7 hacks for your evening routine
A few weeks ago, I wrote about 7 easy ways to simplify your morning routine. Today, you get the flip side of that, with 7 hacks for your evening routine!
I love quiet, cozy evenings at home. Of late, trying to get to bed at a good time has haunted me as I try to work out a good routine to settle down for the night. I am working on progress over perfection in this area of my life because staying up late is a form of revenge procrastination for me. It’s not that I don’t have enough time throughout the day, it's just that I overcrowd my hours with things I don’t necessarily want to do, so I then feel like I need to stay up later to do the things I actually want to do!
Lars and I have had a lot of trial and error with our sleep schedules. He needs a lot less sleep than I do, so we’ve had to work hard to curate a schedule that will work for both of us. Here are seven things that have proven helpful in that regard. Hopefully, they will also aid you in having a more structured evening routine and better sleep!
No. 1. Try to do a physically demanding activity before winding down.
Usually, I try to do some form of exercise in the early evening after I get back from work. It’s not always super intense, but even a quick walk helps clear my head and tire my body out. This prepares me for a night of better sleep because when my body is tired, it’s a lot easier to fall asleep.
Lars likes to give me fun workout challenges for the days when I’m super busy. He’ll give me a goal like 300 squats or 150 pushups that can be done between other tasks but still get my body moving and my blood pumping. I find this to be super helpful when night falls and I’m trying to wind down for the night, as my body is more naturally inclined to relax.
No. 2. Start winding down an hour before bedtime.
I used to start getting ready for bed at 9:30 pm when I wanted to fall asleep at 10:00 pm. This system never worked for me because I move wayyy too slowly to get all the things done before 10 pm. I realized that I needed a new system.
I started setting a timer when I began my bedtime rituals and soon learned that it took at least an hour to get fully ready for bed. If I want to be in bed, ready for sleep at 10:00 pm, I have to start the process around 9:00 pm. This sounds pretty early, but I genuinely enjoy my bedtime routine, so this doesn’t bother me as much as it used to.
If you have troubles getting to bed on time, consider timing your own bedtime routine to see how much time you need to allow yourself to get ready for bed in a timely fashion.
No. 3. Drink a cup of tea or a sleepytime latte
I really enjoy tea, so indulging in a cup before bed is a lovely way for me to end my day. My go-to was peppermint tea for the longest time, but I have accumulated a collection of teas that are actually blended specifically to aid sleep. Sometimes I like to stick with a classic peppermint, but here are some other fun and effective teas you can try!
Tealyra Sleepy Nights tea. This tea is a rooibos tea with coconut, buttery caramel pieces, chamomile, and valerian. Valerian root is a sedative herb that has been used for centuries to aid those suffering from insomnia, while chamomile is naturally calming.
David’s Tea Blue Moon latte blend is flavored with bergamot, chamomile, and coconut. You simply add hot water and a splash of milk and honey to create your own blue latte right at home!
Golden Milk. You can make your own with this delightful recipe or buy this prepared blend from Harmonic Arts. Golden milk contains turmeric and ginger and is a great natural relaxant.
No. 4. Diffuse lavender essential oil.
Lavender essential oil is another good natural relaxant. I like to diffuse a few drops of lavender while I’m getting ready for bed and trying to fall asleep. Not only does it make your bedroom smell lovely, but it helps your body to relax!
I received a diffuser for Christmas, but if you don’t have one, you can sprinkle a few drops on your sheets before bed for the same effect.
No. 5. Journal about your day.
Journalling about the day is another great way to decompress, especially if you are an overthinker! Even just writing out a couple of lines before you go to sleep helps to empty your mind of the things that are bothering you or that you want to remember.
I have two pages in my journal for the month. One page is the highlights, the other, the struggles. On busy days, my only goal is to write one line for the day's highlight and one for the day's struggle. I often write more than that, but having a small goal of just a single line helps me to maintain the habit when I don’t feel like writing a whole page.
Try to keep it simple. This exercise is intended to help you relax, so if the idea of writing a whole page before bed stresses you out, don’t do it! Instead, write a single line, pray about it, or talk things out with a friend.
No. 6. Reduce screen time before bed.
I use Duolingo, and often doing Duolingo gets left til the very end of the day. I try to do Duolingo at the start of my getting-ready-for-bed process because then I can put my phone away for the rest of the night. This helps to reduce the blue light I’m taking in before going to sleep and also helps me to relax.
I do notice a difference when I don’t hang out on my phone a lot before bed. I’m not always the greatest at this, but I’m slowly learning! If you have any tips or tricks for this, please let me know!
No. 7. Relaxation Hacks
I have struggled with my relationship to sleep pretty much forever. I’ve watched TED talks, read books, and performed research and school projects on getting a better sleep. A lot of the time, I think my greatest disconnect is in simply wanting to stay up despite the cost to my body. I know I need sleep, but I consistently choose to stay up anyway. Go figure.
However, I can’t say I did all of the research for nothing! Over the years, I’ve gathered a few hacks that make falling asleep a lot easier.
One of the techniques is formally known as the Military Sleep Method. It involves intentionally relaxing your body, focusing on muscle relaxation and breathing. It can help you fall asleep pretty quickly! If you want to read a detailed article on this, check it out here! I’m not kidding when I say that when implemented, it works wonders!
Another technique is to regulate your breathing. You breathe in for four counts and then out for four counts, continuing this pattern of breathing until you fall asleep. It usually doesn’t take long, either!
I am committed to being a lifelong learner, and I honestly love hearing new ways of doing things! If you’ve found anything helpful in setting your own evening routine, share below! ▼
