Image by Sonja C Photography

Planning a wedding is one of the most intense times of your life. Between being head over heels in love with your soon to be spouse – and trying to accommodate both of your families, it’s by far one of the biggest days in your life!

All of that planning adds up to two big events: the actual wedding day and the night before. It’s not uncommon to have trouble sleeping the night before your wedding – the anxiety, the excitement, and the strange environment; a lot is going on in your brain when you’re trying to sleep.

The good news is there are a few things you can try to help you get to sleep. It’s not a one size fits all solution, so you may want to mix and match these tips.

Turn the temperature down

Scientists recommend sleeping between 15 and 19 degrees Celsius whenever possible. Chances are you’re staying in a hotel, or an unfamiliar room, so you should determine how to change the thermostat so you can cool down quickly. A rapid decrease in body temperature can help your body to fall asleep. If you can’t adjust the temperature in the room, see if you can get the fan going. Moving air can make you feel cooler even if the room itself is warm.

Image by Alan Hughes Photography

Adjust your pillows

Try sleeping on your side, or your back, instead of your usual sleeping position. It might be the right choice for the mattress you’re on. You may also want to adjust your pillows to make sure that you have the optimum level of support and comfort without feeling suffocated.

Try yoga and meditation

If you’re feeling stiff or restless, you may want to try some light exercise like yoga. Yoga and meditation have been found to help ease the mental and physical effects of anxiety, while also helping to relax your muscles. If you’re looking for something to concentrate your meditation on, how about the things you love about your partner?

Add soothing scents to your room

Adding the scents of lavender, chamomile, bergamot, jasmine, rose or sandalwood can help your brain to calm down. It can also give you something to focus on while you meditate. At the very least, it can help make the scent of the room more uniform. You can get this through an essential oil, a candle, a stick of incense, or a room spray. If you’re staying at a hotel, they may not allow candles, so you might want to check first.

Image By Will Hartl – From This Day Forward

Write down your anxious thoughts

If you can’t get your anxious thoughts to stop racing through your mind, it can be helpful to write them down. You can write it on anything from the back of a leftover invitation to the hotel stationery pad – as long as you avoid typing it into your phone. You want to avoid being on your phone. The blue light from the screen makes your brain release less melatonin because it thinks you need to be awake.

Ms Zebra Says: Sleep is so important – let alone just before you enjoy one of the biggest days in your life! These are some great tips to relax & make sure your sleep zone is the very best it can be. 

SleepHelp.org is an independently owned and operated, unbiased sleep resource dedicated to bettering your waking life by improving your sleep problems.

Our team of sleep experts makes sense of the common issues affecting your sleep. We’re here to help you understand the impact of sleep disorders, create a long-lasting sleep routine, and provide you the advice you need.