When the wedding day approaches, many brides and grooms may feel excitement bubbling up, as well as stress seeping in. With this mix of anticipation, restless nights can be inevitable. It may be one of the best days of your life, but that doesn’t mean that it will be worry free. Weddings are actually one of the most stressful life events. Not only do you have to spend months organising it, but you’ll be worried that something could go wrong on the day. Plus, getting married is ending one chapter of your life and beginning another – which is a big moment for everyone. With the anxiety of making sure that everything will be perfect, it’s no wonder that you may struggle to get a good sleep before your wedding day. Yet, the key to having a great day isn’t just making sure that everyone is having a good time – it’s making sure you sleep well before your wedding day.
In the run up...
Part of getting a good sleep before your wedding is paying attention to how you sleep in the nights leading up to your wedding day. Make sure that you’re getting at least six-and-a-half hours of sleep each night. If you sleep less than this, you could be more likely to be irritable during the day. This isn’t exactly how you want to feel when making last minute decisions or getting married!
A lack of sleep will also ruin any diets that you may be on. Sleep deprived people are more likely to indulge in junk food for a quick energy fix. All that hard work at fitting into the perfect dress could be completely washed away if you’re not getting enough sleep. Also, not getting enough sleep could harm your immune system, so you’re more at risk of catching bugs and infections. Who wants to be getting married when they’re snotty and sickly? Not only would it ruin the day, but just think of the photos. So, getting a good sleep before the big day will make sure that you enjoy your wedding.
How Can You Get A Good Sleep Before Your Wedding Day? Make A List of Your Worries
Whatever you’re worrying about, be it flowers arriving or finishing touches to bridesmaid dresses, write a list. Tackle the list the next day. By writing a list, you should leave anything that you’re worried about on the page and give yourself some peace. Plus, a list could give you a new perspective. If you’re feeling overwhelmed about everything that’s worrying you, seeing these worries written down could show you that there’s less on your mind than you thought.
Plan and pack accordingly
If you’re spending the night before your wedding in a hotel room or an unfamiliar environment, you should prepare for what sort of conditions you’ll be sleeping in. You may not be able to prepare for everything, but taking ear plugs or an eye mask will help to eliminate any strange noises or bright lights that could wake you up. Plus, comfort is key when it comes to a good sleep. While you can’t take your mattress, bed, or bedding with you, you can take your pillow! The flip side is to plan ahead if you’ve got people sleeping at your house. Planning in advance takes away any last-minute stresses. Know where they’ll sleep and how many people you’ll accommodate. Make sure you don’t have too many people staying with you – while it may be fun to have everyone over in the evening, it’ll be chaotic when you’re all getting ready for the wedding.
Enjoy Some “Me Time”
If you’re stressing out that everything won’t go to plan, or you’re too excited to settle, try to relax and get some quiet “me time”. Have a warm bath, read a book, do some yoga, or even go for a short walk. These will all help to relax both the mind and body. Plus, you could try some mindfulness techniques to quiet down your thoughts. Mindfulness is all about focusing on the small things and being in the moment.
Avoid Technology
Switch off your phone, tablet, laptop, and even the TV. Using technology before going to bed will only harm your sleep quality, as the blue light that’s emitted from these screens will disrupt the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. When this happens, you won’t fall asleep easily. Instead, read a book, listen to relaxing music, or have a warm bath – just concentrate on relaxing.
Go Easy on the Alcohol
As tempting as it may be, don’t end up having a second hen night on the night before your wedding. It’s true that alcohol can make you sleepy, but it’ll keep you from falling into the deep, restorative sleep that your body needs. You’ll wake up feeling tired. Plus, you’ll be more likely to wake up in need for a bathroom trip during the night. You could struggle to get to sleep – especially if you start to think of your wedding and get excited or stressed! You don’t want to be saying “I do” with bloodshot eyes and dark shadows – it’s called beauty sleep for a reason!
Get Up If You Can’t Sleep
If you’re having trouble falling asleep, don’t stay in bed. If you do, your brain will link your bed with restlessness, and sleep will get even further away. Go to another room and read a book, listen to soothing music, or get a glass of milk. Milk has the ingredient tryptophan, a natural calming agent that will help you to relax. Cheese, yoghurt, and ice cream will also have this effect on you. Only go back to bed when you feel sleepy.
Accept That You May Not Get The Best Sleep
While getting a good night’s sleep will do you more wonders than makeup ever will, embrace and accept the fact that you just might not get the best sleep. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re awake when you’d rather be sleeping. It won’t help you sleep well before your wedding day. Just relax, tell yourself everything will be fine, and you’ll soon drift off into a peaceful snooze.
