Why You Need an Evening Routine
Do you feel groggy and stressed in the mornings? Your evening habits could be to blame. After a long day of work and socializing, it can be tempting to lounge on the couch and binge your latest obsession on Netflix. But being exposed to screens up to the second you close your eyes can adversely affect your ability to sleep. However, turning off your screens at a predetermined time can be the start of an evening routine that helps get your mornings to a strong start.
When you choose to shut down the screens to wind down for bed, there are several activities you can choose to do to help you wind down. Many of these activities have the added benefits of being good for your health or can set you up for a productive, stress-free morning. Here are a few ideas to help you "choose your own adventure" for establishing your nighttime routine.
Include a brief tidy-up. Throughout the day, you've dragged things out to use or brought something into your home from a shopping trip or checking the mail. Instead of leaving these things out, put away a few things. You don't need to put pressure on yourself to figure out a home for something if you haven't made that decision yet; stick to the simple stuff like taking dirty dishes to the dishwasher, throwing junk mail in the trash, and putting dry goods back in the pantry. An evening tidy-up routine will leave you with less clutter building up and make any future organizing projects less overwhelming to tackle.
Fill a water bottle. This task takes a minute and will encourage you to drink water right from the beginning of the day. All you have to do is grab that bottle from the refrigerator and take a drink!
Incorporate a mindfulness or meditation practice. Mindfulness can help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings, leading to a greater sense of calm and relaxation. By taking just a few minutes to practice mindfulness or meditation each night, you can ease your mind and promote deeper, more restful sleep. If meditation doesn't suit you, another option is to journal. Journalling helps your brain release intrusive thoughts so they don't bog you down while trying to fall asleep.
Try a few stretches or yoga poses. Listen, we all need to stretch. Regular practice of stretching will help work out your aches and pains and prolong your body's health. Also, the breath work involved with yoga can help calm the body down for a nice, long rest.
Include activities that relax you. Relaxing activities could include reading a book or taking a warm bath. By doing so, you can help your mind and body to unwind and prepare for rest.
Establishing habits can be challenging to do. We can get set in the routines we have defaulted to. For most people, small, incremental changes result in longer-lasting results. I suggest making the first step establishing a set bedtime. Set a nightly timer to pull you away from your screen of choice and hop into bed. Then, after a few nights, set the alarm for 5 minutes earlier. With those 5 minutes, you can choose one of the previously discussed activities to implement. You can set your alarm even earlier as you get more comfortable with that addition. About an hour before your determined bedtime is a great goal to strive for. If you thrive off of checklists, make sure you print out your nighttime routine, so you won't have to check your phone and potentially get pulled in by other notifications.
Overall, establishing a regular evening routine that includes relaxing activities and mindfulness or meditation practices can significantly improve the quality of your sleep and benefit your morning. When customizing your routine, some things to consider include setting a consistent bedtime, engaging in relaxing activities such as reading or taking a warm bath, and avoiding screens and stimulating activities before bed. Additionally, consider incorporating mindfulness or meditation practices into your routine to help calm your mind and promote relaxation. Creating a consistent evening routine allows you to set yourself up for a more restful and rejuvenating night's sleep.