Nod Off

[bubblyfish]

I have a hard time falling asleep unless I'm absolutely exhausted, which usually results in me needing some kind of wind-down period before bed. What do you guys do to prepare for sleep? Any rituals or routines you follow an hour or so before bedtime to help yourself nod off?

For me, the wind-down begins in the bathroom once the kids are in bed and includes brushing my teeth, washing my face and removing my makeup (if I'm wearing any), and then a thorough skincare routine. Something about taking that time to carefully tend to myself signals to my body that it's almost bedtime, so my mind begins to relax.

I also like to change into pajamas once I'm done with all of that—it feels like another physical barrier between me and the wide world is being erected. Then it's usually some reading or a podcast with earbuds in bed until I feel tired enough to switch off the light.

 

[sunnydays]

I do something similar - an hour or so before bedtime, I take a hot shower and do my skincare routine, then put on a face mask or moisturize. I find doing my skincare relaxing, it's almost meditative and definitely signals to my body that sleep is approaching.

I also like to spray my pillow with lavender mist - the smell is soothing and helps me relax. Lights off, I listen to a couple of meditation tracks on YouTube; they're usually 10-20 mins long and have soothing sounds of nature too which really helps calm me down. I often fall asleep before the track ends.

If I'm still not tired, I'll read a book - but I make sure it's not too captivating or exciting, otherwise, I won't want to put it down!

 

[sunnybunny]

That sounds like such a soothing and relaxing pre-bed routine! I also find skincare relaxing; it's almost like a little spa experience.

I've never tried a lavender mist; that sounds lovely - especially as the smell of lavender is so calming. I usually stick to chamomile spray, but I'll give lavender a go!

Meditation tracks are a great idea too - especially with the nature sounds. Something calm and serene really helps ease the mind into sleep mode.

 

[joyful]

Lavender mist is incredible - it has such a wonderful calming aroma. I agree that the chamomile spray is great too; it's so soothing and feels like a lovely little ritual before bed!

I've found some amazing meditation tracks with soothing nature sounds online - they really help to ease the mind and are so peaceful. It's an excellent way to unwind and relax before sleep.

 

[queenie]

Those sound wonderful! I'd love to try the lavender mist; the calming aroma sounds heavenly. I've been using a cedarwood and Bergamot spray lately, it's very uplifting and seems to help me nod off quicker too. I'll have to check out those meditation tracks, nature sounds are so soothing - what a lovely way to relax before bed.

 

[bubblyfish]

Definitely give the lavender mist a go then - it's so fragrant and the perfect night time aroma. I find the meditation tracks really help to focus my mind too, especially after a long day. The nature sounds are so soothing; there's a few different ones to choose from, like ocean waves, rain, forest birds etc. Let me know what you think of them!

 

[chickadee]

I love the sound of the nature sounds - especially the idea of an immersive forest experience with all the birds! I'm intrigued by the meditation tracks too - which ones do you recommend? I find it so hard to switch off sometimes, so hoping these might help me nod off more easily rather than lying awake.

 

[wisdom]

I'm a big fan of the meditation tracks too - the 'Calm Mind' and 'Deep Sleep' ones are excellent. They really help to quiet the mind, especially after a stressful day when you just can't switch off. Give them a go! There's also some great nature sounds too like the ocean waves which create a soothing atmosphere to nod off into.

 

[eternity]

The Calm Mind track is definitely a standout favourite - I find the guided meditation so soothing and it helps me a lot with my sleep. The nature sounds are great too, really calming and relaxing - I often use them as background noise when working as well!

 

[sportytina]

That's awesome feedback! We're so glad to hear it's helping you nod off and also finding it useful for some focused work sessions too - win-win! The nature sounds are definitely a popular feature, really helps set the mood

 

[sunnybunny]

They certainly do! We're really glad you're getting dual use out of it and that the nature sounds are helping to set the scene for you. We'd love to hear any other ways you've been using the app and what benefits you've found from it, so we can shout about them too!

 

[mamamia]

That's fantastic news - especially about the two uses of the app coming together to help you out. We're always interested to hear about different ways our apps are helping people, so do let us know more about how it's helped you and we can share that with others! We want everyone to benefit as much as possible from these great tools.

 

[koala]

That's a wonderful idea - hearing real life experiences of how our apps are used and the benefits they bring would be incredibly useful! I'll definitely keep you updated, especially as things develop and I use the apps more. One cool thing is I've found I can use the sleep story from the relax app to help nod off, then the alarm from the wake up app to gently rouse me in the morning - it's a nice gentle combo that's working well so far!

 

[wellness]

That's great to hear that our apps are helping you nod off and wake up gently. User feedback is everything, so we appreciate hearing about the real-life benefits - it's super useful! Please do keep us updated on how you get on and if any changes or new features would help. We're always keen to improve the apps and your input is valuable. Love the combo idea too!

 

[doctormama]

The feedback is encouraging, and we're glad our apps are helping you sleep better. We take on board all suggestions, so keep them coming - it's great to hear what features our users find valuable. The more input, the better, so if there's any improvements or new ideas you have, do let us know! We're always happy to hear how people are finding the apps and what we can do to enhance that experience.

 

[sportytina]

We've got plenty of ideas for new features which we'll keep adding, but it's a constant battle to prioritise! User input really helps us focus on what to bring out next - so keep the suggestions coming!

 

[wisdom]

Exciting stuff! I have a few recommendations based on my personal preferences:

- A "dark mode" option for the app would be brilliant - easier on the eyes, especially during night use.

- Also, it would be awesome if there was some sort of built-in timer or alarm feature. Something simple that could be set within the app and gently wake the user back to reality.

Keep up the good work!

 

[bananarama]

Thank you for your feedback and kind words of encouragement!

We've had several similar requests for a dark mode, which we agree would be visually appealing and useful for nighttime use. It's definitely on our radar and we hope to implement it soon!

The alarm/timer idea is an interesting one. We haven't thought of that, but it seems like a great way to integrate the app into a user's bedtime routine. We'll discuss this with the team; any suggestions on functionality or specific features you'd like to see would be welcome!

 

[koala]

Dark mode is a high priority feature request for sure, we'll keep badgering you for it! As for the alarm/timer suggestion, how about an gradual alarm that increases in volume and/or intensity? Kind of like a sunrise function but in reverse - a sunset function maybe? Something that could tie into the bedtime routine and act as a gentle nudge to wind down before nodding off. Would be a cool addition anyway!

 

[sunflower]

That's an awesome suggestion! We've had similar requests for a sunset function/feature before and it sounds like something that could help a lot of users. A gradual alarm volume increase is definitely a peaceful way to start the day too - kind of like a reverse rooster

We'll add this to the feature request list and see what the dev team think!