Do you ever find yourself lying in bed wide awake with hundreds of completely irrelevant thoughts just passing through your mind? Studies have shown that an average person has more than 6000 thoughts each day. So how can we slow down our thought process after a long day of work? Here I introduce to you, 5 evening rituals which can help you relax and unwind before going to bed.
Feel free to do these evening rituals in any order you prefer or add other rituals that can help you loosen up before bed.
1. Unplug 1 hour before bed
I know it’s cliché but I think the biggest reason why we should unplug at least an hour before bed is because we need some alone time. If I don’t unplug, I’d find myself scrolling on social media or texting with friends and exchanging memes. And when I realize it, it would already be 2 in the morning.
Rather than being unproductive and lowering sleep quality, we can spare some time to pamper ourselves and unwind after a long day. By following through the evening rituals, you’ll be able to relax and unwind before falling deep asleep in bed.
2. Prepare tomorrow's outfit
Whether it’s for work or for a morning jog, it’s a good practice to prepare your outfit the night before. That way when you wake up, you can immediately switch to your active gear instead of looking half-asleep.
Just by looking the part, you can feel more energized and prepared to start the day. It also gives you something to look forward to as you lay out your favorite outfit, ready to be worn the next morning.
3. Stretch your muscles
One great way to slow down after a day’s work is to do some light stretching. While some people enjoy doing yoga at night, I’ve already created a morning routine that consists of a dynamic warm-up followed by yoga.
Whether you prefer stretching or doing yoga in the evening, as long as it helps you relax and unwind, either works fine. In fact, some yoga poses can even help boost sleep.
4. Write in your journal
By spending a few minutes at the end of the day to journal, you can learn more about yourself and how you can do better. Some examples include doing self-reflection about your day or referring to writing prompts for self-discovery. By understanding yourself better and reflecting on your daily actions, you can strive to become a better version of yourself.
Here are some writing prompts for self-discovery. For creativity, check out these writing prompts.
5. Read a book
Although I usually spend some time during my morning routine to read, I also enjoy reading self-help books at night. Whether it’s about the Japanese lifestyle or the Swedish Art of Living, or even my all-time favorite book on the Art of Simplicity, reading about it makes me feel warm and cozy. It helps me relax and unwind while I find ways to improve myself and my lifestyle in baby steps.
To Summarize
By relaxing and unwinding at the end of each day, your body can get the rest it needs to better support you tomorrow. This can be done by following these 5 evening rituals to slow down and welcome a good night’s sleep.
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