Having an evening ritual can help you settle in and have a more restful sleep. When you have a hectic day or work week it is nice to be able to come home and do a few things that help you instantly relax and shut off from the rest of the world if needed.
Here are several things to do that will help you get into a better evening routine and hopefully improve your sleep patterns and overall stress levels.
Get Comfy.
Getting into comfortable clothing is like a signal to your body that it is time to relax and let go of your day. Wrap yourself in blankets and get some warm tea– do what makes you feel your most comfortable!
Shut off electronics.
Stop working, watching, playing…put down the phone or computer. Give your eyes some breathing time at least an hour before going to bed. Scientifically, that little light from the screen of your phone or computer signals to your brain that it is still day time and then therefore the brain stops producing melatonin which helps you drift into sleep.*
Create a bedroom sanctuary.
Make your bedroom a place that is for rest and relaxing. Working or watching tv in the bedroom should be done elsewhere so that when you enter the bedroom your body knows its time to sack out. Dimming the lights helps the body know it is time to wind down and maybe add some candles or scents to relax even further.
Plan for tomorrow.
Sleeping is hard when your mind is full of thoughts, to-do’s and what if’s. Jot down a list of things you need to do tomorrow or this week and get them out of your head and safe and sound on a list. That way you don’t have to keep thinking about it or worrying you will forget something.
Read something.
Instead of watching tv, try reading a book…gasp! For me, reading is what signals to my body that it is rest time and I start to relax and get more tired when I read before bed. It makes my eyes heavy, something that doesn’t happen if I stay up and watch a show and try to go straight to bed after.
Listen to soothing music.
Music can calm the nervous system so search for some relaxing sounds that help you wind down from your day.
Use essential oils.
Scents are known to help relax the body and the mind. Using oils either aromatically, as massage for the body or in a bath can help your evening ritual to relax (and smell amazing). Some great evening oils are: lavender, ylang ylang, geranium, vetiver.
Relaxing breathing exercises.
Doing some simple breathing exercises in the evening or before bed can also be a great thing to add into your ritual. When our exhales are longer than our inhale breaths, it tells the parasympathetic nervous system it is time to calm down and sleep. The parasympathetic system, also known as “rest and digest” tells the body to start to conserve energy and produce hormones for digestion. It can be triggered by relaxing activities and especially by slowing down the breath.**
Try one or a few of these and see if they help your evening routine– which in turn may help your morning ritual.
Sources
*http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/power-down-better-sleep#1
**https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasympathetic_nervous_system
