Hey friends,
I’ve talked a lot about why having a morning routine is so important. Now I want to share why having an evening routine matters just as much!
I have found that having both morning and evening routines is a beautiful way to start and end the day feeling calm, centered, and well taken care of. Taking just a few minutes for ourselves at the beginning and end of our day goes a long way toward decreasing stress and anxiety.
Now that you’ve learned about the importance of morning routines, let’s talk about 3 reasons why you need an evening routine:
1) An evening routine helps you shift from “go” mode to relaxation mode.
Many of us spend most of our days running from one activity to the next without taking a moment to rest. This can make it incredibly difficult to wind down when it’s time to go to sleep, as our minds are still running and processing all that we have kept up with that day. Having an evening routine gives our minds white space and allows our bodies to slow down and get ready to rest.
2) An evening routine promotes better sleep.
Every mother knows that having a bedtime routine is critical in order to get young kids to go to sleep and stay asleep. The same is true for adults! Having the same evening routine night after night creates signals in our brain to let it know that it’s time to go to sleep. Taking a few moments to relax before bedtime helps promote deep relaxation which allows us to get a better quality of sleep.
3) An evening routine sets you up for success the following day.
Better rest equals better sleep quality, which equals a more productive morning! When we are well rested, it becomes easier to wake up feeling happy, positive, and energetic the following day. Having a solid evening routine is where our rest cycle begins.
Now that you are starting to see the value of implementing an evening routine, here are 3 ways that you can start your own evening routine, no matter how tired you are:
1) Set a shut down time for electronics
Our phones and tablets are the enemy of sleep! Scrolling through Facebook or Instagram can seem like an easy way to wind down at night, but it really does more harm than good. The lights from our devices can be stressful, and scrolling mindlessly can lead to comparing ourselves to other people’s highlight reels, or clicking on articles that are anything but relaxing. Also, it is all too easy to lose track of time and find ourselves up way past our bedtime because we were on our phone. Put an end to the temptation to scroll through your phone by setting a strict curfew and shutting your phone down or placing it in another room at least one hour before bedtime.
2) Keep a notebook next to your bed
Having pressing thoughts or items to add to our to-do list can prevent us from falling asleep, as we feel like there is still something left to do, therefore we can’t fully relax. I like to keep a notebook next to my bed, so that if something comes to mind as I’m trying to wind down, I can simply make a note of it for the next day. Getting our thoughts out on paper keeps them from wreaking havoc on our minds so that we can start to truly rest and relax.
3) Start slow
If you are starting an evening routine for the first time, it is unrealistic to think that you are going to take an hour or more to relax each evening. Start with taking just 15-20 minutes each night to do a relaxing activity before bed. You can choose to take a bath, read a book, write in your journal, or anything else that feels calming and relaxing to you. Choose something that will help you unwind from the day and get ready to sleep.
I hope that you are starting to see the benefits of having an evening routine. In the comments below, I’d love to hear about your evening routine! What do you like to do right before bed? Do you currently have an evening routine in place, or is this something new to you?
Wishing you a week full of rest and relaxation.
Be well,
Ambar
