The Perfect Night Time Routine for Gymnasts

Routines are important for any gymnast (and we’re not talking about floor routines!) Coming up with routines to destress will help you take care of your mental health.  A nightly routine can help you relax and lower your stress levels. Here’s an example of a night time routine you can use:

1. Be done with all devices 1-2 hours before bed. Your phone keeps your mind psychologically engaged which will make it hard to fall asleep at night. According to the Cleveland Health Clinic, using screens before bed can keep your brain psychologically engaged, the blue light suppresses melatonin and by seeing something that triggers either a happy or sad response it can delay REM sleep. These are all reasons to be done with your devices prior to going to sleep!
   
2. Drink a soothing cup of non caffeinated herbal tea. Many herbal teas, including chamomile, valerian root, lavender and green tea have been shown in some studies to help you sleep better. For some people, drinking a cup of tea before bed can be calming. If tea isn’t your thing, find another habit that helps calm you down before bed. 
3. Use lavender essential oils in a diffuser. The fragrance from the oils of the lavender plant is believed to help promote calmness and wellness. It’s also said to help reduce stress, anxiety, and possibly even mild pain. This article names two studies- one that showed lavender helped relieve anxiety in people awaiting dental treatment, and another study that showed lavender essential oils helped college students get a better night sleep. 
4. Meditate for at least 10 minutes. This will help with the ability to focus, clear mind, stress and help you calm down. Our favorite guided meditation for free is Boho Beautiful on YouTube.   If you don’t want to meditate, another alternative would be to spend ten minutes reciting some positive affirmations.
   
5. Listen to soothing music. Studies have shown that some sounds/music calms the brain waves which will help you get to sleep. The music should be slow tempo music to help you calm your thoughts and relax your muscle. You can find healing sleep music by Nu Meditation. 
6. Write in your gymnastics journal to get out all those busy thoughts. Writing out your thoughts will help declutter your brain and help you sleep.

Need a gymnastics journal to write in? We’ve got you covered! Get your gymnastics journal here. 

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