12 No-Spend Ways to Upgrade Your Sleep Routine

You can be as fastidious with your skin and hair care as you want, but most beauty girls know that the ultimate ganda hack is simple: a restful night’s slumber. But simple doesn’t equate to easy – especially with your social media pinging constantly and your favorite series available on Netflix. A powerful sleep routine is a must to combat all this temptation.

Whether you are a nocturnal soul searching for elusive Zs or looking to enhance your beauty sleep, you’re in this space because you want to upgrade your bedtime routine. So, grab your blanket and settle in with these 12 sleep-enhancing tips to help you wake up fresh, glowing, and ready to conquer the day.

If you’ve ever tried putting a baby to sleep, you know how crucial it is to establish a consistent regimen and a soothing environment. Fixing your sleep schedule employs the same philosophies. These suggestions are practical theoretically, but you may have to undo some bad habits.

Do you sleep at irregular hours during the day? Your internal clock might be getting confused. A regular bedtime conditions your body to know it’s time to snooze. Going to sleep isn’t as easy as pressing the off button, so do this gradually. You won’t sleep at 9 p.m. just because you want to. Instead, settle down by about 8 p.m. and be in bed by your designated bedtime. Your body will get used to the schedule eventually. Inversely, you should also assign a wakeup time.

By the way, a study in Nature says people with sleep regularity have better heart and metabolic health. How’s that for motivation?

Good sleep habits require proper rituals. Turn on your candle warmer. Dim the lights. Draw your blackout curtains – or any curtains, for that matter. Make sure you have comfy bedding. Don’t let your environment disrupt your sleep routine.

A relaxing bath can be part of your sleep ritual. According to a study in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, a warm bath can increase your body temperature just enough to make you sleep faster. So, take this time for some self-care. Light a few candles, apply some Dove Advanced Keratin Treatment Mask to combat damage to your hair and maybe sip a glass of wine. Don't forget to dry your hair afterward, though.

Do you need help powering through a long meeting? That post-lunch cup of joe might not do you any favors, especially for your night sleep. You can try other, non-caffeinated alternatives to keep you awake through the day, such as apples, green tea, or kombucha. Read the next tip, too.

Many people believe that over-exhaustion is the ticket to falling asleep faster. It’s not exactly true. According to The Little Book on Sleep, an overloaded brain ignites an adrenaline boost, making it harder to switch off since it’s essentially programmed to find another issue to tackle. Fatigue-spurred sleep is usually more restless and interrupted.

Forty winks around lunchtime could serve as a pick-me-up to help you endure the next half of the day. However, scheduling a power nap late in the afternoon could be counterproductive.

Breathing exercises reportedly help settle your mind and coax your body to relax. Popular methods include 4-7-8 breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, and alternate nostril breathing. If you’re interested in this approach, experiment and find the one that works best.

Did you ever wonder why your mom opened the curtains when she woke you up for school instead of just switching on the lights? Apart from saving on the power bill, it also helps sync your internal body clock with the external environment, promoting a regular sleep-wake pattern. TLDR: Sun exposure boosts your body's production of melatonin, the hormone behind sleep and wakefulness.

Comfort guarantees terrific sleep. If you’re too cold, you’ll wake up and look for more blankets. If you’re too hot, you’ll stick all over your sweat-stained sheets. The optimal temperature can guarantee a more peaceful slumber.

At this point, you should know that pre-bedtime screen time can sabotage your Zs. Blue light tricks the brain into thinking it's daytime. Plus, the temptation to find out who went to the dinner you bailed on, reply to your boss' email, and what your favorite celebrity wore to the Oscars afterparty might be too hard to resist.

Set your gadgets to sleep mode and, if possible, place them far away from your bed.

Working out can help you sleep in so many ways. It can relieve anxiety, boost melatonin levels, and even improve circadian rhythms. This is all old news, but you might not know that exercise betters your sleep quality. A Cureus paper reports that moderate physical activity enhances deep sleep (slow-wave sleep), which is crucial for physical restoration and overall well-being.

That said, try to avoid working up a sweat right before bedtime. Exercise has a stimulating effect.

Now that you’re on the path of improving your sleep routine, you might feel too conscious when things don’t work out instantly. Looking at your watch to see how long you’ve been trying to fall asleep won’t be helpful. You’ll start pressuring yourself and causing needless stress. 

A pre-slumber feast sounds like a good idea, but a food coma does more harm than good. Heavy meals can cause heartburn, acid reflux, and general discomfort that could disturb your sleep. If you want a midnight snack (hey, your bedtime needs to be a bit earlier than that), go for something light, like a few slices of fruit.

People who shrug off the importance of sleep believe it’s a waste of time. But did you know that sleep is an active process? As you lay in bed, your brain consolidates memory and regulates emotion. Meanwhile, your cells repair themselves, while hormones work hard to affect your growth and metabolism. You can even optimize your beauty regimen as you doze off.

Apply POND'S Bright Miracle Night Serum on your face before hitting the hay. It refines and renews the skin as you sleep, helping you wake up with a brighter and more even complexion. For your body, you can use Vaseline Gluta-Hya Serum Burst Lotion Overnight Radiance Repair. Its proven formula transforms your skin to be plump and healthy throughout the night.

Memory foam pillows are cool, but fixing your sleep routine doesn’t have to cost a centavo. Try these free upgrades and see how much you can save on reparative beauty and even health treatments.