Bedtime Routines of Successful People That I Now Use

I was doing some late-night writing at Starbucks the other night when I noticed the workers getting ready to close.  Not only was it my signal to get my ass outta there it was also the inspiration for today’s blog post.  You see, they followed a specific process or routine to end the day and get ready for the next day.  This got me to thinking about bedtime routines, or the fact that I don’t have one.

You see, I have a morning routine that I follow religiously to start my day, but I don’t have a bedtime routine.

Which led me to do some research on some of the things successful people do as part of their bedtime routines. Why re-invent the wheel when you can stand on the shoulders of giants?

Well, not only did I research some of the bedtime routines of successful people, I tested them out. I figured, how could I recommend, or not recommend something to you if I hadn’t tried it myself!

So, without further ado, here are some of the bedtime routines I tested out as your personal Prime Your Pump bedtime routine guinea pig:

(1)  Read for an hour before bed like Bill Gates

This was an easy one because I am an avid reader.  I just usually read at all different times.  But reading an hour before bed is a great way to unwind, relax and learn.  Arianna Huffington recommends only reading real books as opposed to ebooks. Also, a study by the University of Sussex in 2009 showed that reading can reduce stress by up to 68%, and that was only reading for 6 minutes!

Verdict:  Thumbs up. Now one of my bedtime routines.

(2)  Have a bath like Gwyneth Paltrow

Supposedly Gwyneth Paltrow has Epsom salt baths at night before she goes to bed.  If it’s good enough for Gwyneth…

While it is relaxing, it’s just not my thing.  Plus, it takes too long to fill the tub and it’s a pain in the ass cleaning it after.  I had a hard time justifying the time spent for the benefit gained.

Verdict: For me, thumbs down.  But that’s just me, many people love taking baths at night.

(3)  Hold meetings in your bath like Winston Churchill

Apparently, Churchill’s sleep schedule was so irregular that he would hold War Cabinet meetings in his bath.

I contemplated holding Prime Your Pump blog meetings with Howie and Bri via Facetime or Skype while I was in the bathtub, but it just seemed a little weird, even for me, so I didn’t even attempt it.

Verdict:  Too weird.  Thumbs down.

   (4)  Wind down like Oprah

Oprah takes the last 20 minutes of her day to masturbate and reflect.  Ok, I guess I can take one for the team and do that in the name of self-improvement. And to be honest, I have no idea why masturbation is still stigmatized by some – everyone does it and the physical, mental and sexual health benefits have been well documented.

Oops, WAIT! I read that article about Oprah incorrectly – it was meditate and reflect, not masturbate and reflect! My bad, sorry Oprah.

I already meditate for 10 minutes when I wake up, but doing it at night has been a game changer as it really helps me relax and has helped me fall asleep easier.  I use an app called ‘Calm’ which you may want to check out. ‘Headspace’ is another good meditation app.

Verdict – Thumbs up!

(5)  Hit the hay early like Ludwig Van Beethoven

Famous composer Van Beethoven credited his successful early morning routine in part to the fact that he got enough sleep the night before.

I am a very early riser and am ‘usually’ early to bed as well.  I say ‘usually’ because sometimes I get so focused on whatever I am doing that I don’t get the 7-8 hours of sleep I need. So, I took my own advice from a previous blog post and set a reminder to shut things down at 9:30 and go to bed.

Verdict:  Thumbs up! Going to bed at the same time really makes it much easier to get up rested and energized.

(6)  Ask yourself ‘What went well today?” like Benjamin Franklin

Franklin always ended his day by reflecting on what went well, what didn’t go well, and what he could improve upon.

I decided that after my masturbation meditation and reflection that I would write down in my journal what went well, what didn’t go well and what I needed to improve upon. I journal every morning, so why not end the day with a final entry into my journal?

Verdict:  Reflection is powerful and writing things down helps cement it in your head.  Thumbs up!

  (7)  Plan out your next day like writer Henry James

I am into planning big-time.  The thing is, I usually do it first thing in the morning.  What I found was that planning the night before allowed me to start the next day in execution mode instead of planning mode.

Verdict:  Thumbs up! Another of my new bedtime routines!

(8)  Sleep 15 Hours a Night Like Mariah Carey

Apparently, Mariah sleeps 15 hours a night so she can sing so well.

I said to myself, “hell, maybe if I sleep 15 hours a night I will write better!”  But after 7.5 hours I was going bananas.

Verdict:  Not for me, I have ‘ants in my pants’ and cannot sleep that much.  Thumbs down.

(9)  Make sure your pillows are pointed in the same direction like Stephen King

Ok, this was a little bizarre.  King always makes sure his pillows are arranged so that the open ends are facing the other side of the bed. I have no idea why, and frankly I don’t want to know.

I tried it because I will try almost anything once, and found that it unsurprisingly made no difference to the quality of my sleep.

Verdict:  Weird and not helpful.  Thumbs down.

(10)  Doing facial yoga like Hillary Duff

One thing Hillary Duff does before bed is massage her face, also known as facial yoga. She says it makes her skin more supple and helps firm up her facial muscles.

I must admit it felt a little odd doing this, thank God no one was around.

Verdict:  While it may work for Hillary and for some of you, it’s just not my thing.  Thumbs down!

So that was it for my experimentation of bedtime routines used by successful people.  As you saw, some worked for me and some not so much!

Some other tips you may want to try:

  Limiting alcohol and caffeine – alcohol and caffeine can keep you up at night.

  Unplug from electronics – similarly, electronics can affect your ability to sleep.

  Going for a walk or exercise – tiring yourself out while giving yourself time to reflect can be a great way to end the day.

  Reach out and touch someone like Carl Jung who made it a point to connect with his family every night while enjoying dinner with them.

Everyone is different…

But having a standardized bedtime routine is a great way to help you unwind and end your day.  Because at the end of the day (literally), you need to do whatever it is that helps you relax and get ready for bed.

What works for me or someone else may not work for you.  You need to find out what works for you and do it consistently.

Whether that is taking an Epsom salt bath, reading, meditating or…even masturbating.

You do you!

Until next time…work on that bedtime routine, reach out and touch someone (or yourself) and as always…PYMFP!
–Rick

Use It or Lose It:

Some tips when creating a bedtime routine:

  Experiment with different things.
  Find what works for you.
  Create a consistent bedtime routine.
  Be consistent with it to make it a habit.
  Reap the benefits!

 When to Use It – Bedtime Routines:

   At the end of your day as a way to relax, get ready for bed and make sure you start tomorrow on the right foot!

 What Do You Think?

  Do you have a bedtime routine?  What does it include? Is there anything from this post that you may try? Please share in the comments below!

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