Lachlan Brown
Successful folks stick to daily routines to stay grounded even when life gets hectic.
This helps keep them fit and ready to take on the world every day.
And it’s not just about eating a good breakfast or doing some morning workout. It also means taking care of themselves before hitting the sack, ending the day right, and getting ready for tomorrow.
The time before bed is usually great for relaxing, but successful people make sure they don’t go overboard with unhealthy stuff.
If they do, it could drain their energy, making it tough to be productive and stopping them from achieving even more.
Want to know what successful people avoid doing before bed? Just keep reading below:
1) They Avoid Having Way Too Much Alcohol
I get it, winding down with a glass of your favorite wine after a super long day sounds pretty nice.
Sure, red wine is packed with antioxidants and might be good for you, so it can’t be all bad, right Plus, a couple of drinks could help you nod off.
It sounds tempting, doesn’t it? But folks who are on top of their game don’t buy it. In fact, they steer clear of any booze before hitting the hay.
Sure, alcohol might make you feel drowsy but it only leads to a light sleep—you’ll find yourself waking up way too easily.
Needless to say, it keeps you from having quality and restorative sleep.
No matter how tempting, successful people skip the nightcap because they know how important a solid night’s rest is.
2) They Avoid Skipping their Hygiene Ritual
It can be tempting to hit the hay when you’re exhausted from working the entire day, but successful people would advise against this.
This is because they avoid skipping their hygiene ritual, ensuring they take a warm shower or brush their teeth before bed.
Keeping a hygiene ritual before bedtime sends signals to your brain that you’re already ready to go to sleep, allowing you to have a well-rested night.
Author, columnist, and entrepreneur Arianna Huffington relaxes before bed by dipping in a hot bath with Epsom salts and scented candles.
She wears her pajamas to condition her mind for bed. Anyone can have a hygiene routine to calm themselves before bed.
Aside from taking a shower and brushing my teeth, I also ensure doing my skincare routine as a form of self-care.
3) They Don’t Usually Get Too Much Screen Time
Goal-driven people avoid staying too much on social media or having too much screen time in general before going to bed.
Watching TV or scrolling on your phone stimulates brain alertness and keeps you from getting sleepy.
The blue light from these electronic devices stops melatonin production, a vital hormone for controlling your body clock or circadian rhythm.
A disruption in your circadian rhythm leads to poor sleep, fatigue, and even chronic conditions like depression or cancer.
Scrolling on social media and watching TikTok videos used to be my relaxing activity before bedtime.
But I noticed it made me toss and turn in bed for hours. When I decided to stick to other bedtime routines that don’t include blue lights, I started falling asleep more quickly.
4) They Avoid Worrying About Work
With success also comes a lot of responsibilities and pressure to produce great results.
That’s why it makes sense for accomplished people to be under a great deal of stress in their careers.
But despite this, they make sure to avoid doing any work, like checking emails or sending last-minute reminders, or even worrying about it before climbing to bed.
They ensure getting quality sleep by clearing their minds and completely disconnecting from work.
They avoid bringing work to their bed to avoid associating the two with each other, making it more difficult for them to relax and get a good night’s sleep.
Successful people reserve their beds for sleeping and intimate moments only.
I know you feel less productive when you don’t finish all the work you need to do, but you also have to listen to your body.
Rest and work come hand-in-hand – better rest results in better productivity.
5) They Try Not to Forget Self-Care Routines
Successful people avoid forgetting self-care or decompressing routines before going to bed.
Destressing is also necessary for relaxing your mind, falling asleep quicker, and getting better sleep, making you more recharged the following day.
You can do anything that calms you, like listening to classical music, lighting your scented candles, or doing yoga.
Some successful people also ensure they read a book for at least an hour before bed. This allows them to get more creative and passionate in life.
I used to have trouble falling asleep because of my overstimulated mind, even when I’ve already limited my screen time.
But since I started doing some guided meditation, I discovered how to relax my body and get better sleep.
6) They Don’t Overthink and Get Their Mind All Worked Up
When it’s time for bed, successful people ensure a well-rested sleep by not getting their minds worked up from overthinking or drowning in self-doubt.
When they decompress at night, this includes avoiding negative thoughts that might keep them from having a well-rested sleep.
Getting stressed over these things triggers your body’s stress response, keeping you awake. If you ever did get some sleep, it’s usually not restorative.
Alone with my thoughts at night, I had a bad habit of thinking about all of the things I did wrong for the day and what I should have done, even those I’ve done years ago.
This would escalate until I got anxious about how they thought of me and what was about to come.
Even before bedtime, you might want to practice forgiving yourself.
Give yourself a pat on the back because you don’t have to do everything right all the time, anyway.
7) They Don’t Go to Bed Without Expressing Gratitude for the Day
Successful people express gratitude for the day and think about all the good things that will calm their minds instead of dwelling on negative thoughts.
They take the time to reflect and meditate on their day to get more appreciative about their day-to-day life and shift their thoughts into something more positive.
You may try keeping a journal where you write all the things you’re grateful for for the day.
This also helps your brain process information better and avoid getting fixated on negative things.
Writing the things you’re happy or thankful about can also keep you motivated, especially when you’re going through a rough patch.
8) They Don’t Forget Preparing Themselves for the Next Day
Successful people also avoid forgetting to do some preparations for the next day – this also lessens their tendency to overthink work and their responsibilities when trying to sleep.
Most of them write down a to-do list or the things they want to accomplish the following day.
They think about all the good things they can do, helping their minds get calmer before sleep.
Doing this allows you to channel your positivity from one day to the next, keeping you well-rested for the night and inspired in the morning.
When I started doing this, I realized that I became more energized in the morning and productive the entire day.
This is unlike before when I would just leave tomorrow up in the air, letting today’s problems become tomorrow’s problems, and things would just get worse and worse over time.
9) They Don’t Forget Spending Quality Time with Loved Ones
Successful people often have lots of responsibilities on their plate, but they avoid not having enough time to spend with their loved ones.
After all, their loved ones have inspired them to work so hard, so having some quality time allows them to live life to the fullest.
This doesn’t always have to be so grand – you can have a heart-to-heart chat with your partner or ask your kids how their day has been.
Even if you’re busy, you should still include yourself in your family’s life.
Many accomplished people also avoid keeping the flame from dying out by ensuring they still get some intimate moments with their partner.
They ensure squeezing in romantic dates between their busy schedule.
In fact, some of them would advise having sex with your partner at bedtime because of its benefits to your relationship and stress management.
10) They Avoid Putting Off Deep Conversations with Themselves
The last thing successful people forget before going to bed is to have deep and meaningful conversations with themselves.
You’ve spent the entire day working and being a great boss, colleague, friend, parent, or partner.
But you also shouldn’t forget to check up on yourself and ensure you’re okay, too.
Aside from expressing your gratitude, you might also want to appreciate the things you’ve accomplished for the day.
Cherish the new things you’ve learned and those you’ve yet to learn about. You’ve been kind to others today, so make sure you’re also kind to yourself.
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