Bath, Book, Bed – why adults need downtime too.

Booktrust came up with this slogan, and I think adults could learn from it. 

When I was a small child, my mum read to me religiously. Every night, my sister and I picked a couple of books each. I credit those evening readathons for my lifelong love of books.

Bath, Book, Bed is a campaign run by Booktrust, which promotes reading as part of a bedtime routine. Parents are encouraged to develop a pre-bedtime routine to help their little ‘uns embrace the world of sleep.

It is a great campaign and a great slogan.

My question is – can we extend bath, book, bed into our adult lives? Having adopted these routines in childhood, many of us lose sight of winding down time as we get older. We live in a 24/7 world where me time can feel like a luxury. Actually, it is a necessity. While we may not need a daily routine to keep us under the covers, downtime and regularity can be our ticket to a better night’s sleep.

Reading is a great way to take quiet, reflective time. 

I would like to hear from bloggers and influencers about their bath, book, bed. I’m going to invite bloggers to talk about their bath, book, bed. As well as supporting Booktrust in their campaign, I hope it will encourage adults to wind down and look after themselves. 

Bath

Bath bombs and bubble mountains and scented candles. Day-to-day, I’m a shower person. When I have a bath, I’m in it for the experience. 

I like the kind of bath bombs which turn the water multiple colours. Intergalactic and The Experimenter by Lush are brilliant for turning the bath technicolor. 

Soap has to be freshly made. Forget that supermarket stuff. There’s a brilliant shop in Keswick called The Soap Company Keswick. They sell soaps which look practically edible and have uniquely Cumbrian names. (Image from The Soap Company Keswick.) 

Scented candles are my new favourite thing thanks to Rebecca from Taken Moons. Brave Of Heart smells of coffee and log fire and is named for Gryffindor house. 

Book 

Do I read? Do I ever. 

Reading has been part of my bedtime routine since the year dot. I give a good evening over to reading, splitting my time between my nest in the study, and my bedroom. Guilty confession – a good book will keep me up past midnight. Booktrust forgot to mention that after children are fully initiated in bath, book, bed, they discover the joys of one last chapter.

I’ve just finished What Lexie Did, a warm and witty Middle-Grade novel about truth, lies, and family. Lexie is from a huge Greek-Cypriot family. Think My Big Fat Greek Wedding from the perspective of a ten-year-old, and throw in some additional drama. 

Bed

Bedtime is downtime. I leave my phone out of the bedroom otherwise I find myself flicking through Twitter. Nothing comes between me and sleep like social media. 

I adore PJs and recently discovered nightshirts. That sounds like the kind of thing your great-granny wears, but actually, this shirt is exactly like the kind I would wear in the day except it is softer and slouchier. Comfortable nightwear is essential to good sleep. 

My Mummy is a knitter, a crocheter, and general wool-wizard. She swears by pure wool, which means her blankets are the softest, cosiest things around. I always have one on the bed. My favourite is the ice-cream blanket, so named because its colours remind me of a cone with sprinkles. 

 

Want to tell me about your Bath, Book, Bed? Drop a note in the comments below with your Twitter handle. Bath, Book, Bed is a BookTrust slogan. This article was inspired by their campaign. Please check out their work here.

Louise Nettleton