14 Genius Things Super Successful People Always Do Before Bed
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You know that a good night’s rest recharges your body and mind for the day ahead, allowing you to recover and recalibrate so all your gears are functioning as they should.
That's why it's no surprise that super successful people, from Bill Gates to Oprah Winfrey, prioritize sleep and use smart sleep hygiene tips to help wind down and reduce anxiety before bed.
Adopting a few of their nighttime routines and expert-approved hacks can help you sleep like a boss. Here are some of the top ones to try:
Get at least seven hours of sleep
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), seven to nine hours of sleep is recommended for adults — and hugely successful people focus on clocking in that amount.
But don't just take their word for it (although, you really should). Eric Schmidt, the former CEO and Chairman of Google, has written that getting enough sleep affects his “physical and mental ability to do almost everything.”
Unplug in the bedroom
Huffington Post founder and Thrive Global CEO Arianna Huffington is the author of many books, including The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time. She has a strict nighttime routine, which includes leaving her devices outside of the bedroom. We all know that the inevitable pings and sounds coming from your device can easily wake you up.
Disconnect from work
Successful CEOs make a conscious effort to stop thinking about work before bed, so that they can rest and recharge. Sallie Krawcheck, co-founder and CEO of Ellevest, an investing and wealth management platform for women, tries to keep her bedroom a separate space. “I do not work in the bedroom unless I suddenly have an idea that I need to write down while I’m in there,” she told The Cut. Try to have a shutoff time for work emails, slacks, and texts that tend to amp you up and get your mind racing.
Spend time with loved ones
President Obama makes sure to get quality time with his wife Michelle, and told Newsweek magazine: “In that hour and a half, I found myself replenished—my mind cleansed and my heart cured.”
Take a bath
Part of Huffington’s bedtime regimen is “washing away the day” by taking a bath. “If you don’t like baths, you can have a shower," she's said.
Another bath connoisseur? Oprah Winfrey. “In the evening, I have a bath before bed. It’s my ritual,” she told Harper’s BAZAAR.
Sleep expert Mollie Eastman, host of the podcast Sleep is a Skill, agrees: “Simple nightly habits, like bathing, tell your mind it’s time for bed. A warm bath or shower 30 minutes beforehand is especially conducive to quality rest because the skin temperature becomes higher, and the core temperature is lowered slightly, which primes the body for sleep.”
Read
President Barack Obama and Bill Gates are both known to read for at least 30 minutes before bed. While Huffington also reads before bed, she stresses: “No screens. And (only) books that have nothing to do with work: novels, poetry, anything.”
But avoid reading on screens
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, the founder and CEO of lifestyle company goop, bans technology from the bedroom as part of her “clean sleeping routine,” along with making the bedroom completely dark.
Science backs up this strategy. “Research shows that blue light from screens is a huge melatonin blocker and amps you up when you need to chill out,” says Eastman.
Have a consistent bedtime (and wake-up time)
Another of Paltrow’s clean sleeping tips is trying to go to sleep and wake up around the same time as often as possible. Consistency and repetition are the secrets to naturally falling and staying asleep, and research has shown that instituting a consistent bedtime routine is beneficial.
Huffington has also said, “I treat my transition to sleep as a sacrosanct ritual. Most nights I’m in bed by 11 p.m., and my goal, as we joke in my family, is to always be in bed to catch the midnight train.”
Dim the lights
“One of the most impactful levers for your circadian rhythm is light, so not only do you want to start dimming the lights all over the house at least 60 to 90 minutes before bed,” says Eastman. And you want your bedroom to be pitch black. “You shouldn’t be able to see your hand in front of your face in bed.” Eastman recommends installing blackout shades and using a white noise machine in the bedroom.
Actress Scarlett Johansson does both. “So my room is dark and cold with a (white) noise machine. When my husband and I first started dating, he liked no noise machine, blinds open, no air conditioning. And I said, ‘You have to come over to the dark side, because I can’t sleep!’ she told Marie Claire.
Prepare for tomorrow
In his memoir, A Promised Land, President Barack Obama wrote about “the quietest and most productive hours of the day” when he could “prepare myself for whatever was coming next.” Writing down a simple checklist helps you relax and let go—these things will wait until morning.
Try to meditate
Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is a huge fan of meditation. In fact, he's even spent his birthday doing a 10-day silent meditation.
That being said, you don't have to go silent for 10 days. Instead, try this mindful breathing exercise to help calm your mind and reduce anxiety:
Inhale through the nose for a count of four
Hold your breath for a count of seven
Exhale through your mouth for a count of eight
Wind down with self-care
It’s no surprise that a nighttime skincare routine is important for wellness and beauty brand founder like Paltrow. “Familiar rituals around hygiene are incredibly calming, helping you feel safe and secure, and prepared for rest,” says Eastman.
Reflect on the day with gratitude
Taking a few minutes to write down things you’re grateful for has been shown to improve your sleep and reduce stress. “I love the idea of starting the day and ending the day with 3 things I’m grateful for. It can be the caffe latte you had or a couple of moments with a dear friend, or a song,” Huffington has said. Bookending the day with gratitude is one of her biggest secrets to success. “I promise you it begins to change the quality of the day,” she has said. Not to mention the quality of your sleep.
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