How to Build a Bedtime Routine

Nature Made Staffers Share Their Secrets

We all know that sleep is important, right? When we don’t get enough sleep, we feel groggy and irritable and when we do get those hours in, we’re ready to take on our day. So, what’s the secret to a good night’s sleep? (Hint: it helps to have a consistent bedtime routine).

We asked the Nature Made team to share the steps they take at bedtime to help set them up for sleep success. Read on and maybe get inspired to change up your routine!

Melissa Dorval Pine, RDN

(Senior Manager of Medical & Scientific Communications)

A good night’s sleep is super important to me. I define a good night’s sleep as 7-8 hours of sleep each night. If I don’t sleep at least 7 hours, I feel very sluggish the next day and find it hard to be productive.

As far as winding down for bedtime, I have a few strategies that work for me. Taking an evening heated yoga class followed by a warm shower really sets me up for a great night’s sleep. Alternatively, I am also a bath person and love to soak in my tub with lavender bubbles, bath salts, candles, and soft music; doing so really helps me relax and sets me up for a high-quality night’s slumber. I also enjoy reading before bed, either a novel or flipping through a magazine. I typically can’t stay awake for long once I start reading, but it does further help me to relax. On nights when I can’t fall asleep, which happens from time to time, especially if I am feeling stressed or have a lot on my mind, I will listen to a sleep meditation and am usually asleep before it’s over. If I do wake up in the middle of the night, I sometimes take Nature Made® Back to Sleep, which helps me fall back to sleep so  it can help me achieve that 7 to 8 hours of sleep and feel energized and ready to take on my morning and the day ahead.

GP Corsi

(Manager of Creative Direction)

I multitask at work AND at home, so sleep is very important to me because the less I have, the harder my ability to concentrate on all that multitasking. On top of that, I work out regularly, and lack of sleep makes it hard for me to recuperate from the workouts, so I end up exhausted instead of invigorated.

Like most people who go home after work, I usually have a lot of little things to do once I get there—including finding time for dinner! But after 7:30 pm, I drop what I’m doing and start trying to unwind. First, and if the weather permits, I like to go for a brisk 20-minute walk. After that, I try to watch a little TV which helps to “flush out” whatever was rattling in my brain from earlier in the day and do some light stretching. The most important thing, though, is by 10 pm not to have anything left to do, although occasionally, I find that a half glass of milk and some chocolate chip cookies relaxes me even more!

I keep telling myself that I will try reading at least once a week instead of watching TV, but I haven’t gotten around to that—but hey, the year is just getting started!

Steven Springer

(Senior Brand Manager)

Sleep is incredibly important as it serves as the foundation of your day. Starting off on the right foot is real! My day can be demanding, trying to be my best at work, staying physically in shape, and maintaining my social life. Balance becomes very difficult to maintain if I'm tired and increases overall stress.

Admittedly, my bedtime routine is a work in progress. First, I have my bedtime set on my phone so that notifications are muted after 9:30 pm, which helps establish calm before bed—even if I haven't put my phone down yet. I'll typically watch TV to close out my day, then go through getting ready for bed (i.e. brush my teeth, wash my face), practice a few Duolingo lessons (90-day streak!) in bed before falling asleep. Being asleep by midnight is my current goal. Sometimes my schedule is off, and I might use a low dose of Melatonin to help get me ready to fall asleep..

Building new habits is easier when you do so in bite-sized pieces. I want to add more mindfulness into my bedtime routine; spending 5-10 minutes winding down and reflecting will help me fall asleep faster. Also, I'd like to move up my bedtime to 11 pm. Having a consistent wake-up time has been very helpful, so I'd like to build more consistency in my sleep-time.

Thanks to the Nature Made staff for sharing their sleep secrets! As you can see, there’s no perfect way to build a bedtime routine but consistency is key no matter how you choose to unwind.