Self Care Night Routine: 9 Things To Do Before You Go To Bed
Sleep better and have a more productive day with a good self care night routine. These suggestions will help you feel more energized and ready to take on the day.
We all know the importance of good sleep. Awaken after a good night’s sleep and you’re full of positivity, energy, and good vibes. Miss out and you’re likely to feel tired, irritable, and have a difficult day. A good evening routine can be about more than just sleeping well. You can use it for self-improvement, relaxation, and a moment of indulgence after a busy day.
Follow these 9 tips to build your perfect self-care night routine.
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1. Have A Quick Clear Up
If you’re like me, the house doesn’t need to be perfect, but it needs to be reasonably tidy or the disorder starts to grate. Even after a busy day, I’d rather put away a few things and give the kitchen a quick wipe-down than wake up to mess, crumbs, and muddy floors the following day.
Perhaps it’s just a reflection of my OCD, but I find it easier to relax in a reasonably tidy space. It helps put me in a positive mood, and I feel more productive.
If you have a family, get everyone to help! A ten-minute bedtime tidy time is all it takes.
2. Prepare For The Following Day
If I have a busy day ahead, I will toss and turn at night worrying about what I need to do or take with me the following morning. The one thing that helps is preparing for the following day before I go to bed.
Give it a try! Lay out your clothes, plan any necessary journeys, and ensure you’re ready for any work assignments. It’s also good to meal prep your lunch and prepare some healthy snacks.
Getting ready the night before leaves more time for your morning routine. You can fit in a morning walk or run, or linger a little longer over breakfast before rushing out to start the day.
3. Take A Shower
Bubble baths look perfect in romantic films, but not everyone has a bathtub or the time for a long soak. Fortunately, a quick shower can be far more refreshing, and it’s a lot more efficient at washing away the grime (especially if you’re a runner).
Wash away your cares and slip into your comfiest pajamas. Feeling clean and cozy is always a relaxing experience. Follow up with a little pampering by paying attention to your skincare routine. When was the last time you showed your body some love? Try an overnight moisturizer.
4. Improve Your Sleep Environment
A comfortable bed and fresh, clean sheets are among the most obvious improvements you can make to your sleeping arrangements. But what about blackout curtains, a sleep mask, or a white noise machine?
Unwanted noise and light pollution are two significant factors that affect the quality of your sleep. In an ideal world, you’ll always have access to a dark and quiet bedroom. In reality, few of us live in picturesque homes surrounded by countryside and have to cope with traffic noise, barking dogs, and bright street lights.
Take action! My first tip is to use a sleep mask. I started using one about five years ago, and it made a huge difference. Our neighbors across the street had a very bright security light that reacted to movement. Any movement! So when a cat walked through their garden at 3 am, the light would flicker on and shine directly into my bedroom, waking me up.
I now use this sleep mask, and it’s amazing. It cuts out all light and stays in place even when I toss and turn at night. You could switch on the main bedroom light, and I probably wouldn’t notice!
My second tip helps with unwanted noise. White noise, characterized by steady, static-like sounds, can help drown out disturbing noises and promote better sleep. I discovered this when I started using this Levoit Air Purifier a year ago to help with dust allergies.
The air purifier doesn’t just stop me from sneezing. The white noise it generates helps me feel I’m in a safe place. Any outside noises, such as traffic sounds or dogs barking, become very distant. I’m convinced the noise helps me sleep.
You can get the same effect with a humidifier, a sleep app on your phone, or using a sound machine.
5. Drink Some Herbal Tea
This is such an easy change – I don’t know why I didn’t try it before. I’ve recently replaced my usual nighttime drink with herbal tea.
I’ve always known that drinking my regular caffeinated tea just before bed wasn’t the smartest idea. But it was a habit.
For the last month, I’ve swapped my nightly caffeine hit for a mug of herbal tea, and I’ve been drinking it earlier – an hour before I go to bed. I’m convinced I’m falling asleep faster, and I’m not getting up to pee in the middle of the night!
Herbal tea has been used as a natural medicine for centuries and is often rich in antioxidants. This Pukka Night Time Tea is my favorite. Containing chamomile, lavender, and oat flowers, I love its delicate flavor – one mug gets me ready to sleep. It’s been a big improvement to my self-care night routine.
6. Light Stretching Or Pajama Yoga
The last thing you want to do late at night is strenuous exercise. But light movement is a wonderful way to relax and unwind.
This 20-minute bedtime yoga session is just right for transitioning into a blissful state before sleep. There’s no need to change into your yoga clothes – you can do these gentle exercises in your pajamas!
7. Journaling
Journaling can be therapeutic. It’s a great way to clear your mind before going to bed. Spend a few moments writing down any worries, thoughts, or ideas.
It’s also an opportunity to practice gratitude and reflect on the positives of your day. Think about where you can improve tomorrow and set yourself a couple of achievable tasks.
Journaling helps you track your self-improvement over time and see how far you’ve come in achieving your goals. Plus, it’s a simple but effective way to end your day on a positive note.
All you need is a pen and paper, but a guided journal can be a big help. This 5-Minute Journal helps you reflect on the good things that have happened in your day, even if it wasn’t the best, and helps you focus on changes you can make for tomorrow.
8. Read A Book
Before switching out the light, I like to read a chapter of a real book. There’s something about turning the pages of a book that can be so relaxing, and reading always transports me briefly into another world.
It’s a great way to disconnect from technology and wind down after a busy day. Choose a book you enjoy. It doesn’t have to be a new book – sometimes I’ll reread an old favorite.
9. Set Phone To Sleep Focus
The last thing I’ll do at night is make sure my phone is in sleep mode. This way, I’m undisturbed until my alarm goes off the following morning. No notifications pop up, no unwanted calls, and my screen stays dimmed until it’s time to wake up.
Thoughts From Love Life Be Fit
These are the steps I take to get a better night’s sleep and work on my self-improvement. This self care night routine helps me wake up full of positive energy and ready for the day ahead.
Give these suggestions a try and use some of them to build your own self care routine or try out these self care essentials. You’re not being selfish taking time to work on your own needs. Remember that self-care is essential for a healthy and happy life, so make it a priority!
