EVENING RITUALS

(2 MINUTE READ)

We’ve spoken before about making time for a morning ritual, from grounding yourself with a freshly brewed coffee, to stepping on the mat for some yoga.  

Equally important though, is a nighttime routine; something usually implemented by parents for their babies and toddlers to help them drift deeply into sleep and wake up refreshed.

As adults, deep sleep and well-rested heads are exchanged for a final episode of that Netflix thing or an hour long scroll, but perhaps it’s time we drift back down the warm, milky, bubbly path and reclaim our nighttime routines.

My own nighttime routine is flawed and often I veer off the bedtime path and soak my eyeballs in blue light instead, but winding down and respecting evening rituals has become more routine. Here are some things that have helped me relax before bed. 

Cleansing my face, focusing on the task at hand and at each motion is relaxing for me. Abiding by a routine and an order with my lotions is an easy way to be a little more present and slow down.

The scent of each product serves as a reminder that bedtime is closer and if nothing else, it’s ten minutes every evening that you can keep for yourself.

Drinking herbal tea is my favourite way of winding down, choose an evening blend and take the time to drink it. Savour each sip and you’ll come to associate ‘tea time’ with sleep and feel a little sleepier.

Charging your phone in a separate room is necessary for restful sleep, I chose the room furthest away from the bedroom, and you can try that too. Reading a chapter of a book is a great way to get ready for sleeping and often you’ll find your eyes are heavy before the chapter is finished.

By now, likely you’d be ready to slip into some silky pyjamas and fall deep into slumber.

Though if you like, feel free to follow my last step. Buy some pillow mist with lavender in and spray a little on your pillow. Lavender is soothing and stress-releasing; research has shown that it can induce something called ‘slow-wave’ sleep which helps to relax muscles.

Evening rituals need not be completely rigid, but if you can dedicate an evening to preparing for a restful sleep, getting clean, hydrated and ever-sleepier, you might find that you can’t wait to do it again and again.