Hi, I’m Gary Billotti, Outreach Coordinator for the Midland Area Wellbeing and member of the Midland Area Wellbeing Coalition. Today, I’m excited to share Life Hack #66: Create a Bedtime Routine. This life hack focuses on the importance of sleep, which is crucial for recovery. While we often focus on eating well and staying active, we sometimes forget that recovery is just as important. Sleep is essential for this recovery, and many of us take it too lightly. I’d like to share a simple mnemonic that has worked well for me in my bedtime routine to prepare for better sleep: 10-3-2-1. 10: Ten hours before bed, stop consuming caffeine. Caffeine can affect your sleep, so it's best to avoid it for ten hours before bedtime. 3: Three hours before bed, stop eating and drinking alcohol. Avoid late-night snacks and finish eating after dinner. 2: Two hours before bed, stop working. Try to put away work-related thoughts and tasks to help your mind and body prepare for sleep. 1: One hour before bed, turn off all screens. Instead, spend time talking with family, relaxing, or reading a book. Try it out and see how it improves your sleep quality. Setting alarms at these intervals can be a helpful reminder, or using other prompts like a rubber band on your finger can work, too. Find what works best for you and see how it improves your sleep quality.
