How to Replace Late Night Shows with Better Calming Routines
The habit of watching late night shows or scrolling through your phone before bed has become a modern ritual for many people. You finish your day, get into bed, and immediately reach for the remote or your device. What feels like a relaxing way to wind down is actually keeping your brain active and alert when it should be preparing for sleep. The blue light from screens, the stimulating content, and the mental engagement all work against your body’s natural sleep signals. If you want to sleep better and feel more rested, replacing these late night habits with calming routines is one of the most effective changes you can make.
Understanding Why Late Night Shows Are Problematic
When you watch television or scroll through your phone before bed, several things happen in your body that prevent good sleep. The blue light from screens suppresses your natural production of melatonin, which is the hormone that tells your body it is time to sleep. Beyond the light itself, the content you consume often stimulates your mind precisely when you need to calm down. Whether you are watching an exciting show, reading news, or scrolling through social media, your brain remains engaged and active. This mental stimulation makes it much harder to transition into the relaxed state necessary for falling asleep.
The problem becomes even worse when you engage in what experts call doomscrolling, which is the habit of endlessly scrolling through negative or stimulating content. This keeps your nervous system activated and your stress hormones elevated. Your body needs time to shift gears from the active, alert state of daytime to the calm, restful state of sleep. When you skip this transition and go straight from screen time to bed, you are fighting against your own biology.
The Science Behind Bedtime Routines
A bedtime routine is simply a set of activities you do in the same order every night, usually thirty to sixty minutes before bed. This repetition signals your brain that it is time to wind down, helping you fall asleep more easily and stay asleep longer. The idea is to create a calming rhythm that prepares your mind and body for rest.
These methods work by lowering stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, making it easier for your body to relax. When you follow the same routine every night, your body begins to anticipate sleep and naturally starts preparing for it. Over time, your body will begin to associate these bedtime cues with rest, making for calmer bedtimes and deeper sleep.
The key is consistency. By doing the same calming activities every night, you train your nervous system to recognize these activities as signals that sleep is coming. This is far more effective than relying on whatever happens to be on television or whatever catches your attention on your phone.
Creating Your Phone-Free Evening
The first step in replacing late night shows with better routines is to establish a phone-free period before bed. You should aim to put your phone away at least one hour before bed so your body has time to release melatonin. This is not always easy, especially if looking through your phone has become your usual way to end the day. Your mind and body want that calmer way to end the day, and even with night modes and filters, disconnecting completely is still the best thing to do.
When you would usually be scrolling or watching shows, you need to have something else ready to do instead. Simply removing the phone without replacing it with another activity often leads to boredom and the temptation to pick the phone back up. The key is to have specific, appealing alternatives prepared in advance.
Dimming Your Lights and Adjusting Your Environment
About one to two hours before bed, you should start dimming the lights in your home. This gradual reduction in light helps your body naturally produce melatonin and signals that evening is approaching. Bright lights keep your nervous system activated, so creating a dimmer environment is essential for preparing your body for sleep.
You should also lower your thermostat before bed. A cooler room temperature helps facilitate sleep because your body naturally cools down as you prepare to rest. The combination of dimmer lights and a cooler room creates an environment that supports your body’s natural sleep processes.
Engaging in Relaxing Activities
Once you have removed screens and adjusted your environment, you need to fill that time with genuinely calming activities. There are many options to choose from, and you can experiment to find what works best for you.
Quiet reading is one of the most effective alternatives to late night shows. Reading a physical book with a book light engages your mind in a gentle way without the stimulation of screens. Choose books that are engaging but not so thrilling that they keep you awake. Many people find that reading for fifteen to thirty minutes naturally leads to drowsiness.
Deep breathing exercises are another powerful tool. Techniques like four-seven-eight breathing promote relaxation and lower stress. This involves breathing in for a count of four, holding for a count of seven, and exhaling for a count of eight. Even just five to ten minutes of focused breathing can calm your nervous system significantly.
Light stretching or gentle movement can also be very effective. You might try swaying gently side-to-side or doing some light yoga poses. Some experts recommend mimicking what they call puppy energy, which involves doing some light movement like shaking out your limbs, taking a final bathroom break, and then consciously releasing bodily tension through deep breaths. The animal instincts to prepare a cozy, safe rest space and shake off excess energy can be surprisingly therapeutic.
Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique where you tense and then relax each muscle group in your body. Start with your toes and work your way up to your head, spending a few seconds tensing each group and then releasing. This technique helps you become aware of tension in your body and teaches you how to release it.
Using Sound and Music
Listening to calming music or white noise can be just what you need to fall into deep sleep. Soft, calming melodies can help you relax, and white noise, which can include sounds of rain, ocean waves, or fans, can drown out any external noises that might disrupt your sleep. The repetitive sounds can be soothing and lull you into a more restful state.
Guided meditations are another excellent option. These audio tracks guide you through a meditation practice, helping to quiet your mind and calm your nervous system. You can start with just three to five minutes of meditation and gradually increase the time as you become more comfortable. Studies have shown that daily meditation can help you sleep longer and have fewer problems at night.
Journaling and Mindfulness
Journaling before bed can be very helpful, especially if your mind tends to race with thoughts about the day or worries about tomorrow. Spending five to ten minutes writing down your thoughts, concerns, or things you are grateful for can help clear your mind and prepare it for sleep. This practice helps you process
