Beat the Bedtime Blahs: 7 Tips for a Better Night’s Sleep

How you end the day makes all the difference. Your evening routine can either set you up for a cheerful and fulfilling day or one full of frustration and exhaustion. Here are seven steps you can take to create a successful bedtime routine that will give you more restful nights and more productive days.

1. Set an alarm for bedtime.

Try setting an alarm for one hour before you’d like to be settled in bed to remind you that it’s time to step out of your day and start winding down.

2. Drink up!

Since you end up going 6–8 hours without any liquid at all, drinking water throughout the day and before you hit the sack is essential to keeping yourself hydrated. Try adding Lavender Vitality™ essential oil to your water or herbal tea for a calming influence. Aim for an hour before bed, so you aren’t waking up in the middle of the night for a bathroom trip.

3. Give yourself a little face time.

Make sure to give your skin and teeth the TLC they need. Refresh and renew your face with a mild wash such as our ART® Gentle Cleanser. You should also use gentle products on your teeth that are free of synthetic dyes and fluoride such as our Thieves® AromaBright™ Toothpaste and Thieves Fresh Essence Mouthwash. Taking time to establish and follow this important hygiene ritual will help you feel fresh and relaxed before bed and can signal to your brain that it’s time to calm down.

4. Take notes for tomorrow.

Write down a brief game plan for a productive tomorrow. While creating your list, remember to envision the kind of day you’d like to have, how you’d like to feel, and the top priorities you’ve got in your sights. Get it down on paper and you won’t spend hours trying to fall asleep thinking about what your day might look like.

5. Set yourself up for success.

The night before, prepare your outfit, your breakfast and lunch, or complete other tasks you’d usually take care of in the morning. The fewer tasks looming over you, the quicker and happier you will be getting out of bed in the morning.

6. Ditch the tech and read a book.

The light from electronic screens can trick your mind and body into thinking it’s still light out. Try leaving technology out of your bedroom to help you shift into to a calm, relaxed, and clear state.

7. Add essential oils to your routine.

Try diffusing LavenderStress Away™, or your favorite blend of essential oils with comforting aromas as you prepare for bed. Rubbing a couple drops between your palms and brushing them over your pillow can also boost the relaxing aromas and can make jumping into a cloud of pillows and blankets feel extra luxurious.

YL tip: Did you know that Valerian essential oil helps promote feelings of calm, serenity, relaxation, and that it can ease occasional restlessness? Add Valerian to your bedtime routine by diffusing few drops 30 minutes before you go to sleep.


Want more tips for getting that ever-important beauty rest? Check out our essential tips for bedtime. For more tips on winding down any time of day, learn more about Peace & Calming.

What other nighttime routine steps and tips work best for you?

Share with us in the comments.

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  • Lavender in my hair products while showering before bed. The steam magnifies it -- so calming! Also, sleep roller and brain shut down roller before reading a bit and then it's lights out.

  • Stress Away & Lavender is one of my favorites, but I can't dismiss Lavender & Cedarwood. Simply heavenly with as little Vetiver. Perfection!

  • My new favorite sleep blend. 3 drops Stress Away and 2 drops Idaho Balsam Fir. Excellent nights sleep

  • Does anybody know what to do if you have night mares. My husband is a worrier, he has night mares almost every night about things that might or could happen.

    • Gisela, I read a tip from one of our YL members who said that cedarwood caused some people to have nightmares, or wild dreams. We have tried several different sleep blends that work well, but I stopped adding the cedarwood after I read that. We started using lavender only. I put a rollerball on my lavender so that it would go on quicker. Apply lavender to your common pulse points (temples, down the neck from behind your ears, wrists and your big toes as well as the tip of the next toe).

    • Bergamot is great for emotional support! Try it with Peace and Calming II in the diffuser. I love that combo!

    • I would try present time, it's expensive but l think worth every penny. He is not living in the present and fear really only comes from living in the past or the future, the unknown. Present time will bring him to just being in the now, it's an awesome oil.

    • Gisela, what we think about...comes about. I'd encourage your husband to replace thoughts of worry with thoughts of love and gratitude. For example, one cannot have the emotion of love at the same time they have the emotion of worry. If he is open, ask him to consider visualizing or journaling what he wants instead of what he doesn't want. Consider reducing negative Influencers like news. YL has so great emotional EO's like Release, Stress Away, etc. I also like to use a gratitude journal to write down five things I'm grateful for that day as I enjoy my favorite YLEO being diffused. Blessings!

      • Emily, what great ideas! A gratitude journal is inspiring, because it helps you stop, think, appreciate, and count your blessings in a day with happenings that otherwise would be forgotten. Thank you for sharing. Also, remember that prayer helps so much, too!

  • I diffuse 2 drops each of lavender, cedar wood, vertiver, and stress away at bedtime. Everyone sleeps great, including the dogs!

  • Relaxing in my Lavender Bath with the spa jets running, followed by a cup of Chamomile Tea with a drop or 2 of THIEVES Vitality turns me to butter!😴💤

  • Definitely Lavender is always in my daily routine. At night, I put 4 drops in my diffuser and then, place two drops on each side of my pillow. The next thing that I know..I'm asleep. :)
    Also, I use Stress Away--two drops on my palm along with Present Time. Breathe it in and rub it on the back of my neck. Ah...wonderful!! Present Time and Stress Away are absolutely fantastic!! My favs!!
    LOVE my Young Living!! ^_^

  • make a spray of lavender for your hair not only will you be able to smell it throughout the night but the next day your hair will smell great too.

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