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How a Routine Can Help You Sleep, Feel, and Live Better!

What could be more boring than doing the same thing the same way every day? If you get up at the same time, put your feet into the same slippers which are, you guessed it, in the same place, have the same fruit salad, and the same cereal day after day and then go to the same work space every day, you are following a routine, Rather than boring, I profess, it turns out that routine can actually be comforting, and good for you.

A new 2018 study, for example, concluded that one human function, sleep, depends on the establishment of routine. Dr. Daniel Smith, professor of psychiatry at the University of Glasgow and a lead author on the study which used 91,000 UK residents, says,

“It’s widely known that a good night’s sleep is a good thing for well-being and health. That’s not a big surprise. What’s less well-known, is the fact that having a regular daily routine where you’re active in daylight and inactive in darkness is also important for mental health.”

People who advise top athletes have known this for years. Anna Medaris Miller, staff writer, US News. June, 2016, writes about a strategy developed by Chad McDonald, founder of SOLACE New York, a cross fit studio which prepares them for optimum performance, advocating:

Stretching

A routine of stretching for a few minutes before going to bed can be enormously good for you. It can relieve stress, encourage a better sleep, and free up your mind for tough decisions the next day. The predictability of doing that each evening is comforting, says McDonald, who believes that healthy actions taken each day—in other words, a routine—can add up to a healthy life and be more effective than making major changes.

Hydrating

What’s good for a top performing athlete is most likely good for the rest of us. These athletes are encouraged to drink water first thing every day. Of course, they also drink water throughout the day, and make a point of having a soothing drink like chamomile tea rather than something containing alcohol. It’s tempting to reach for a boozy drink in the evening, because it makes you feel drowsy initially, but that sleepiness is not sustained during the night, and actually can disturb your sleep.

Practice gratitude

If you haven’t already developed the habit of reminding yourself to be grateful every single day, post a small notice with the word “gratitude” on your bathroom mirror to remind yourself to recognize one or two things you are grateful for. It’s so much better to start the day with a feeling of gratitude rather than checking emails or phone messages which can prompt anxiety and stress about what needs to be done that day.

This simple routine is backed by research linking consistent practices of gratitude with everything from a stronger immune system to fewer feelings of isolation to improved body image to better sleep.

Meditate

Setting aside some time to practice this technique of focusing the mind will bring you benefits throughout the day. The technique is simple—you focus on a particular thought, object or activity until you achieve a mentally and emotionally calm and stable state. Advocates and teachers of medication say that 20 minutes or more is needed to achieve such a state, but even five minutes can remind you that all of the busyness of life is temporary and move you into a wind-down mode.

As for me—I build my day around routine. I find that a few simple habits which I have developed through the years, keep me centered, able to focus and yes, more productive each day.

What works for me is this:

  • A regular morning routine, which includes stretching, hydrating and gratitude.
  • A regular evening routine which includes meditation.
  • A routine of putting things back where they came from.
  • Routinely writing appointments down on a calendar.
  • Exercising daily, with a workout or walk.
  • Taking my supplements at the same time each day.

And in between, I have no control. I’m prepared for whatever life throws at me. Although I may regret that sometimes my day has been turned up side down by some event or demand, I can at least be assured that I have taken care of the important things that keep me on track.

And just in case I get too set in my ways, there’s always this admonition, sent to me by Suzanne Lieurance, who sends me a “Morning Nudge” every day:

“In order to move ahead to the next step in your career or your business, you simply MUST do things you’ve never done before—things that may make you a little uncomfortable.

It’s like that old saying—If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”

Lucky for me, there’s no danger of routine taking over my life. And there’s no shortage of new things to do and try—even those that make me feel uncomfortable!

29 thoughts on “How a Routine Can Help You Sleep, Feel, and Live Better!”

  1. a wonderful post. and perfect for Spring! I always love Spring. new growth. new insights. freshness.
    I have settled into a routine that encompasses many of these… with the exception of adding tea (even chamomile) to my day. or evening. I’m just not a tea drinker! I try to like it I really do. but I also have discovered how much I like simple water! ever since being hospitalized three years ago for severe dehydration ~ I will NEVER take that chance again! if people only knew the importance of that one simple thing! so I often just have a cup of hot water with lemon in the evenings.
    thanks for a great post Diane. (as always!) 🙂 and as I write this… happy St Patrick’s Day!

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Funny thing, I’ve been enjoying drinking hot water as well. My options for what to drink have diminished recently. I used to enjoy a glass of red wine a few times a week, but decided it made my muscles sore (there’s no medical proof of that, though!), and I cut out coffee since it affected my sleep. So, given fewer options, I’ve started drinking hot water, not tea, and am liking it! Happy St. Pats’ to you too, tammy j!

  2. Glad to hear that routine is not deadening, as I revise, proof, search for agents, revise, proof, search for agents…. Following your advice, I’ll double down on the hydration and stretching.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Sounds like you are working hard on your book, Amy! Good for you, and please update us from time to time with your progress!

  3. I believe in routine and practice most of the items you listed. I haven’t been doing the stretching at night however and, I don’t do the meditation at night either. I find water, gratitude and stretching to be the best tools for me overall. And, I love to walk.

  4. I work mindfulness into my activities rather than set a separate time for meditation. And as part of my workouts in addition to strength training I work on my core muscles and balance, also some mind-body coordination. That connection slows down if we don’t work on it. Mine was never that good to start with! 😀

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Strengthening your core is one of the most critical things you can do for your body and well-being. It affects mobility, and general health. And it is so easy, as you say, to lose it. Stay strong, Jean!

  5. I go to bed between 10 and 10:15 p.m., read for 30 to 45 minutes, go to sleep, wake up around 7 a.m. Pretty routine and it works for me. But damned if I can find my slippers!

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Always leave them in the same place, just where you are most likely to find them, even in the dark. And don’t forget to line them up, with the toes pointing the same way!

  6. A very important post. I enjoy a routine and incorporate most of what you mention here into my daily activities. Once I retired, I realized that I needed to create my own routine for myself, and it’s been so lovely to see the fruits of it. 🙂

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Ahhh, an ordered life, a string of accomplishments, and peace of mind—those are some of the benefits of following a routine! Thank, Djan, I always love your comments!

  7. Great Post Diane. I always thought a routine sounded boring and uncreative. I remember being on the phone during one of my daily conversations with my best friend (a Canadian!) and talking about what each of us does each morning, evening, etc. and we laughed that yes… each of us not only has a routine but we count on it! When everyone was young our lives centered around making sure the daily routine worked for everyone else and so I mistakenly thought I didn’t have my own routine. I was just looking forward to sitting down!

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Big changes once your family is grown! My sister and I often recount how frantic our lives were when our children were young, and how little time we had for ourselves. So it’s wonderful to be able to focus now on ourselves, while at the same time, being thankful that we managed to pull it all together!

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      It took me years to acknowledge that I wasn’t drinking enough water. Once I made it a habit, I found that everything worked better, and my skin was less dry and chapped. It seems that if you get into the habit of NOT drinking enough, you don’t become thirsty, so of course, you drink even less. A vicious cycle that has to be broken!

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      You are fortunate. I follow all on the list, and still have trouble sleeping possibly once or twice a week.When that happens, I usually take a herbal sleep remedy and hope for the best!

  8. I agree whole-heartedly with you about having a daily routine. It is what gets me through the day. I feel so much more – accomplished – when I follow my routine. I know what I want to get done and at the end of the day, I check my list and usually I have done most of it. By now, you probably figured out that in addition to the daily routine – I create a To-Do list either the night before or after I complete some of my daily routine rituals. It works and creates a good feeling within me at the end of the day.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Absolutely! And I love the way I feel when I can tick off all of the boxes! I keep a running ‘to do’ list also, which doesn’t fare as well, but most days I do get to check off at least one of them! Thanks for the feedback.

  9. But where’s the fun? There must be fun/laughter each day. Oh maybe the fun comes from the constant peeing because we drink so much liquid?
    All said in jest Diane 😊
    Yes routine is needed – just don’t think of it as ‘routine’ – that sounds so regimented. Think of it as life and the way you (personally) live it
    Take care
    Cathy

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Hahaha. I guarantee there is fun—and I make time for it somewhere in those ‘extra’ hours!

  10. I never thought of it as a routine, but I’m so predictable that my dog knows what I’m going to do before I even think to do it. It’s a little creepy at the same time it’s adorable.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      I find your posts truly helpful, Suzanne, and read them every single time! What a great blog! Thanks.

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