Thanks to the glorious event that is sleep, we spend about a third of our life unconscious, with mother nature repairing our bodies and minds the best she can. This is something we all have in common.
But what about those quiet few hours before bed, when we try to unwind after a long day? It’s different for everyone.
Whether it’s doomscrolling on our phones while watching trash TV or lighting a scented candle before beginning a 10-step skincare regimen, we all tend to follow a routine before bedtime.
We’ve asked 20 people to share theirs.
Name: Freya
Bedtime: Between 11pm and midnight.
Wind-down routine: I like to shower before bed, do my teeth and my skincare routine. My partner and I do a thing called “Three Best Things” when we get into bed, where we reflect on the good from the day. In contrast to my partner who falls asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow, much to my rage, it takes me quite a while to fall asleep once I am in bed. I will usually put on a podcast (my fave for bedtime is Atlas Obscura) or listen to a Sleep Story on the Calm App.
Name: Kerri
Bedtime: Depends if I’ve fallen asleep on the lounge beforehand. Usually around 10.30pm.
Wind-down routine: I go to bed and pretend I’m not going to use my device, while all the while, really intending to use both my iPhone and iPad. I check the news sites and do some Instagram scrolling before my eyelids close. I silently wish I’d remembered to put on some kind of face cream, before falling asleep to the sounds of husband and/or one dog snoring on my pillow (true story), while the other two sleep at my feet. Bliss!
Name: Samuel
Bedtime: I usually get into bed between 1am and 2am, expecting to actually try to fall asleep an hour or so after that. People usually freak out when I say this is my usual schedule, but I’m a total night owl so it works for me.
Wind-down routine: I basically do everything that any guide to getting better sleep tells you not to do… and I refuse to change my ways. The only thing I do right is brush my teeth before bed. When I get in bed I’ll respond to all of the messages from friends that I didn’t get to during the day, probably check my work emails (I’m toxic, I know), and do the day’s Wordle. After that, I’ll scroll my Reddit feed until my eyes start to hurt, at which point I know I’ll be able to get to sleep soundly. I know we’re told not to scroll on our smartphones before going to sleep, but I’ve curated my Reddit feed to only show wholesome, light content (I really like r/whatisthisthing, r/whatswrongwithyourdog, and r/oddlysatisfying), so I actually find that it helps to shut my brain down and relax before trying to sleep.
Name: April
Bedtime: Between 10.45 and 11pm.
Wind-down routine: I’ll have a shower and clean my teeth around 9pm so when I’m falling asleep on the couch watching Netflix I can crawl into bed. I usually try and do a three-step skin routine (vitamin C oil, night cream, bio oil) and if I’m struggling to fall asleep, I’ll listen to some ASMR. Sometimes I’ll read a few pages of a book on my bedside table or do the daily TikTok 10 quiz.
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Name: Heidi
Bedtime: Around 9 to 9.30pm. Lame? Sure, but I’m old.
Wind-down routine: Drag kids to bed and collapse on couch with the dogs. Think about having a bath or watching Netflix. Fantasise about watching an entire movie or reading a book. Scroll through phone mindlessly. Wonder why I didn’t just have dogs instead of kids. Crawl to bed.
Name: Brandon
Bedtime: Between 10 and 10.30pm.
Wind-down routine: I asked my wife and she said, “You are literally on your phone until you decide for some reason you don’t want to be on your phone and then you put it down. You don’t even plug it in which is the most annoying thing. And it buzzes all night with messages and alerts and then you just fall asleep without any problem and it’s infuriating.”
Name: Sindy
Bedtime: 10.30pm. It used to be midnight, but now as a dog owner, I am tired all the time. Dog also insists on waking up at 6.30am every day, so I am (begrudgingly) now a morning person.
Wind-down routine: No phone 30 mins before bed, if I can help it. Diligently apply skincare routine, lather on creams and lie very still in bed, letting it all baste. Go over the day with my partner. Pat dog. If having trouble falling asleep, I read the book on my bedside table.
Name: Nick
Bedtime: Eight hours before I need to wake up (typically 11.30pm).
Wind-down routine: After brushing my teeth, I do 60 push-ups, a 60-second plank and a few stretches designed to improve my terrible posture. I’ll read in bed for about half an hour before turning out the lights. Then for the next hour or so I’ll lie in the dark, sitting up every five minutes to look something up on Wikipedia. It takes between 30 minutes and 90 minutes for me to fall asleep, even when I don’t look at my phone at all.
READ MORE: Beat the ‘heat hangover’: Why you sleep awfully on humid nights
Name: Aine
Bedtime: Usually around midnight, as I work quite late and the idea of going straight to sleep after work feels wrong!
Wind-down routine: Lately I’ve been pouring myself a giant hydro flask of icy water to get me into the habit of drinking first thing when I wake up. I usually listen to a true-crime podcast until I fall asleep, and my boyfriend (who is slightly disturbed by my listening habits) diligently pauses it when I do. If I happen to still be awake by 12.01am, I’ll do the daily Wordle.
Name: Joe
Bedtime: Between 10.30 and 11pm since COVID-19. Prior to the pandemic, I used to be asleep by 9pm.
Wind-down routine: I always start with a shower, then I apply my various skin products, starting with neck, eyes, face and head (I’m bald). Then, I also do my body so I feel delicious and refreshed and ready to lay down. Usually, I’ll light a candle and turn the fan on so the room is cool and well fragranced. After an episode or two and some unhealthy social media scrolling, I’ll try and convince my partner, who is a night owl, to come to sleep. Depending on whether or not he concedes, we’ll then watch an episode of Real Housewives together or lights off. If he’s out, I try to read and then rest. I always have chilled water by my bed and earplugs.
Name: Jess
Bedtime: 11.30pm (but my aim is 10.30pm).
Wind-down routine: I usually shower before bed because I like to be squeaky clean. I do my skincare routine but do things between applying certain products so I can let them sink in. I fill my water bottle with hot water (I like to drink warm/hot water in the morning) and spritz my pillow with lavender spray (I don’t know if it does anything, but it smells nice!). I try to read a book for about 30 minutes (just finished Diana Reid’s Love & Virtue), but I usually get drawn back to my phone for a few final Instagram scrolls… Then right before bed I’ll pop on my night cream and hand cream, and try to fall asleep to whatever sleep story my partner has turned on.
READ MORE: Why some people are ‘too hot’ to sleep with
Name: Rosalyn
Bedtime: Different work times means different bedtimes. If I’m up early it’s about 10pm, if I start late, it’s about 11.30pm.
Wind-down routine: Shower, brush teeth, facial cleanser and moisturise. I make sure the cats are settled and scroll through Facebook for about 40 minutes before lights are off. If my mind is still active, I’ll do some deep breathing exercises to relax and drift off.
Name: Nicholai
Bedtime: Between 9.30 and 10pm.
Wind-down routine: Around the 8.30-9pm mark I make sure I’ve got lunches and my work stuff all ready to go. Then I’ll wash my face and teeth before aimlessly scrolling on YouTube and getting through a couple of pages of whatever I’m reading. At around 9.30 or 10pm, I’ll put on white noise then off to sleep. If I’m not sleeping by 12 then I’ll take melatonin.
Name: Carina
Bedtime: Between 10 and 10.30pm.
Wind-down routine: I know I shouldn’t, but I’m usually watching TV to wind down right before bed. But within the hour leading up to the moment I jump into bed, I start turning most of the lights off in the apartment so the TV is the only thing glowing. This usually (depending on what’s on) leaves me falling asleep on the couch. It’s not for everyone, but as someone who’s pretty good at falling asleep, it works for me!
Name: Gerome
Bedtime: Between 12 and 1am.
Wind-down routine: I can ONLY sleep if I’ve showered. So I usually shower around 12am, followed by a quick skincare routine (I watch too much K-Drama so I’m all about it now), once I’m done with that I’ll chuck on Netflix with my latest K-Drama show (Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha) and I’ll probably be asleep by the second episode in. I always fall asleep on the couch and wake up around 4 or 5am and then move to the bed. I don’t really use my phone from 8pm until 9am the next morning. I feel like the absence of any social media during that time makes the sleep so much more peaceful.
READ MORE: When to stop drinking caffeine to get a good night’s sleep
Name: Julia
Bedtime: 8.30 to 9.30pm. 10pm at the very latest.
Wind-down routine: First, I will get my dog ready for bed which involves a quick brush and some kisses on the head. Then I will clean my teeth, get into bed and either read my book or listen to a podcast until I fall asleep. Always by myself because my fiancé doesn’t go to bed until about 11.
Name: Emily
Bedtime: An ambitious 10pm but 11pm in reality.
Wind-down routine: I will do my skincare routine after a shower and sometimes have a cup of tea before brushing my teeth. I’ll then scroll TikTok or watch something on my laptop before going to sleep.
Name: Sarah
Bedtime: Usually between 9.30pm and 10pm depending on what time I start work the next day. Sometimes I struggle with insomnia and going to bed late makes me anxious.
Wind-down routine: Clean my teeth, pluck my eyebrows, put on my face creams and get it to bed while waiting for my partner to finish up his work (he’s a writer and is not a morning person so often is still typing). We then watch whatever show we’re on in bed on my iPad or his laptop (The Leftovers currently, just finished Sex Lives of College Girls). We then go through a whole soppy routine where he brings the cat from wherever he’s wandering so I can kiss him goodnight before he goes to ‘his room’ (the laundry) as otherwise, he won’t sleep the whole night without waking us up by jumping on us within 10 minutes of switching the light off. He likes my partner to put him to bed. After the show, I scroll through Instagram and read Apple News one last time (must stop).
Name: Matt
Bedtime: Between 10.30 and 11pm.
Wind-down routine: I usually chill out by watching some TV before having a shower and brushing my teeth. I’ll hop into bed, and if I can’t sleep or if my dog Pip is snoring loudly, I’ll chuck on a boring podcast.
Name: Tim
Bedtime: Between 12.30 and 1am.
Wind-down routine: I am definitely one to keep delaying going to bed to extend the day as long as I can, even if I know I have to be up early the next day. There’s a sense of not wanting to waste my free time despite knowing full well sleep is good for me. My partner goes to bed much earlier than I do so I like to use the last few hours of the day alone, catching up on things I’ve set aside to read or shows I’m watching to get my mind away from work. The only thing I do right before bed is brush my teeth. I try not to doomscroll in bed but how long I last depends on how tired I am. If I can’t sleep I’ll put on headphones and play some calmer music, that usually works.
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