Your new bedtime routine to end bad sleep and skyrocket performance

So you still can’t hit a consistent stretch of quality sleep?

Well, we’ve been talking sleep this week in my WhatsApp community (you can join us here) - and there were a lot of cool insights from the group.

If you’re wondering what they’ve tried which has anecdotally worked for helping them sleep, we really heard it all:

• Phone / screen minimising tactics

• CBD

• Napping / intuitive sleeping

• Ashwaghanda

• Magnesium (popular)

• Even ibuprofen

But I’m going to start with the one, simple habit that can make or break your health and fitness: sleep consistency.

Consensus is a good tool for getting an understanding of the available scientific research on a topic.

You might assume that clocking your eight hours is the be-all-end-all, and trust me, it is very important you get sufficient sleep duration. But the research does show that going to bed and waking up at the same time every day has a stronger link to long-term health than simply the number of zzz’s you get.

Now is it really that damn hard to pick a sensible bed time and stick to it? Well, actually for most people - yes it is.

For so many, the life of endless coffee refills and frantic late-night scrolling seems impossible to put to an end. But if you want to smash your goals, you don’t have a choice.

So it’s time to master your bedtime routine, starting with settling on a time and committing to it.

What should a bedtime routine look like?

Well, by no means should you worry much about copying me, but maybe my routine might provide some context to work with at least. Below is my tried-and-tested bedtime ritual which has served me nicely for a while now.

Again, it is highly personable to me - you need to figure out what works for you.

Cherry-pick the bits you like the sound of, and chuck the rest!

1. Front Load Hydration & Cut-Off at 7pm

My bedtime routine actually starts with intentions earlier in the day. I tend to drink most of my water in the morning and afternoon. Usually 500ml (with electrolytes when I’m being a good boy) as soon as I wake up, followed by another litre before lunch. I will generally try to get another litre in (top up and finish my water bottle) during the afternoon. By the evening, I’m just having a few sips here and there with dinner, but generally it means that by bedtime:

a) I’m nicely hydrated

b) I don’t have a full bladder

2. TV Off at 9:30pm (weeknights)

This is the one hard, fast rule we have. It kicks-off our time for winding down. Even if we’re watching something intense on Netflix - we switch it off! (And incredibly, it is still there when we come back the next night.) On the weekends we might go wild and stay up an extra hour later watching a movie, but even then - after 11pm is unheard of.

Sad and boring? Yes. More energised and invigorated as a result? Also yes.

3. Duolingo

A quick Spanish lesson right after we switch off the TV. I find it gently engages my mind without lighting up my brain like a disco. The streak is coming up to 2 years if you’re asking (you’re definitely not, but I’m telling you anyway).

4. Phone ‘Closed For Business’

After Duo I plug my phone on charge in the living room, not the bedroom. No blue light interruptions, no late-night notifications, no excuses. Your brain will do mad things when that little device is nearby. Everything that you could reach over and grab it to ‘just quickly do’, occurs to you - and prevents you doing what you’re in bed to do.

Guess what? When it’s in the other room, we don’t even bother with those thoughts. The idea of getting up is an idea you won’t even entertain - lean into that.

Out of sight = out of mind.

5. The Bathroom One-Two

I KNOW IT’S WEIRD, but I go to the bathroom twice before bed. Once post-TV, when I plug my phone in and brush my teeth, then a final visit after I finish reading just before lights-out, which is actually about an hour later - so I’m insisting it makes sense. Since doing this (combined with Step 1) I almost never have to get up in the night for the bathroom.

6. Stretch & Decompress (5 minutes)

Calves, hamstrings, frog pose on the bed - I hold each stretch mindfully (about 30 seconds each). It feels glorious, eases tension, primes me for a relaxing sleep.

7. 30-Minutes of Reading

I’m currently alternating between fiction and non-fiction books. This gives the mind time to quieten and fully immerse in the book - which if you’re anything like me, takes ages, so you need a decent stint each night.

Yes, even slow readers like me doing 10 pages before bed can get through a book a month this way!

8. Reflect & Offload

I don’t do this often, but have found jotting down tomorrow’s big tasks or any niggling thoughts to be helpful. Taking a pen and paper (or a quick phone note) for 2 minutes to get something off your brain you can pick-up in the morning, means you don’t lie awake rehearsing that meeting pitch or the pre-made lunch to you need to remember to grab from the fridge before work.

9. Supplements - The Icing on the Cake

I personally use ashwagandha, magnesium and CBD drops. But remember: supplements should support an already solid routine - they are not substitute for a total lack of one!

How Do You Turn Your Routine Ideas Into Reality?

If your current sleep pattern is suffering - you can always reach out to me and we can change that together. Book a free 15-minute call with me, and we’ll craft a personalised sleep strategy that fits your life, goals and quirky habits.

Book a slot with me here if you’d like to chat with me about your current sleep routine and how we can upgrade your process (and daily performance as a result)!

Here’s to your best night’s sleep-and your most powerful days yet!

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