Have you ever noticed how much better you feel after a solid 8 hours of sleep? Or how your mood and productivity suffer after a restless night? Sleep, or the lack of it, significantly impacts health, happiness and daily function, and quality rest lays the foundations for our health and happiness. That’s why it is so important to establish a calming pre-sleep routine to allow the mind and body to unwind, releasing any tensions or anxieties from the day.

When we are more mindful about our nights, the difference can be life-changing. Moods improve, thinking feels sharper and healthier lifestyle choices come more easily. While the occasional late night out won't hurt, it's important to schedule time to properly relax. It's one of the kindest gifts we can give ourselves and the rewards are well worth it.

Making small changes to your evening schedule can result in dramatic improvements to your health, happiness and daily life, and the benefits of a better bedtime ritual start tonight!

Rise and shine: How sleep makes you smarter and more creative

Do you sometimes feel like your brain is operating in a fog, unable to focus or be productive? Chances are you didn't get enough sleep the night before. When we rest well, our cognitive abilities skyrocket. Important connections in the brain are repaired and restored, improving functions like concentration, problem-solving and decision-making.

Studies show that people who get consistent high-quality sleep make better use of their time during the day and accomplish more. Without constant tiredness, work feels easier and less tedious. We can power through daily tasks and still have the bandwidth for passion projects or creative pursuits. Sleep even enhances functions associated with creativity like abstract thinking, cognitive flexibility and insight.

Many renowned artists, scientists and leaders throughout history were known to require ample rest and often woke up very early to access the heightened mental acuity from their night's sleep, notable examples being Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and Ernest Hemingway. They understood that rest was a vital tool for maximising innovation, imagination and productivity.

For the rest of us, making sleep a priority leads to benefits in everyday life. You'll find yourself being less forgetful or easily distracted. Your problem-solving skills become sharper, able to think on your feet and make connections you might otherwise miss. Creativity is enhanced, as your mind effortlessly pieces together new and original thoughts. At work or school, you're able to maintain laser focus and motivation, leading to higher performance and greater success.

Mindfulness practices before bed also do wonders for your sleep and daily function. Activities like meditation, deep breathing, and gratitude journalling empty your mind of worries and fill it with positive thoughts. They induce a calming flow state highly conducive to rest and relaxation. Waking up well-rested, yet consciously recharged, allows us to reach peak productivity, make healthier choices, and enhance our creative capacity for hobbies, work or everyday life.

Sleep tight, live bright: The secret healing power of sleep

Many of us are aware that diet and exercise keep us in good shape, but sleep is actually the third pillar of health. Lack of rest can open the door to serious medical issues like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and hypertension. It also weakens our body's defences against illness and disease. Prioritising sleep is one of the best ways to lower health risks and keep our bodies in working order.

Without adequate rest, our hormones get disrupted which can lead to weight gain over time. Two hormones specifically affected are leptin, which signals to our brain that we're full, and ghrelin, which stimulates appetite. When tired, the signals become confused and we're left feeling constantly hungry which adds extra pounds that may be hard to shift. Establishing an earlier bedtime and limiting night-time snacking helps maintain healthy levels of these hormones and a balanced metabolism.

Strong immunity depends on sufficient sleep to function properly. When we rest, our body produces protective proteins called cytokines which target infection and inflammation in the body. A lack of sleep reduces cytokine production and the ability to fight off viruses and other microbes that make us sick. According to the NHS, adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night on average to enable their body's natural defences against illnesses ranging from the common cold to serious medical conditions.

Beyond physical health, sleep also elevates your mood and mental wellbeing. During rest, your brain processes emotional experiences from the day and rebalances itself chemically. Without enough sleep, feelings of anxiety, stress and depression intensify while your happiness and patience decrease. Establishing a relaxing pre-sleep routine helps calm worried or racing thoughts, allowing you to rest well and wake up feeling refreshed in both body and mind.

Prepare for the night shift: How to relax into rest and renewal each evening

The benefits of establishing a calming bedtime routine are far-reaching. From stronger health and immunity to improved cognition and mood, adding simple rituals to your schedule leads to better rest and daytime wellbeing. An ideal evening wind-down routine is one that relaxes your body and mind, releasing any remaining tensions from the day and helping you achieve the perfect night’s sleep. Here are some of our top recommendations:

• About an hour before bed, dim the lights and avoid screens or bright overhead fixtures. Engage in a calming activity like light yoga or stretches, an Epsom salt bath, gentle tidying and decluttering or light reading. Minimise heavy meals, caffeine and sugar intake which can disrupt your sleep later.
• Meditating, deep breathing exercises or a gratitude journal are also wonderful ways to calm your mind before sleep. They help empty your mind of worries or anxieties and fill it with more positive thoughts. Doing something creative or expressive like knitting, woodworking, or art also taps into your mental flow state which is highly relaxing.
• Warm chamomile tea, lavender essential oil or a warm glass of milk contain compounds that induce drowsiness. Use your bed only for sleep to build the association that it's time to rest when you get under the covers. Be patient through the process, as it can take time for your body clock to adjust to new routines.

Make rest a pillar of your self-care and day-to-day wellbeing. Small changes lead to significant outcomes when practised regularly. A customised pre-sleep ritual will become second nature, helping you live your life fully by renewing body and mind through the natural healing power of deep rest. The day unfolds brighter when you make space each evening to pause, centre yourself and float peacefully off to sleep. Your healthiest and happiest days all begin the night before, by making sleep a priority.