‘Why on earth would you write an article about getting an early night, surely that’s the most obvious thing in the world? Just go to bed earlier.’

I know this is what you may be thinking, but this mindset results in 2 things:

1)    People not getting the benefits that come with an early night
2)    People doing it less often as a result

This is such a waste!

In this article I explain how to get the most out of an early night, so that it becomes something that you look forward to and do more often.

The biggest mistake people make with an early night is thinking that it absolutely has to result in them falling asleep earlier than usual. 

As a result, they simply get into bed earlier and pray that their bodies adapt to this unexpected change in routine. But what usually happens? They lie there, mind racing, staring at the ceiling, straining against their circadian rhythms until their bodies are eventually ready to fall asleep. 

Will this method result in a better night’s sleep? Unlikely. Our bodies like rhythm and routine, so this sudden change is likely to be as disruptive as it is helpful.

Don’t simply try and fall asleep sooner.

Rather than falling asleep sooner, the aim should be to start unwinding sooner, to spend longer in a restorative state of relaxation.

And I’m not talking about sitting in front of the TV, I’m talking about nightcare activities that cause deep and mindful relaxation, without stress, stimulation and distraction.

We have a few articles talking about different approaches to nightcare, but think: turning the lights low, putting the screens away, putting some music on, reading a book, journalling, listening to an audiobook, doing some drawing, crocheting, yoga, light stretching, or getting a massage from your partner.

Mindful nightcare activities that bring you into the present moment and shut out the outside world.

You then give your body every opportunity to fall asleep and wake up when it is genuinely ready to do so, and you give yourself more time benefit from an extended period of mindful calm. What might usually be a rushed bedtime routine, becomes an extended period of intentional peace that will genuinely help you reset. Without the stress of the outside world, and without the pressure of trying to force yourself to sleep before a certain time.

So with that in mind, the second thing we recommend is planning your early night.
Rather than looking at the clock and thinking ‘I should probably stick to what I said and turn the TV off earlier than usual tonight’ - actually have an idea of the activity you will spend some time doing.

This doesn’t need to involve lots of preparation, but if you know that tonight you are going to read your book, do a breathwork routine, or do a bedroom yoga routine, you won’t have the added stress of having to figure out what you’re going to spend your time doing, when the time comes to start doing it.

This will help when you inevitably feel a tug of resistance as you go to turn the TV off or put your phone down, and increase the likelihood that you start your early night successfully.

So in summary, to actually make an early night an experience that is both enjoyable and effective, make sure that you don’t become fixated with falling asleep sooner, and try to have an idea of what you will do to make the most of the extra time you have given yourself.

An early night is a gift, let’s treat it that way.