Imagine waking up feeling refreshed, energized, and ready to conquer the day. Sounds like a dream, right? Well with these nighttime routine ideas, you can transform your morning from groggy and chaotic, to vibrant and productive.
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If I’m being totally honest, I can’t say I’m that girl who does the perfect 30-minute evening routine every night.
I’m lucky if I can check off a couple of my nighttime routine goals in one night.
But with these nighttime routine ideas I strive to create a good routine I can consistently do every night. It’s all about trying our best and creating healthy habits.
Something I’ve noticed is when I do have a consistent nighttime routine, I find myself more relaxed in the evenings and always have better mornings.
With that being said, these nighttime routine ideas I’ve put together will help you craft the perfect evening routine for your lifestyle.
Now as women, it’s crucial to create habits that promote calm and rest at the end of the day. Our hormones play such a significant role in our overall well-being that we need to make sure we prioritize balancing them throughout our day.
Crafting the perfect nighttime routine isn’t just about brushing your teeth and hopping into bed, it’s about doing activities designed to help our bodies and minds wind down after a busy day.
It’s about regulating our circadian rhythms and letting our bodies know it’s time to sleep and rejuvenate. This allows our bodies to heal while we sleep.
Ensuring we wake up more refreshed and ready to take on the day ahead.
Let’s jump into these 11 healthy nighttime routine ideas to make sure your morning starts off on the right foot for success.
11 Nighttime Routine Ideas
Wind down from your busy day using these soothing nighttime routine ideas that will set the stage for restful sleep and rejuvenation. Here are 11 cozy and calming ideas to transform your evenings and jump start your morning ahead:
1. Plan Your Day Ahead
Alright, the first of the nighttime routine ideas is to plan your upcoming day the night before. This is a fairly simple act once you get used to it. If you have a planner or journal grab that with your favourite pen and write down anything you need or want to do the following day.
You can use this weekly/monthly calendar to verify any appointments you have that day and then schedule out the rest of your day.
This could include work time, any home tasks like cleaning or cooking, or even any socializing you had planned.
Here is a more detailed planner that includes a sticker sheet, bookmark, and pages for goal setting, budget tracking, habit stacking, and more!
By taking a few minutes and organizing the day ahead it can alleviate anxiety and any uncertainty you may have in your mind about upcoming tasks.
This helps to clear your mind and allows you to start creating a more calming atmosphere. Which in turn allows your mind and body to get prepared for sleep.
2. Quick Tidy-Up of House
Before jumping into bed take a few minutes to do a quick cleanup around your home and bedroom.
Clean off the kitchen counters and table, load and run the dishwasher, fold blankets, and arrange pillows on the couch.
I love putting all my blankets into a large basket in my living room to keep them organized.
Also, put any clothes away that might be thrown around in your bedroom, this can really help make it feel less cluttered.
Having a clutter-free environment can reduce stress and create a more peaceful environment in your room. And if you can create more peace, you will feel more comfortable and ready for bed.
3. Take a Sunset Stroll
The next of our nighttime routine ideas is to either take a sunset walk or even simply get outside to watch the sunset.
A short walk after dinner specifically can help your digestion and reduce any potential for bloating or other digestive issues.
Being outside and getting fresh air also helps soothe us mentally and activates our parasympathetic nervous system (rest and relax).
Finally, by watching the sunset we are helping to regulate our circadian rhythm.
The colours of the evening sun—reds, oranges, and yellows—result from low solar angle sunlight. This type of light signals our bodies to start producing melatonin, preparing us for sleep.
Getting regular exposure to sunlight is important for your health not only for vitamin D production but for many other reasons as well.
4. Gentle Evening Stretching or Yoga
Gently moving your body is another great nighttime routine ideas that can release tension in your body and promote relaxation.
By engaging in calming movement, we connect with our bodies and this allows us to tune into our deeper needs.
This mindful approach helps shift your focus away from the stressors of the day bringing your attention to your breath and your physical body.
Focusing on your breathing and slow movements calms your mind and increases mindfulness. Preparing your body for sleep and creating a more tranquil mental state.
Just as important as your morning yoga flow is, so is an evening flow. I personally love this bedtime yoga routine on Youtube. It’s perfect for setting the stage for a restful sleep.
5. Practice Nighttime Meditation
Creating the perfect evening routine with these nighttime routine ideas is meant to quiet our minds and calm our bodies.
By practicing some meditation in the evening you can center your thoughts and release mental and physical tension.
Even doing 5-10 minutes of meditation where you focus on breathing, physical sensation and simply being open can help reduce stress and promote relaxation.
If you’re new to meditation here are a few meditation tips for beginners that can get you started on your journey to mindfulness and relaxation.
6. Use Calming Essential Oils
Using calming essential oils in your nighttime routine can create a serene environment.
By diffusing oils like lavender and sandalwood in a diffuser, it can help calm your nervous system and ease feelings of stress.
And when we’re less stressed, we automatically relax and fall into a state of peace.
Aromatherapy has many benefits besides helping you sleep better including reducing anxiety and depression. Try it out for yourself and see if it works!
7. Curl Up With a Good Book
Reading a book before bed can be a transformative addition to your evening ritual from our nighttime routine ideas.
It offers a peaceful transition from the busy hustle of your day to a calming, relaxing state before sleep.
Unlike watching TV which exposes your eyes to disruptive blue light and interferes with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, reading provides a similar escape without the interruption on your body.
So tonight, instead of turning on Netflix try picking up that book on your bedside table (because I know there’s one there) and read the first page. Let reading be a part of your relaxing evening routine.
8. Practice Reflective or Gratitude Journaling
The next one of my nighttime routine ideas you can use is to journal.
Spend a few minutes writing about what you’re grateful for and focusing on feelings or abundance.
Also reflecting on your day through journaling can help you process any lingering thoughts and release any associated tension.
This practice not only clears your mind but also fosters a more positive mindset.
So, instead of lying awake replaying confusing social interactions from earlier, you can transition smoothly into a peaceful state and fall asleep more easily.
Grab your favourite journal (here is a cute one if you’re in need) and use these 53 gratitude journal prompts to kickstart your nighttime routine.
9. Sip on Some Herbal Tea
Another great nighttime routine ideas to add to your evening ritual is to sip on some herbal tea.
And yes, only herbal.
We don’t want to be drinking any caffeinated drinks close to bedtime, and some teas like black, oolong, matcha, and green contain caffeine.
So that’s why I’m specifying herbal teas since they do not contain caffeine and won’t stimulate your nervous system while we’re trying to get you to relax.
Chamomile tea is a common herbal tea that can help calm nerves, reduce anxiety, and promote relaxation for better sleep.
Lavender tea is another herbal tea with similar properties that promote relaxation and calming of your nervous system.
A nice warm cup of calming tea before bed can prepare your body and mind for a restful sleep and a productive morning ahead.
10. Use Candlelight or Dim Lights in the Evening
In the evening our bodies are trying to slow down and relax into a peaceful state to prepare for rest. We can help do this by reducing the use of artificial lights.
Similar to when you look at blue light emitting devices in the evening, artificial lights in your home can suppress melatonin production. This tells your brain it’s not time for bed yet and won’t allow you to fall into a relaxing state that we require to get good sleep.
So instead of using your bright artificial lights in the evening, only have on smaller lamps with yellow light or even using candlelight when possible.
This type of soft warm lighting allows the production of melatonin and gets your body and mind ready to sleep.
And, not only will candlelight help you fall asleep faster, but it’s also just soooo beautiful and calming. I mean who doesn’t love the warm glow of candlelight? Pure magic.
11. Unplug from Electronics 30 Minutes Before Bed
The last one of the nighttime routine ideas I put together for you is to turn off your electronics 30 minutes before bedtime.
I think most of us know scrolling on our phones before bed isn’t good for our mental health. Well, it’s also not great for our body health.
Meaning that the artificial blue light keeps our system stimulated and signals our bodies to produce cortisol to stay awake. Which is the opposite of what we want.
Same with TV, iPad, and computer screens, unfortunately. That’s why I suggest a handful of other activities you can do before bed that don’t involve electronics.
Reading, journaling, yoga, and tidying up your home.
Getting away from electronics allows your mind and body to still, relax, and unwind. Plus, you’ll probably start to notice how much better you feel mentally when you limit social media before bed.
It’s really a win-win here.
Alright ladies! By incorporating these simple yet effective nighttime routine ideas into your evening ritual you can create a calm and peaceful environment to promote better sleep and a more productive morning.
Remember having a successful morning starts the night before.
So go ahead, pick a few (or all!) of these ideas, and enjoy the tranquility of a well-deserved wind-down.
Your mind and body will thank you for pouring into your own cup for once.
I’d love to know which ideas you chose to include in your nighttime routine, let me know in the comments below!