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How To Unwind Every Night, Depending On Your Enneagram Type

Author:

Julianne Ishler

July 22, 2021

Certified Enneagram Coach

By Julianne Ishler

Certified Enneagram Coach

Julianne Ishler is a certified Enneagram coach, passionate about helping people live more mindfully and integrate holistic wellness into their routines.

Image by Prostock Studii / iStock

July 22, 2021

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Forming a personalized, meaningful bedtime routine can support deeper and more restorative sleep—which is where the Enneagram comes in.

The Enneagram is a personality type system that explores your motivations to determine why you do what you do. By understanding how your Enneagram type functions, you can get ahead of sleep disturbances by crafting nightly rituals that are tailored to you. Find out your Enneagram type here, and then discover your ideal bedtime routine.

Type One, The Perfectionist: Screen-Free Time

Ones have a strong desire for improvement and doing things right. Because of this, they can have a hard time relaxing and often feel guilty for doing so. Having screen-free time before bed is a way for Ones to unplug from things out of their control and focus their energy on being present with themselves.

Leave your phone in another room if you have to, and wind down through reading, journaling, or tidying up your workspace for tomorrow. Just make sure whatever you do is enjoyable and not something you feel like you "should" be doing!

Type Two, The Helper: Warm Showers or Baths

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Twos focus on making others happy and, in the process, tend to neglect themselves. It's extra important for them to have alone time so they can reflect on their needs outside of what other people want from them. Taking a warm shower or bath before bedtime is a chance to reflect and wash all the stress from the day down the drain.

Pamper yourself with lush soaps, bath bombs, or shower plants to soothe your sensitive soul. A good night's sleep is essential for helping you process your emotions, and a simple 15-minute shower or bath turns all the love you have to give back onto yourself.

Type Three, The Achiever: Bedtime Journaling

Threes are happiest when pursuing their ambitious goals. While their can-do attitude is without a doubt inspiring, it's important for them to slow down and check in with themselves. Especially right before bed, their mind may be in future mode, thinking about tomorrow's tasks or feeling tempted to answer one last email before shutting off the lights.

Journaling is a way for Threes to process their day and stay focused on what they really want to accomplish—not just what looks good on paper. Write for 10 to 15 minutes before bed and let the words flow to the page without editing for clarity or grammar. By doing so, Threes can acknowledge their thoughts and feelings without judgment and be true to themselves.

Type Four, The Individualist: Listen to Calming Music

Fours are all about authenticity and self-expression, making them easily moved by music and the arts. Listening to a calming playlist sets the tone (literally) for a good night's sleep. As you close your eyes and focus on the music, let your emotions move through you.

Fours are a lot like sponges, absorbing and internalizing feelings, and the fluidity of music keeps them from becoming trapped in self-deprecating cycles. Plus, having a creative outlet is a positive way for Fours to channel their emotions, and what better way to do that than building a playlist? Whether you change it up regularly or stick to something familiar, find what resonates with and relaxes you.

Type Five, The Investigator: Create a Sleep Sanctuary

Alone time is sacred to Fives, as daily activities and interactions can often feel draining. Sleep is a way for Fives to recharge their batteries and keep their imaginative minds sharp and alert. Cultivating an environment as efficient and minimalist as possible is essential for Fives to feel snug and secure.

Behold, the sleep sanctuary. Invest in silk sheets and pillowcases, a plush eye mask, some earplugs, and perhaps a white noise machine to create a distraction-free zone. Comfort and privacy are key for helping Fives disconnect from their busy minds and get a restorative night's sleep.

Type Six, The Loyalist: Prepare (Mindfully) for Tomorrow

Sixes love to feel prepared—we're talking setting-three-alarms prepared. They tend to worry about things that may or may not happen, which can lead to sleepless nights. Sixes can eliminate some of their anxiousness at bedtime by doing all that they can to make their mornings run smoothly.

Lay out clothes, leave water on the nightstand, and whip up a healthy breakfast that's ready to snag from the fridge in the morning. While going through the motions, notice how much energy you put into thinking about what isn't OK. Breathe deeply, then shift your focus to all that is OK.

Type Seven, The Enthusiast: Aromatherapy

Sleepless nights for a Seven typically involve whirling ideas and new possibilities. By default, they live in the future (and all the excitement it brings), which can block them from being present and calm with their thoughts. So, what better way for pleasure-seeking Sevens to wind down than aromatherapy?

There are plenty of inexpensive oil diffusers, and you can experiment with different scents that you change up often since, of course, you love variety. While inhaling these soothing scents, take in the joy of the moment as you bring your focus to the here and now—whatever that experience may be.

Type Eight, The Challenger: Light Stretching

Big plans, big values, big energy—that's an Eight in a nutshell. In their desire to be strong, Eights have the tendency to do things in excess. Especially before bedtime, they may be wound up from the day and carry unprocessed emotions in their bodies.

Light stretching (not anything too strenuous or intense) is a great way to soothe stiff muscles from stress. Pay extra attention to the psoas muscle in your hips, opening it up through low lunges or pigeon pose. This deep muscle is connected to the fight-or-flight response, and as Eights are highly instinctual, this can be extra sensitive and even an emotional release from the day's events.

Type Nine, The Peacemaker: Guided Meditation

It may be tempting for Nines to numb out before bed with TV, social media scrolling, or anything that keeps their minds distracted. Their tendency to "escape" is a way to avoid feelings or issues they may be experiencing—that may instead bubble up at 2 a.m.

Meditating before bed helps Nines bring their attention back to themselves so they can process what they need to. Of course, meditation is a skill that takes practice, but you can start with quick guided meditations or other options for beginners. Over time, you'll find what works for you to fall asleep peacefully.