Tips if You're Feeling Too Stressed Out to Sleep Before Your Big Day.
It's normal to feel nervous or anxious the night before your wedding. You're facing a big day with excitement, the end of months, maybe years of planning, and a lifelong commitment. You may be thinking about how happy you are to get married, and worried about all of the details coming together.
Anxiety, excitement, and nervous thoughts can easily interfere with sleep. They can keep you up at night and even influence your dreams. But getting enough sleep before your big day is critical.
You need to get enough sleep at night every night, but especially the night before your wedding day. Being well rested will help you face the day feeling and looking your best. If you're sleep deprived, you may be more susceptible to stress and anxiety, which you'll want to avoid on your wedding day.
Sleeping Well the Night Before Your Wedding
Don't stress about sleep. Although sleeping is critical, you can rob yourself of sleep just by being anxious about it. Focus on relaxation and giving yourself the time you need to rest. If you're feeling worried about sleep, get out of bed and do something else relaxing, like read a book or practice a short yoga routine. Then, get back in bed when you're feeling tired again.
Plan for your rehearsal dinner to end early. Rehearsal dinners are often held the night before the wedding. There is the potential for your rehearsal dinner to run long and keep you up too late to get the rest you need, especially if you've planned it late in the evening. Plan ahead and schedule your rehearsal dinner for early in the evening, such as 5:30 or 6:00, so there's plenty of time for speeches, chats with friends and relatives visiting from far away, and even after dinner drinks without cutting into your sleep time.
Be careful what you consume before bed. Although you may enjoy a big meal and alcoholic drinks the night before your wedding day at your rehearsal dinner, you may want to pay attention to the time when you're eating and drinking. Consuming alcohol or a heavy meal just before bed can interfere with healthy sleep as your body works to process what you've eaten and drank instead of focusing on sleep. It's important to avoid coffee in the evening as well.
Take care of last minute details ahead of time. Don't wait until the last minute to tie up all of the details of your wedding. Whenever possible, work ahead so that the week of your wedding is relatively clear of tasks and responsibilities. Although some things will inevitably pop up, clearing your commitments and taking care of details that can be handled ahead of time will make it easier to deal with surprises with minimal stress.
Get active. Spend some time on the day before your wedding exercising. Although many brides do this as a last minute effort to look great in their wedding dress, physical activity can help you relieve stress and sleep better. Hit the gym, go for a swim, or even a walk around the block to shake off stress and get better sleep. Just be careful not to exercise intensely just before bed. You should avoid vigorous exercise in the hours right before bed because doing so can make you feel too energized to sleep.
Go through a relaxing bedtime routine. Make sure you have time to relax and center yourself before bedtime, especially the night before your wedding day. Plan to take a warm bath, do yoga or meditation, or use aromatherapy, such as diffusing lavender oil. You can even do yoga or meditation in bed as you're falling asleep. Make sure your bedroom is a restful environment. Mattress reviews can help you determine if you’re sleeping on the right surface for your needs. Avoiding using screens such as mobile devices in bed, and keeping your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet can also help.
Deal with anxiety. If you're feeling stressed or anxious, talk to someone or use a journal to let your feelings out. Call a friend, or keep a journal next to your bed where you can write down worries and deal with them later so you can focus on sleep.
Find more helpful sleep tips at www.SleepHelp.org
