You want to have a better night’s sleep? Maybe you just want to wind down after a long day. To set yourself up for success, a gentle night routine can be the best way.
My goal is to start my night routine around 8:30 – and be asleep by 10. It doesn’t always happen, but when I follow these 8 steps, I have such a good start to my next day.
These are the rules to a peaceful night, so that you feel your best.
1. Tea is better than alcohol, or late-night snacking.
I decided to give up snacking before bed and tea was the perfect cozy way to do that! I love drinking tea as I’m watching a show and then after I finish my tea, it’s time for the closing shift!
2. Do your “closing shift” tasks (aka 10-minute clean-up)
To feel happy in the morning, one of my favourite things is to get up at 10 minutes to pick up my bed. I’ve seen people on TikTok refer to this as a closing shift.
It reminds me of working retail when you’d get the store ready for the next day. It’s the same thing for you.
These are my closing shift tasks
- A little vacuuming
- The dishes need to be cleaned
- Cleanse the counters
- Everything back in its proper place
3. Take a shower or a bath, then moisturize.
A warm shower for me signals it’s time to wind down and completely “clock off” to continue the closing shift vibes. Although I do sometimes take a shower in the morning, I really enjoy a hot shower in the evening, especially if you have just washed your sheets.
Research shows that hot showers taken an hour to two hours before bedtime can improve your sleep quality.
4. Reduce screen time
Once I’m done with my tea and start my “closing shift”, I’m starting to dial back the screen time. I’ll still check my phone for text messages, but for the last 30 minutes, I make sure to keep it out of my bedroom!
I’ll move from television time to listening to music or a light podcast. You need something that is gentler for your nighttime routine.
5. Set your clothes aside for the next morning
Particularly your workout clothes, if you train in the morning.
This task is easy to do at the end of a day. However, in the mornings, the less you think about the day ahead of time is a good thing.
This could be taken a step further by having more items ready for the next day. Think: “What can I do to help out my future self for tomorrow?”
5. Create a daily to-do list
Since I work for myself, it is helpful to have a list of things to do before the next day. To keep things simple, you can only write the top three items.
For this, I love the FORM Daily Check-In Journal. There are sections for self-care activities, nutrition, fitness, goals, gratitude, and workouts.
7. Before you go to bed, visualize your morning routine
Visualization is a powerful tool that allows you to visualize the flow of your day before it actually happens. Whenever I visualize my morning routine flow before bed, it’s a lot easier to wake up and get in the zone for the day.
Imagine yourself drinking your morning coffee and journaling. It’s a romantic way to look forward to the morning.
8. Read for 30 minutes
You can read a few chapters once your phone is off DND or out of your space. It’s best if you can read a physical book, but a lot of times I’m reading with my Kindle. A goal of reading a certain number pages could be set instead of time. I set a minimum of 30 minutes for myself before I go to bed. For me, that’s about 10 pm!
That’s all the gentle night routine habits I have in place! What about you? How do you like your down time?
