We are so socially plugged in! But, really, is that a good thing?
I started to notice that I literally have my phone in hand, checking every last drip of news and post right before I go to sleep. Then, for a good hour, my mind is racing and a good night’s sleep starts to slip away.

Is being in the know all that important?
I don’t think so!

As I said before, wellness isn’t just about what we eat. Getting a good night of rest is totally important. Improving your memory, decreasing inflammation, maintaining a health weight, lowering stress and helping to prevent depression are all benefits of getting enough quality sleep. So, is knowing what the latest trends are really that key to a healthy life? Um, NOT! One of the main rules I use with my Health Coaching clients is:

No social media 1 hour before bedtime!

Here are my suggestions for creating a healthy bedtime routine:

1. Figure out what time you need to go to bed in order to get 7-8 hours of sleep
2. Put your phone and tablet away from your reach 1 hour before that time
3. Try some self-care (dry brush, warm bath, hot cup of chamomile tea, or stretching are all a great starting point)
4. Make your bedroom more spa like and less work like
5. Focus on the atmosphere (is your room cool enough, do you need a humidifier, too much light)
6. Calming sounds – I swear by white noise machines
7. Breathe! Get in a comfortable position and relax.

If you are anything like me, you don’t want to feel like you are missing something. But waking up in the morning, exhausted, isn’t worth the trade-off. Put down the phone, get a better night’s sleep and have a much better and productive day.