6 Tips to Create a Cozy Evening Ritual
2am – Why am I wide awake? Sound familiar? This used to happen to me A LOT (and occasionally still does). That’s back when I didn’t have much of an evening ritual.
I would wake up in the middle of the night, after hours of surface-level sleep, with my mind racing. When that happens it’s almost a sure bet that I’ll be up with an anxious mind for another hour or two.
BUT! I’ve changed several things (including my mindset) in my evening routine that have made all the difference in the quality of my sleep and they’re all things you can do too!
Now, I won’t discount a good sauna or a cozy fireside snuggle to help send a person into dreamland but I realize those are somewhat “cabin specific”! I’m not here to give you far fetched or impractical tips.
These 6 tips are meant to be easy, intentional, and grounding but, before we get into the good stuff, let’s talk about mindset first!
Because, let’s be real, half of the battle of getting a decent night’s sleep is calming your mind.
If you read my post on Slow Living, you’ll know that the quality of your focus in the present moment is everything when it comes to living with intention. Your evening ritual is no exception. Actually, if you practice slow living in any part of your life I hope it’s within your evening routine.
The time I’m asking you to set aside for an evening ritual is SELF-CARE and should be protected as an important part of your day.
No matter who you are, what stage of life you’re in, or what your circumstances are, it’s important to close out each day in a way that’s rejuvenating and grounding so you stand a chance to catch some quality Zzzz’s!
So, if you resonate with that mindset then you’re ready to make a nighttime ritual for yourself! Here is exactly what I do and the order I do it in. Steal whichever parts suit you.
Let your space cool down!
I hate sleeping in a cold room. There I said it!
I’m a real oddball about the temperature of my room. I like it pretty warm…when I had conventional heating I would keep my place at 72 degrees. I know…that’s ridiculous to most folks.
It wasn’t until this fall when I got too lazy to keep a fire going consistently, that I discovered (unintentionally and begrudgingly) the benefits of sleeping in a cold room. I slept SO MUCH BETTER! No more waking up at 2 am with an anxious mind.
Since the beginning of October, I’ve been waking up to a 58-degree cabin. I still don’t like it but I love how much better I sleep. However, this shouldn’t be a surprise. Studies have been telling us for a while now that sleeping in a cold room promotes better sleep along with a whole host of benefits.
So here’s what I do – once I get back to my cabin from having dinner in my dad’s cabin, I light a fire for myself. Just one fire, which I let burn out as I’m winding down for bed.
If you’re in a normal house or apartment (because why would you not be), you can lower your thermostat as the first step in your evening ritual.
Set that mood lighting, baby!
This is my favorite one!
I am so picky about the lights in my cabin at night. Artificial light, especially blue light, really tricks our circadian rhythms. Seriously, I unplug the microwave and the electric kettle. I make sure there’s no obnoxious blue light. If you’re in a city, get yourself some blackout curtains!!
If I’m winding down for the evening I will plug in the string lights around my big picture window and light a few beeswax candles. The string lights will remain plugged in until I’m ready to actually snuggle into bed, that way I have enough light to take out my contacts and whatnot.
I have loved searching for candlestick holders at thrift shops! I think I’ve paid a total of $7.50 for my entire mini collection…score! If you get yourself some candlesticks and a holder, I promise you’ll be surprised by how much light they give off. I read by candlelight every night.
Reflect and Disconnect
You’ve got your space cooling down, blue lights shut out, and natural light filling the room.
The next step is to send those “goodnight” texts to your hunny, check social media one last time, send that last email, whatever you need to do so you can put the phone on the charger for the night, power down the computer, and turn off the television. This is the “do not pass go” part of your evening ritual!
We’re trying to grab hold of our thoughts so we need to disconnect from all distractions. This time is all about YOU until the sun comes up.
Once you’ve disconnected from all portals to the online world, I want you to go to your sink and brush your teeth. As you’re brushing away, I want you to play a game of “highs & lows”!
We do this with all of our summer campers every night in their cabin groups.
Ask yourself, “Did I have any lows today?” It’s ok to not have any just as it’s ok to have a few. All we’re doing here is reflecting on the day.
Then ask yourself, “What was the high of my day?” Challenge yourself to pick at least one and end this reflection on a note of positivity and gratitude.
Get yourself ready for bed just like you get yourself ready for the day…DO NOT SKIP THIS, please.
We’re not going to stop at brushing teeth! Oh no!
I start by putting on a playlist. Lately, it has been my “classy vibes” playlist.
Then I put my slippers on (I LOVE my Minnetonka Mocassin slippers) and pour some water in my kettle.
While I’m waiting for the water to get hot, I massage a cleansing oil into my face. Once the water is hot, I pour it over a washcloth, ring it out and lay the cloth over my face.
Then I kick back in my rocking chair and pretend I’m at a spa! Seriously, the steam and the sweet smells of my cleansing oil make me feel so relaxed and happy. Ahh the simple things.
When I’m ready, I wipe the oil off my face with the cloth to reveal the softest skin EVER! Screw makeup removing wipes…this is SO much better, ladies!
Find what works for you and make sure it’s simple. The ritual I just described is literally five steps (music, slippers, kettle, face oil, washcloth).
Make sure you’ve got a cozy cocoon!
Another simple step (see a pattern here), love the bedding you choose! I’ve got a down comforter with two blankets on top and the softest pillow in town. That’s how I like my bed to be and you need to dial in your own bedding situation.
Crack open a book! The perfect ending to an evening ritual!
Alright, we’re almost done! Hope in your cozy bed with a book, I prefer fiction before bed. Read (by candlelight) as long as you like.
Check out some of my book recommendations if you’re on the hunt for something new:
8 Books on My Fall Reading List
Here’s my tip with reading: lay in a strategic position! Ask yourself where you hold tension in your body.
For me, it’s my hips so I read my book while laying in a butterfly position (also known as reclining bound angle)…yes, that awkward position with your feet together and your legs open.
If you carry stress in your upper back, roll or fold a blanket and place it lengthways down your spine, allowing your chest to open.
If you’ve still got an anxious mind, try “legs up the wall”, which you can probably do right from bed depending on your headboard/wall situation. If your toes start to get tingly, come out of the pose.
These “poses” I’m talking about are restorative yoga poses and can all be done in bed with your nose in a book.
Fun Fact: I’m a registered yoga teacher!
Blow out your last candle and tune into your breath.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably start dozing off not long after opening that book. Just make sure you get your candle(s) blown out!
If you have enough energy once you put your book down, take a few deep breathes focusing on the quality of the breath itself.
Ta-Da! You’ve got yourself an evening ritual!
By no means do I have my evening rituals dialed into perfection but it’s a routine I’ve grown to love.
THAT is the important part – loving and OWNING your routine. It has got to be your own otherwise it won’t stick. That’s why I’ve titled this post “6 TIPS”. I don’t want you to copy what I’m doing exactly…I want you to use it as momentum to intentionally design your own evening.
With that being said, I really want to see what you incorporate from this post into your own evening ritual and how you do it so keep me in the loop via the comments section!
Sweet Dreams and Happy Trails,
2am – Why am I wide awake? Sound familiar? This used to happen to me A LOT (and occasionally still does). That’s back when I didn’t have much of an evening ritual.
I would wake up in the middle of the night, after hours of surface-level sleep, with my mind racing. When that happens it’s almost a sure bet that I’ll be up with an anxious mind for another hour or two.
BUT! I’ve changed several things (including my mindset) in my evening routine that have made all the difference in the quality of my sleep and they’re all things you can do too!
Now, I won’t discount a good sauna or a cozy fireside snuggle to help send a person into dreamland but I realize those are somewhat “cabin specific”! I’m not here to give you far fetched or impractical tips.
These 6 tips are meant to be easy, intentional, and grounding but, before we get into the good stuff, let’s talk about mindset first!
Because, let’s be real, half of the battle of getting a decent night’s sleep is calming your mind.
If you read my post on Slow Living, you’ll know that the quality of your focus in the present moment is everything when it comes to living with intention. Your evening ritual is no exception. Actually, if you practice slow living in any part of your life I hope it’s within your evening routine.
The time I’m asking you to set aside for an evening ritual is SELF-CARE and should be protected as an important part of your day.
No matter who you are, what stage of life you’re in, or what your circumstances are, it’s important to close out each day in a way that’s rejuvenating and grounding so you stand a chance to catch some quality Zzzz’s!
So, if you resonate with that mindset then you’re ready to make a nighttime ritual for yourself! Here is exactly what I do and the order I do it in. Steal whichever parts suit you.
Let your space cool down!
I hate sleeping in a cold room. There I said it!
I’m a real oddball about the temperature of my room. I like it pretty warm…when I had conventional heating I would keep my place at 72 degrees. I know…that’s ridiculous to most folks.
It wasn’t until this fall when I got too lazy to keep a fire going consistently, that I discovered (unintentionally and begrudgingly) the benefits of sleeping in a cold room. I slept SO MUCH BETTER! No more waking up at 2 am with an anxious mind.
Since the beginning of October, I’ve been waking up to a 58-degree cabin. I still don’t like it but I love how much better I sleep. However, this shouldn’t be a surprise. Studies have been telling us for a while now that sleeping in a cold room promotes better sleep along with a whole host of benefits.
So here’s what I do – once I get back to my cabin from having dinner in my dad’s cabin, I light a fire for myself. Just one fire, which I let burn out as I’m winding down for bed.
If you’re in a normal house or apartment (because why would you not be), you can lower your thermostat as the first step in your evening ritual.
Set that mood lighting, baby!
This is my favorite one!
I am so picky about the lights in my cabin at night. Artificial light, especially blue light, really tricks our circadian rhythms. Seriously, I unplug the microwave and the electric kettle. I make sure there’s no obnoxious blue light. If you’re in a city, get yourself some blackout curtains!!
If I’m winding down for the evening I will plug in the string lights around my big picture window and light a few beeswax candles. The string lights will remain plugged in until I’m ready to actually snuggle into bed, that way I have enough light to take out my contacts and whatnot.
I have loved searching for candlestick holders at thrift shops! I think I’ve paid a total of $7.50 for my entire mini collection…score! If you get yourself some candlesticks and a holder, I promise you’ll be surprised by how much light they give off. I read by candlelight every night.
Reflect and Disconnect
You’ve got your space cooling down, blue lights shut out, and natural light filling the room.
The next step is to send those “goodnight” texts to your hunny, check social media one last time, send that last email, whatever you need to do so you can put the phone on the charger for the night, power down the computer, and turn off the television. This is the “do not pass go” part of your evening ritual!
We’re trying to grab hold of our thoughts so we need to disconnect from all distractions. This time is all about YOU until the sun comes up.
Once you’ve disconnected from all portals to the online world, I want you to go to your sink and brush your teeth. As you’re brushing away, I want you to play a game of “highs & lows”!
We do this with all of our summer campers every night in their cabin groups.
Ask yourself, “Did I have any lows today?” It’s ok to not have any just as it’s ok to have a few. All we’re doing here is reflecting on the day.
Then ask yourself, “What was the high of my day?” Challenge yourself to pick at least one and end this reflection on a note of positivity and gratitude.
Get yourself ready for bed just like you get yourself ready for the day…DO NOT SKIP THIS, please.
We’re not going to stop at brushing teeth! Oh no!
I start by putting on a playlist. Lately, it has been my “classy vibes” playlist.
Then I put my slippers on (I LOVE my Minnetonka Mocassin slippers) and pour some water in my kettle.
While I’m waiting for the water to get hot, I massage a cleansing oil into my face. Once the water is hot, I pour it over a washcloth, ring it out and lay the cloth over my face.
Then I kick back in my rocking chair and pretend I’m at a spa! Seriously, the steam and the sweet smells of my cleansing oil make me feel so relaxed and happy. Ahh the simple things.
When I’m ready, I wipe the oil off my face with the cloth to reveal the softest skin EVER! Screw makeup removing wipes…this is SO much better, ladies!
Find what works for you and make sure it’s simple. The ritual I just described is literally five steps (music, slippers, kettle, face oil, washcloth).
Make sure you’ve got a cozy cocoon!
Another simple step (see a pattern here), love the bedding you choose! I’ve got a down comforter with two blankets on top and the softest pillow in town. That’s how I like my bed to be and you need to dial in your own bedding situation.
Crack open a book! The perfect ending to an evening ritual!
Alright, we’re almost done! Hope in your cozy bed with a book, I prefer fiction before bed. Read (by candlelight) as long as you like.
Check out some of my book recommendations if you’re on the hunt for something new:
8 Books on My Fall Reading List
Here’s my tip with reading: lay in a strategic position! Ask yourself where you hold tension in your body.
For me, it’s my hips so I read my book while laying in a butterfly position (also known as reclining bound angle)…yes, that awkward position with your feet together and your legs open.
If you carry stress in your upper back, roll or fold a blanket and place it lengthways down your spine, allowing your chest to open.
If you’ve still got an anxious mind, try “legs up the wall”, which you can probably do right from bed depending on your headboard/wall situation. If your toes start to get tingly, come out of the pose.
These “poses” I’m talking about are restorative yoga poses and can all be done in bed with your nose in a book.
Fun Fact: I’m a registered yoga teacher!
Blow out your last candle and tune into your breath.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably start dozing off not long after opening that book. Just make sure you get your candle(s) blown out!
If you have enough energy once you put your book down, take a few deep breathes focusing on the quality of the breath itself.
Ta-Da! You’ve got yourself an evening ritual!
By no means do I have my evening rituals dialed into perfection but it’s a routine I’ve grown to love.
THAT is the important part – loving and OWNING your routine. It has got to be your own otherwise it won’t stick. That’s why I’ve titled this post “6 TIPS”. I don’t want you to copy what I’m doing exactly…I want you to use it as momentum to intentionally design your own evening.
With that being said, I really want to see what you incorporate from this post into your own evening ritual and how you do it so keep me in the loop via the comments section!
Sweet Dreams and Happy Trails,
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