage more actively in the therapeutic process, she says.
It can be really healing to doodle or create collages, which are artistic representations of your emotions.
But having just a blank piece of paper works, too.
Go ahead, see where your mind leads you.
Other times, when everything really seems to suck, it can feel not only impossible, but disingenuous.
Practicing gratitude is not erasing negative things going on, Watson says.
you might be grateful while also acknowledging that there are some pretty awful things happening right now.
Today, write down one thing youre thankful for.
Stick it somewhere youll see it a few times throughout the day.
Peterkin says this one simple act has countless positive impacts on mental health.
Our brains are more susceptible to remembering negative experiences.
It all starts with acknowledging one good thing.
Never heard of asound bath?
Doesnt that sound luxurious?
Affirmations activate the areas in your brain that make you feel positive and happy.
Convinced to give it a shot?
Today,come up with an affirmationthat feels restorative to you.Some examples: I am healthy.
Things are uncertain, but I can handle it.
I create my own happiness.
I will not worry about things I cannot control.
The key, she says, is letting your body recalibrate.
This is where sticking to a schedule can be helpful.
Timing for wake-up, meals, exercise, and bedtime should be consistent, even on weekends.
The one caveat is that schedules are often thrown out the window for parents with babies.
Then, go to bed without setting an alarm.
The greatest tool we all have is the pause button andtaking five minutes to be present, Jamie says.
Its something she says is effective no matter what youre feeling.
Have a difficult decision to make?
Feeling annoyed with someone?
What are four things you’ve got the option to hear?
What are three things you’re able to touch?
What are two things you might smell?
What is one thing you’ve got the option to taste?
Nothing has been normal for the past year and a halfand it still isnt normal.
Kulshreshtha says giving ourselves grace is really important right now.
During the pandemic, a lot of our inner critics are strong, she says.
Kulshreshtha says accepting the emotional strain were all feeling helps remove personal blame.
Not everything you want to get done will happenand thats okay.
Were all doing the best we can.
Now, take a deep breath.
Reflect, move, and take time to rest.
To dive deeper into the topics outlined above, explore moreMental Well-Being Recharge stories here.
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