Ideal Nighttime Routine | Mindful Rituals and Routines for Better Sleep
written by Jasmine Irven
I’m so excited to share this routine with you. It’s been something I’ve been working on for a long time, trying to pin down exactly what rituals I value enough to be part of my *sacred * and oh so important wind-down time before bed.
I’m sure I don’t need to reiterate HOW IMPORTANT sleep is, and so creating routines and rituals that help you to relieve stress, unwind, and clear your mind for the night ahead is truly essential for making the most of your shut eye.
please note
My hope is that you do not feel overwhelmed by this routine, but rather that it is something that will inspire you to try and incorporate a few key habits into your evening for the chance to reconnect with yourself. Remember,
You by no means need to all or even any of these.
Life happens. It is very unlikely that every night will look like this (if yours does I’m jealous).
This disclaimer is something I want to include in all of my ‘ideal routine’ posts, because I feel like we truly live in an idealist society; with people presenting you hundreds of ideas of things you *should be doing, all of which can instead unfortunately cause feelings of inadequacy and subsequent inaction.
I recognized this pressure in myself at a recent appointment with my nutritionist when i noticed I was consistently being hard on myself about my routines. She gave me permission to let go of what I *should be doing* and instead focus on what I want to be doing and what serves me best. So, I want to pass along this permission to you.
disconnect
Unwind by disconnecting from the demands of others. Around 9:30pm my phone goes on do not disturb and gets put on the charger in the kitchen.
We’ve been living by the rule that no phones are allowed in the bedroom for the past year or so and I have absolutely been loving it. It takes away so much of the temptation to be on my phone late at night or early in the morning when there are other tasks and rituals I have a lot more interest in intentionally taking part in.
shower + skincare routine
Showering offers me a great chance for me to reset from the day, reduce stress, and come to bed feeling fresh and truly cleansed. Try an essential oil shower with soothing oils like lavender or roman chamomile for an added bonus.
Taking care of your skin is so important! But it’s also very individual so while I’m not going to include specifics here, I will let you know that my skincare routine generally involves an oil for a makeup remover, a cleanser, hyaluronic acid, a spot treatment, and a moisturizer. Throughout the week I’ll also add an exfoliator, ice roller, and/or face mask into the mix.
brew tea
Sleepytime tea is a staple in my current routine. Brewing tea in itself is a super simple and relaxing ritual, and combinations of lavender, chamomile, valerian root, and passionflower help to relive stress and induce sleep.
journaling
This is a time for me to practice gratitude by reflecting on the blessings I have in my day + current life. I also use this time to journal anything else that’s on my mind so I can sleep peacefully, without millions of thoughts and to-dos running through my head.
brush teeth
An essential part of any nighttime routine. This really signals to my body that the time for fasting + resting has begun. Make the swap to a bamboo toothbrush and low-waste toothpaste (the container is glass!) for a more sustainable option.
nighttime yoga, reading, or another wind down activity
I like to give myself time in the evening to unwind, but how I unwind often varies. Here are a few options:
Rolling out my yoga mat and grounding myself. I’ve been loving my yoga routine lately. Yoga is such an incredible practice to incorporate into your day, and it’s currently a part of both my morning and night ideal routines. I love the opportunity to stretch, unwind, and really focus on just being rather than doing (*remember we are human beings not humans doing!!). My favourite nighttime yoga videos to follow along with are Yoga with Adriene’s 12-minute wind-down yoga and Yoga TX’s winding down & relaxing 10-minute yoga.
If I can, I also like to use 15-20 minutes before bed to indulge a book on my never-ending list of reads. I also always make sure I have a notebook beside me in case I want to turn the book more into a reading workshop (a process I outlined here).
Watching TV - though maybe not always ideal (hello blue light), sometimes I just want to put on a funny show and that’s okay too! I just make sure I have my blue light blocking glasses on.
diffuser + sleep spray(s)
After a long day I need a space that brings me back down to earth and helps me unwind.
One thing I've really been loving lately is this room spray from Hoame meditation studio. Having a signature scent I associate with feelings of warmth + relaxation makes it so whenever I smell it I immediately feel at peace + at home. So, I spray this on my bed right before I get into it!
It also accompanies my Aroma Om® White Saje Diffuser and the Saje ‘yoga’ diffusing blend so well, which is a grounding mix to help you feel centred and at peace. I find this combination really helps me to relax and unwind into a deep slumber. Another option is a DIY lavender spray!
turn on ocean sounds
*Hey Google, play ocean sounds*. This is my way of drowning out the traffic outside, and pretending instead that I instead live in California by the ocean.
sleep mask + lights out
Blocking out light is extremely important for achieving a deep slumber. Any light can interfere with our body’s natural signals and hormone release. Block out light with black-out blinds, and a silk eye mask for optimum comfort. I’ve outlined more holistic sleep habits to incorporate into your nighttime routine in this recent post.
breathing
Relieve any last stress + melt into my sheets through a few rounds of breath. This is one of the best ways I know how to help me sleep. I focus on envisioning that I am breathing in feelings of warmth + peace (about 7 seconds), holding for about 4 seconds, and then breathing out all stress and worry (for about a count of 8 seconds).
And there it is, a comprehensive list of all the things I (ideally) include in my nighttime routine. I hope these rituals and routines inspire you to make the most of your wind-down time, giving you the opportunity to relax and go to bed care-free.
Goodnight xoxo
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about the author
Hey there! I’m Jasmine, founder of the Sustainable Bliss Collective, a Certified Meditation Teacher, and lover of all things self-care, slow-living, and personal development.
I believe that ambition and self-care can coexist, and as such I hope to encourage and inspire you to take care of yourself, breathe deeply, connect with who you are, manifest your dreams, enjoy the blissful moments of each day, and make an impact in this beautiful world we call home.
Connect with me on Instagram here!
