Cherith N.
I’m struggling with that too!! Once I get a fairly normal schedule back (due to school— youth group activities and such put me in bed later haha), I think I’ll have a more consistent schedule of sleep and wake times. Don’t worry about being perfect! You don’t need to go to bed at the same exact moment every night- our bodies are somewhat resilient. Just don’t make a habit of going to bed at 9, then 11, then 2, then 10, and so on. Our bodies appreciate a somewhat consistent routine. Let’s say your normal bedtime is 10. I don’t think it’s that bad to stay up for 15-30 minutes later if something gets in the way of your nighttime routine.
Also, make sure you figure out about how long it takes for you to finish all of your nighttime tasks, like getting ready for bed, reading, or whatever else you do. Once you gauge your time, you can start your routine around the same time every night and keep a relaxing pace.
Hopefully this helps!!
Klaus Peter F.
I think it is important to give yourself some grace with time. You don’t want to be a slave to a schedule. However, there is a balance. With my kids I have to give them several warnings in advance before actually changing an activity, such as stopping playing and eating lunch or going to bed. There needs to be a buffer of time to mentally prepare and start changing gears. Also, it’s hard to stop some activities more than others, so choosing to do activities that are easier to stop or that are less addictive around bedtime helps. For instance, I find listening to music easier to stop without finishing than watching a show or browsing the web. I also find stopping a book is easier than stopping browsing my device.
