Ideas for a Soothing Nighttime Routine
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Especially after a busy day, unwinding at night can be challenging. If we don’t, we often find we can’t sleep until the early hours of the morning.
These simple nighttime routine ideas could really help relax and get ready for bed. Try more than one of them, and see if any of them help when you go to bed.
You can get this printable here. Use it to tick off the ones you’ve tried, and use a highlighter for ideas you found worked well.
Physical
- Give yourself a scalp massage.
- Try sitting on a massage ball.
- Have a foot soak and watch TV.
- Use a body scrub.
- Massage your hands and feet.
- Wear cozy pajamas and slippers.
- Use a heated blanket or hot water bottle.
- Drink herbal tea.
- Take a warm bath with bath oils or bath salts.
- Do gentle stretching.
Helpful
- Do a methodical chore that needs no thought.
- Try origami.
- Make a list of things you’re looking forward to.
- Record your thoughts.
- Gaze at the night sky from the window.
- Doodle for a few minutes.
- Lie down and breathe deeply.
- Write poetry.
- Try coloring in an adult coloring book.
- Play calming music.
Sleep Prep
- Change the pillowcases.
- Do a quick tidy-up of your space.
- Dim the lights an hour before bed.
- Switch your phone to “night mode”.
- Use a diffuser.
- Change the room temperature.
- Light a candle.
- Try a pillow spray.
- Use blackout curtains.
- Try a white noise machine.
Practices
- Practice deep-breathing exercises.
- Listen to calming music.
- Make sure tomorrow’s to-do’s are written.
- Visualize a peaceful place.
- Write in a journal.
- Draw for a few minutes.
- Try a meditation app.
- Reflect in a gratitude journal.
- Sit at the end of your bed and breathe deeply.
- Listen to a calming audiobook.
You can also keep this list safe using the pin graphic below. Hopefully, there’s a great idea or two on here that can help you unwind late at night.
