3 relaxing bedtime rituals of highly successful people
Wonder how the rich and famous prepare for a good night’s sleep? We take a peep into the evening routines of Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and Arianna Huffington.
Do you have a bedtime ritual?
A bedtime ritual is when you do the same things each evening to prepare for a good night’s sleep.
Your evening routine will be unique to you. Some people swear by reading a book; others love to enjoy a long bath.
Here’s what three highly successful people do to unwind before bed. Maybe one of their ‘secret sleep weapons’ could work for you.
Arianna Huffington
As the founder of The Huffington Post, the CEO of Thrive Global, the author of 15 books, and a mother of two, it’s fair to say that Arianna Huffington has a lot on her plate.
She’s also an outspoken sleep advocate since accidentally overworking herself to the point of burnout in 2007.
In her book, The Sleep Revolution, she describes her typical bedtime ritual, which includes having a bath, keeping a gratitude diary, and reading a book.
“I pause to think about the things that I’m grateful for in that moment,” she wrote for The Telegraph.
“That way my blessings, not my worries, get the closing scene of the night.”
Arianna Huffington’s evening routine at a glance:
Bath
Reading
Gratitude diary
Bill Gates
The billionaire founder of Microsoft and high-profile philanthropist is also an avid reader.
Bill Gates is said to read over 50 books a year, so it’s little surprise that reading forms the core of his bedtime ritual.
Every night, he tries to read for at least half an hour to relax his mind before bed.
“I read an hour almost every night,” he told The Seattle Times. “It’s part of falling asleep.”
However, he cautions against the pull of a good book too close to bedtime.
“Like anyone who loves books, if you get into a good book, it’s hard to go to sleep.”
Bill Gates’s evening routine at a glance:
Connecting with family
Reading
Oprah Winfrey
Talk show icon Oprah Winfrey once jokingly called herself a “bathing professional” in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar.
“In the evening, I have a bath before bed; it’s a ritual. I’m a bathing professional – I have different bubble baths, salts, beads, and oils,” she explained.
She also tries to meditate for ten minutes, as well as read or relax by the fireplace.
Oprah’s evening routine at a glance:
Bubble bath
Reading or relaxing by the fire