15 Bedtime Rituals for Insanely Productive Days - Backed by Science (Part 2)

September 16, 2021

• 7. Avoid Eating Too Much Before Bed

There’s nothing like a tasty midnight snack. However, your nighttime snack can wreck your sleep, leaving you groggy and unproductive the next day. Dietitians have found that it is best to eat 2-3 hours before bedtime to prevent disrupted sleep. If you eat earlier and are up later, studies show it is okay to eat a healthy snack before bed like apples and natural peanut butter.

• 8. Make a To-Do List

Making a to-do list is one of the best ways to stay on track of your tasks and maintain productivity. Whether you prefer an app on your phone or the old standby pen and paper, making a to-do list might be the key to a productive day.

According to psychologists, making a to-do list and breaking down tasks into smaller sections makes them seem less daunting and manageable. Lists give us structure and provide visual proof of our accomplishments.

• 9. Drink Chamomile Tea

A warm cup of chamomile tea before bed is a popular way to wind down and fall asleep. For thousands of years, chamomile has been the to-go herb for sleep and relaxation. The miracle herb has many health benefits, but is primarily used to induce sleep.

A study conducted by Johns Hopkins University found that mothers to newborns who drank chamomile tea had fewer symptoms of inadequate sleep than those who did not drink chamomile tea.

• 10. Use Noise Sleep Aids

Many people prefer silence during sleep, and the thought of noise while sleeping is unthinkable. However, noise sleep aids like sound machines that produce white and pink noise are proven to aid in sleep.

White noise, like the sound of a fan, air conditioning, or radio/television static, contains sound frequencies at equal intensity levels. This noise sleep aids camouflage louder sounds that stimulate your brain, like dogs barking and traffic.

If you live in a loud neighborhood or city, noise sleep aids can help you get the deep sleep you need for productive days.

• 11. Reward Yourself

Rewarding yourself for a job well done is a great way to improve your productivity. Next time you are planning a busy, productive day, plan a small reward for yourself to celebrate your accomplishments and marking tasks off your list at the end of the day.

Rewarding yourself harkens back to childhood, but the simple concept works well into adulthood. Studies show tying a rewarding activity to completing tasks raises productivity by 22%.
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