Having a self-care night routine is one of the best ways to make sure that you can wind down and get to sleep easier. It sets you up for a good night’s sleep which means you wake rested and ready to take on the day.
One thing that I am constantly working on is the perfect night routine that works for me. I am naturally a night owl. But that doesn’t really work well when you have kids. They tend to rise early even before they start school. So, I have been trying different things to get myself to sleep earlier and get a good night’s sleep.
These ideas are all things I have tried to get myself wound down for the evening and get myself to sleep earlier than I normally would. Some have worked and others haven’t. I’m still working on the perfect routine for me.
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Why a self-care night routine is important
Having a night routine for winding down is the key to getting a good night’s sleep. Once you start doing the different parts of it, it sends a signal to your brain that it’s time to get ready to sleep. Once your body is used to going through the motions of the routine it becomes easier to get to bed and fall asleep.
Making sure that you are sticking to the habit of your routine makes having a regular bedtime easier to stick to. When you know exactly what you are doing leading up to bedtime then getting to sleep at the same time each night is that much easier to do. One way I like to do this is by using a habit tracker.
Having a self-care night routine is soothing and lets you relax before bed. The reason you need to relax before bed is because it’s hard to wind down right before bedtime. Most of us are used to having a bedtime routine for our kids. But we tend to forget about having one for ourselves. We know that it’s important for them to have a regular routine. We just forget that it’s just as important for us too.
What you can do to create a self-care night routine
There is a number of things that you can do to help yourself wind down and get ready for bed. The trick is finding ones that work best for you and your personality. Here are some of the different things that I have tried in the past as part of my own self-care night routine.
- Read a book
There really is no replacement for sitting down and reading a book yourself. I’m currently working my way through “The Subtle Art of Not Giving an F#@k“. I highly recommend giving it a read. It has totally given me a new way to think about certain things.
- Go for a short, calming walk
Going for a short calming walk is an easy way to burn off any extra energy you might still have at the end of the day. It can be just around the block and at a leisurely pace. This is also a good way to make sure that you get a little bit of fresh air and exercise each day.
- Meditate
Meditation is a top choice for many people as part of their night routines. It allows you to calm your mind. Which will make it easier to relax and wind down for the night. If you are looking for nighttime meditation try this out (aff link)
- Yoga
Yoga is also a great self-care activity at night. It stretches out your body and helps to relax and unwind after a long day.
- Listen to a podcast
Listening to podcasts is great to do at night when you are trying to relax. The ones I like to listen to are usually funny and tend to be interesting. But you should listen to whatever will let your mind relax.
- Watch TV
One of the things we like to do after the kids go to bed is watch a show that interests both of us. We will usually watch one episode together. Then I will head into the room and watch something that he doesn’t really like to watch before heading to bed.
- Wash your face
One of the best things to do at night before bed is to wash your face. I usually keep this as part of my routine. Since I work in a restaurant my face can get yucky throughout the day. I use a gentle cleanser and this face cream as part of my nighttime skin routine. Which leaves my skin super soft and clean.
Related Reading: Ways to Get Motivated and Why You Need Self Care
- Listen to an audiobook
If you are not real big into tv then listening to an audiobook is a great alternative. Sometimes it can be more fun to have someone read to you than read a book yourself.
- Listen to music
Listening to music has always been one of my go-to’s for getting myself calmed down at any time of day. So it makes sense to listen to some music while I get myself ready for bed.
- Play a video game
I know it’s not as popular as some of the other ideas on the list. But it is something that I have found to be helpful. I like to play Minecraft for about an hour some nights before bed. It’s a pretty simple game and easy to play.
- Take a Warm Bath – A warm bath can help you relax after a long day. Light some candles, put on soothing music and just relax.
- Journal your thought– One thing that can make it hard to wind down at the end of the day is your thoughts. So keep a journal or note book near your bed. Write down your thoughts from the day. That will help get most of your thoughts out of your head so you can get to sleep better.
Ways to keep track of your night routines.
It can be hard to keep track of your different routines each day or night. That’s where habit trackers come in handy. They are simple to use and you can get one that suits your style easily. There are some cute ones in my Etsy shop. You can check them out here.
You just print them out and fill in the information that you need to. Then each day that you complete each habit you color in the box for them.
They make it so much easier to keep track of things like simple routines or habits that you are trying to get started.
Final Thoughts on Self-care Night Routine
The important thing to remember when trying to find your perfect night routine is that it works for you. You can just do one or two things on this list or a combination of a few. What matters is that it aligns with you as a person and allows you the best chance to relax and unwind at the end of the day.