HOW TO CREATE CALM EVENING ROUTINE
Sometimes the hours that you have after you come home from work can be a drag. It can be really easy to spend the evening away watching TV on the couch. But I challenge you avoid the TV and instead create a calm evening routine for yourself.
Creating a calm evening routine can do wonders for one- self. I currently have a calm evening routine that brings me a lot of serenity and clarity. It has helped in reducing my anxiety and increasing my quality of sleep.
Being intentional about our day to day routines whether it’s a mindful morning routine or a calm evening routine, will help us become more resilient to life’s challenges and armor us with tools to thrive day to day.
If you don’t already have a calm evening routine, I hope you will create one for yourself after reading this post.
Here I share 10 things to do every night before bed and no one of the things is not loudly humming a monotone. Although kudos to those who do.
Dear reader, I just wanted to let you know that this post contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase something I recommend using my link, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!
Related Reads: My 5 AM Morning Routine that Inspires Me Everyday
This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Read disclosure here for more info.
THE ANATOMY OF A CALM EVENING ROUTINE
#1. Tidy Up Around the House
A cluttered environment is a cluttered mind. I heard this once and it stuck with me ever since. All it takes is 10-15 minutes (if not less) to do a simple tidy up around the house to make you feel better. I have found that waking up to a clean house is the best feeling in the world. That is no exaggeration.
So do yourself a favor and pick up the main living areas and you’ll be in a much happier mood the next morning
- putting the dishes away
- wipe down the kitchen countertops so you have a clean area to make your coffee the next morning 🙂
- Toss out junk mail
- put your clothes away and remove clutter
- wipe down the oven
- etc.
#2. Do some light stretching and yoga
After a long day of using your body, muscles tend to get tight and tense. Overtime, muscles that remain tense can start giving you pain. By making a habit to do stretching before bed, you can relive those tense muscles over time and your body will feel significantly better.
Not only do you relieve tightness, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for calming the body and nervous system.
I typically stretch or do a yoga activity for about 15- 20 minutes. It is such a great feeling.
Here is my absolute favorite yoga practice before bed :
#3. Unplug and Unwind
Turn off all those screens: the tv, the laptop and your phone.
I am sure you have already heard that blue light isn’t great for your health, but it is true. Blue light reduces the production of melatonin, the hormone that is responsible for making you sleep better. Studies show that blue light disrupts our circadian rhythm and can reduce the quality of sleep.
So I encourage you to turn off all those screens.
To take it one step further, put your phone on airplane mode and do not disturb it so you are not even tempted.
#4. Take a warm water slow bath
After I tidyup, stretch and unplug all electronics, I soak myself in a warm water bath filled with epsom salt, diffuser emitting my favorite lavender essential oil aroma letting the STRESS MELT AWAY.
I truly look forward to warm water baths every night. Not many things can make me feel better than soaking into a warm water bath.
(Well maybe warm knafeh pastry and hot coffee can….)
It is so simple and requires minimal effort. Let this time me your time to just focus on you. Stay in there for as long as you like and just enjoy every moment and every breath you take in filled with wonderful soothing scents that you may have added.
I avoid using bath bombs, as many of them contain ingredients can be toxic. I instead use natural epsom salts. There have been many benefits of epsom salts from reducing inflammation, to helping with muscle soreness to even relieving migraines and headaches.
#5. Hydrate
After a bath and in general during the evening it is important to continue to stay hydrated, an important wellness tip that has boosted my health over the years.
So it is important to still be mindful of water intake and make sure to drink enough through the day and evening to stay hydrated through the night.
Avoid alcoholic drinks before bed. Having alcohol in your system can reduce the quality of your sleep, by reducing your REM sleep and keeping you in the lighter stages of sleep.
Drink non-caffeinated, calming beverages like chamomile tea or lavender tea to help you relax and get to sleep.
Stop consuming fluids 1.5 -2 hours before bedtime, so that you are not waking up every hour during the night to use the bathroom.
Related Reads: 31 Healthy Habits for a Healthier Life
#6. Brain dump & Journal
Did you know the average human will have more than 6,000 thoughts per day! Staggering right?
Most of those thoughts need to be let out. If not they sure can start racing and swarming when our heads hit the pillow.
So I encourage you to grab a piece of paper and
DUMP all your thoughts onto a paper, or whatever journal floats your boat and just start writing out whatever is on your mind. Just let if flow.
So that by the time you are ready for bed, your head is clear of any thought debris and feelings of worry/stress, because you let it out in your journal.
I have talked about journaling as part of my morning routine as it is super calming and refreshing. I always feel refreshed and empowered after I journal. Journaling before bed allows you to clear your head of thoughts and provide a clean slate before you go to bed.
It is a very inexpensive way to practice self care.
Some journal prompts that you can write about are:
- Make a gratitude list
- Things you did well today
- What made you smile and happy today
- Things you could have done better
- Is there something you learned about yourself, or life in general
#7. Grab a FUN book
Reading is such a wonderful way to wind down for the night.
Reading for 15-30 minutes each night, helps you stay off your phone and helps your body and mind relax.
I choose to read fiction and fun books during my evening routine, ones that bring me joy and laughter and tears (sometimes) to help relax my mind.
Grab yourself a book and a healthy warm cozy drink in your favorite mug and get reading.
Here are some books to read and enjoy:
#8. Plan your Tomorrow
Take just 10-15 minutes to write a to-do list for tomorrow.
Sometimes your to-do list can feel endless, but once written out, restructured and prioritized, it won’t feel as daunting. Trust me.
If you want, grab yourself a cute productivity planner and some colorful pens and pencils to romanticize the activity.
I personally love creating a to- do list ever since I discovered the ABCDE method.
Write down everything you need to do the night before and use the ABCDE method to prioritize your tasks.
This method has helped me declutter my often overwhelming to-do list, and helped me to save time by not wasting time on things that are not important at all.
Related Reads: 10 Sunday Reset Habits for a Productive Week
#9. Your bed is calling and you must go
Going to bed at a reasonable time is the most important part of an evening routine.
A recent study showed that the best time to sleep is between 10 and 11pm.
While that may not be optimal for everyone, it is something we can try to achieve.
If you’re like me and you enjoy waking up early to do your morning routine and setting up the tone for the day then you need to go to bed at a reasonable hour- for me that is no later than 10pm.
Don’t prolong the time you go to bed and always listen to your body.
#10. Be Realistic
When creating an evening routine, don’t over complicate it and don’t overthink it. It is supposed to be relaxing.
Only choose activities that you find joy and relaxation in.
If you can’t stand the thought of doing yoga, then just do gentle stretches that make you feel good.
Hate reading? Then write or paint ( I never realized how relaxing painting is.)
Your evening routine is all about YOU, and should be personalized for YOU.
Let me know what you decide to do in your evening routine in the comments below!
More Posts I Think You’ll LOVE
The BEST Simple Daily Health & Wellness Tips for Healthy Living
How to Create a Healthy Productive Morning Routine
31 Healthy Habits for a Healthier Life
Sharing is caring. Save this Pin for Later!
