5 Steps To Waking Up Happier And Healthier

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In the last several weeks I have been pushing my body to the limit by sleeping very little. I have class in the morning, I have meetings in the evening, and I have business calls in between. By the time I have finished my assignments, studied, written emails, caught up on the news, and indulged in a little me-time, it’s usually 4 am. And I have to wake up at 8 am. This does not make for a happy body or mind the next day. The result? My makeup allows me to look decently rested, but on the inside, I’m a zombie.

Eventually, I realized this just wasn’t sustainable. I was going to have to find a way to get to bed earlier and wind down quickly so that my sleep was as restful as possible.

Over the last week, I have perfected a bedtime routine that helps me sleep more peacefully and wake up healthier—even if I only get 6 or 7 hours. Now, I’m passing it on to you. I call it The Healthy, Happy Bedtime Routine

1. Brush your teeth, cleanse your skin, and moisturize right before you go to sleep.

These things sound like they should be common sense, but you wouldn’t believe how many nights I brushed my teeth and then went back in the kitchen and ate something before bed — which defeats the purpose! You should be waking up with clean teeth and a clean face! You’ll look more rested and prettier.

2. Write a physical to-do list before bed.

This allows you to go to bed feeling less stressed out about tomorrow’s tasks because they are no longer jumbled up in your mind. Then, you can fall asleep faster.

3. Make yourself a cup of hot lemon water.

Hot lemon water is comforting because of the heat but also highly nutritional. The lemon juice fights acne from within, strengthens your liver, and nourishes your brain cells. (Read: prevents stress breakouts, repairs your body after your crazy weekend, and makes you mentally quicker. Amazing.)

4. Tidy up your home.

Whether it’s wiping down your makeup area or sweeping the bathroom really quickly, you’ll wake up to a cleaner house which makes you feel more accomplished and in control. You can get this done while you drink your lemon water instead of watching Netflix. Speaking of…

5. Kick the late-night Netflix habit.

Instead, read a book, or better yet, just go to sleep! Looking at a bright screen right before bed makes it harder to fall asleep and watching a 40 minute show wastes your precious beauty rest.
And that’s it. Follow this routine and I promise you’ll see results in your appearance and the way you feel both inside and out. Or at the very least, maybe you’ll finally finish the book that’s been on your nightstand since Bush was president.