5 Evening Routine Essentials for Your Best Sleep Yet
via Canva
What does your nighttime routine look like? Mine used to look like staying up way too late, sleeping in makeup, and doom-scrolling. But then I started researching the daily habits of successful people — let me tell you, they do things a bit more intentionally.
The National Institute of Health confirms adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night (teens and kids need even more than that), and anything less can cause health issues. But there are ways you can prepare your body and mind to improve sleep quality so you get the most out of those seven hours.
Establishing a thoughtfully curated nighttime routine helps your body shift into sleep mode so that you can sleep through the night and wake feeling rested and rejuvenated.
I’ve incorporated the following nighttime routines, rituals, and essentials that help me fall asleep instantly, wake with energy, and show a little self love, too.
1. Start With a Wind-Down Beverage
Just as a cup of coffee can signal the start of your day, a calming evening beverage signals your body it’s time for rest. And while a glass of wine in the tub is a whole mood, try instead to use this time to drink something more beneficial — something that will help, not hinder, your sleep.
I love a cup of the classic Sleepytime tea with a little lavender honey. If I need an extra hydration boost, I also love to sip half coconut water, half San Pellegrino for a refreshing, tropical mocktail.
You could also make hot cocoa, wellness drinks, or a decaf latte. Whatever drink you go with, take your time making it. Make it a ritual. Slow, soothing, and yours to savor.
via Canva
2. Limit Screen Time
The Sleep Foundation confirms it’s best to avoid screens one hour before bedtime, as screens have proven to “reduce or delay the natural production of melatonin in the evening and decrease feelings of sleepiness.”
Take this hour for yourself. Read a chapter of the book you’ve been wanting to read. Tune in to a guided meditation.
However you spend this hour to yourself, be sure to stay present in your nighttime routine.
3. Relax With a Warm Bath or Shower
Ease your muscles of any tension left from the day with a calming bath or shower, even if you only have 10 minutes. Inhale the steam, let the water wash over you as a reward for getting through the day.
via Canva
My Nighttime Skincare Routine
One skincare item that changed my life is the MakeUp Eraser cloth, which makes removing even stubborn mascara quick and easy using only water. No greasy products. So even on the laziest nights, there’s no excuse to sleep in my makeup.
Once my makeup is removed, I use CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser and the CeraVe Daily Moisturizer Lotion to cleanse and hydrate. These both use hyaluronic acid and ceramides to lock in moisture; plus, they are sensitive-skin friendly.
Bath Essentials I Love
I’ve got my bath routine down to a science — I rarely miss a night because it makes such a big difference in my quality of sleep. I love bubble bath, epsom salt, essential oils, coconut milk. As someone with sensitive skin, I have to be careful about what products I use, but I trust any bath products from Dr. Teals.
A fun gadget I found to elevate my evening bath experience is this Waves Vinyl Bluetooth Speaker that projects ocean waves all over the room. You can listen to soothing music or guided meditations through Bluetooth or listen to beach sounds through the white noise setting.
via Amazon
4. Reflect on Your Day & Prepare for the Next
Once you are clean and cozy in your softest pajamas, add a little reflection to your nighttime routine. What went well that day? What do you hope to accomplish for tomorrow? Even setting a single intention or goal is enough.
This process helps reduce anxiety and gives your brain closure at the end of the day, which prevents it from staying on loop and keeping you awake.
I use the Promptly Gratitude Journal because it gives me super quick and easy prompts so that even when I’m tired after a long day, I can still squeeze this practice into my nighttime routine.
via Promptly
5. Cozy Up in Quality Bedding
As important as sleep is to our health and wellbeing, having high-quality bedding should be a top priority. I use a Tempur-Pedic mattress topper and a down feather duvet and it feels like sleeping in a crisp, fluffy hotel bed.
What tops the mattress topper? The one thing everyone needs: a silk pillowcase. Not satin — silk. I’ve tried several different brands and done a lot of research, and the Blissy silk pillowcase is the best by far.
It has significantly helped with my bedhead tangles, my skin, and my sleep, and keeps me cool all night long. Plus the pretty pink silk makes me feel (and sleep) like royalty.
Tip: For an extra touch, I like to give myself “turndown service” an hour or so before bed. I pull back the sheets and give them a spritz of lavender linen spray, fill a fresh cup of ice water, and turn on a lantern for cozy lighting. It’s such a treat to come back to after I’ve finished the rest of my routine.
I used to get anxious before bedtime from anticipating the hours of tossing and turning. If that sounds like you, it might be time to take a closer look at your nighttime routine and your habits in the hours before bed.
Creating an evening routine and environment that is intentionally leading me toward better quality sleep has made me calmer, more centered, and clear-minded. I hope these essentials and tips will help bring you a peaceful night of rest and sweet dreams. You deserve it.
