10 May 8 Things You Should Do After 8 P.M. If You Want to Be Happy and Successful
via Thrive Global by Elle Kaplan
We’ve heard all the stories before. The mega-successful wake up at dawn every day, conquering the world many times over, while everyone else is still fumbling around in the kitchen for a coffee filter.
I’ve developed some great morning routines too, but what about the other times of day? Don’t they play equally important roles as well?
For example, what are successful people doing right before they go to bed? Well, for starters, they’re not binge-watching “Shark Tank” until 3 a.m. — they’re setting themselves up to have a more productive day.
Here are some proven ways to rev up success before catching some Z’s.
Strolls by the moonlight
The ever-busy CEO of Buffer, Joel Gascoigne, has adopted a routine of nighttime walks to decompress. He turns off his thoughts about work, and slowly but surely gets himself into a “state of tiredness.”
If you’re a busy person who’s always on the go, you can benefit from a similar nighttime stroll. So leave the iPhone at home and focus on relaxing thoughts for a more productive tomorrow.
Unplug. Literally.
Despite her status as a new media giant, Arianna Huffington is a huge advocate of unplugging. It’s not hard to see why.
On one occasion, after passing out from exhaustion, she got five stiches to her head. Like so many of us who have an unexpected visit to the emergency room, she found herself reevaluating her life. She ended up banning electronics from the bedroom, and has managed to steer clear of ambulances ever since.
You can avoid the stress of the email inbox by doing the same. Unplug everything besides your alarm clock, and watch the tension recede.
Unplugging is also a key to a good night’s sleep. Harvard researchers have found that the bright light of a smartphone tricks our bodies into thinking its daytime. Eliminating electronics, on the other hand, did exactly the opposite.
Sleep hygiene
Sleep hygiene is about more than just making your bed.
The National Sleep Foundation has laid out an extensive sleep hygiene routine to ensure extreme slumber. Essentials include a comfy bed, a relatively cool room, and — most importantly — giving yourself at least an hour to unwind before you actually doze off.
No matter how busy your schedule is, prioritize yourself, and avoid burnout by making sure you have enough time to unwind at night. The uber-successful always do this.
It doesn’t hurt to invest in some nice pillows, too…
… keep reading the full & original article HERE