Things To Do At Night For Your Morning Routine

As you probably know, the way you begin your morning can have a huge impact on how the rest of your day plays out. While the things you do during your a.m. routine are important, there are things you should do at night that are equally as vital to help set you up for all-day success.

To truly conquer the following day and get ahead, it's important to start making some good decisions the night before. According to Business Insider, most successful people make time for family, go for an evening stroll, and reflect on particular things before they go to sleep. Now I'm not saying that you can't watch your favorite TV shows anymore or for you to say goodbye to ending the day with a nightcap, but it might be better to go to bed at a reasonable time instead of contemplating whether you should let Netflix "accidentally" start the next episode of a series you're currently watching. Taking a few moments at night to set yourself up for success can revitalize your goals and help you wake up without feeling stressed out. Not really sure where to begin to create a more fulfilling night? Below are a few tips to help you end your day on a high note.

1. Focus On One Special Thing To Complete

While every day might feel the same to you, there are small moments you can focus on the night before that can help you get excited for the next day. "You can change that by focusing each night on the one special thing you will do tomorrow. That stimulates your dopamine, the brain chemical that makes you feel good when you meet a need," says Loretta Graziano Breuning, PhD in an interview with Bustle over email. "The brain saves its dopamine for new information about meeting your needs — even something small will turn on the great dopamine feeling. Don’t do this at bedtime because the dopamine will keep you awake. Do it earlier in the evening, and you will find yourself feeling good about tomorrow every day."

2. Set Up An Evening Boundary

Remember when you were little and your parents most likely told you you had to go to bed by a certain time? Well, to have a successful morning, you might want to set up some adult boundaries for yourself. "The most effective way to jumpstart your morning routine is to establish a firm evening boundary. I set a boundary of 8:00 p.m. where I turn off all of my electronic devices, stop work for the day, and prepare for sleep. In this way I can wrap up my work and ease into bed without staying up too late, which only makes the next morning that much more difficult," says Jeff Sanders, author of The 5 AM Miracle, in an interview with Bustle over email.

3. Unplug From Technology

While you're probably aware of the evils of having technology in the bedroom after a certain time, looking at your cell phone right before you go to bed could provide even more complications than you may be aware of. According to INC., the blue light that emits from your phone tells your brain to stop producing melatonin. But looking at your phone doesn't only prevent you from sleeping, it can also lead to vision problems, cancer, and depression.

4. Write Down Your Morning Routine

Instead of panicking in the morning, trying to remember what you have to do that day, write a list of everything you need to do the night before. "As you are preparing for bed, take just 5 minutes and write out your priorities for the next morning. This helps tremendously when you wake up the next morning and already have a plan in place," says Sanders.

5. Shower At Night

Unless you love taking showers in the morning because it helps you wake up for the day, it might actually be more beneficial if you shower in the evening. According to The Huffington Post, if you have trouble sleeping at night, a warm bath may help you fall asleep better because it relaxes the muscles, reduces anxiety, removes toxins from skin, and alleviates migraines. Plus, doing this at night can save you a lot of time during your morning routine.

6. Plan Your Morning Workout

Sometimes it's hard to get out of bed in the early morning to exercise when you have no idea where your gym clothes are. But if you lay everything out the night before, that extra step may possibly help you stay motivated to start the day out with a workout routine. "Setting out your workout clothes, gear, and nutrition is the best way to jump right into the workout without making any excuses for yourself," says Sanders.

7. Quickly Clean Your Area

If you want to start your day out stress free, it might be a good idea to tidy up your house the night before. According to WedMD, a survey commissioned by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) found that people sleep better when their bedrooms are clean and comfortable. “People reported sleeping longer hours and feeling better about going to bed when their bed was made, their sheets were fresh, and their bedroom was comfortable,” said NSF Chief Operating Officer David Cloud in an interview with WebMD.

8. Pick Out Your Outfit

If you're the type of person that's always running late because it took you 30 minutes to figure out what you were going to wear for that day, it might be a good idea to pick out your outfits the night before. According to Apartment Therapy, once you pick out what you're going to wear, don't be afraid to actually try it on to see how it looks. This could prevent any last minute switches you do in the morning and can save you time so you can enjoy your cup of coffee just a little bit longer.

9. Get Enough Sleep

For you to fully function the next day, it's best to sleep at least seven hours. According to Forbes, sleep research indicates that snoozing for seven hours might be better than sleeping for eight. But whether you can function on seven or nine hours of sleep, it's important to get enough of it because it maximizes your memory and helps your brain perform at its best.

10. Meditate

Ending your day on a relaxing note may help you start your morning in a less stressful way. According to Harvard Medical School, mindful meditation can help fight insomnia and improve sleep quality. While you don't necessarily want to meditate right before you go to bed, doing it a few hours before can still provide a lot of benefits for your mind and body.

11. Connect With A Loved One

Before you go to bed, try to have a few moments with someone you care about. Whether you and your SO like to do a little pillow talk or you just want to text your mom to see how she's doing, accomplishing this task can bring more health benefits to your morning routine. According to The Huffington Post, a study by Edelman Heath Barometer interviewed 15,000 people in 12 countries and found that 46 percent said their friends and family help impacted their health choices and their loved ones had the the biggest influence on their nutrition.

Ending the day on a good note may help you have a better morning. Take the time to unplug and do these steps so you can have a good nights sleep and wake up feeling energized and ready to go.

Images: Pexels; Bustle