20 Soothing Nighttime Self-Care Routine Ideas

A nighttime self-care routine is the perfect way to unwind, relax, and prepare for a restful night’s sleep. We all know how important a good night’s sleep is, but it can sometimes be easier said than done! That’s where having a bedtime routine that supports better rest can make all the difference to your sleep quality and quantity! These nighttime self-care routine ideas will help you build your own effective nighttime routine so you can hit that pillow ready for rest!

Why a Nighttime Self-Care Routine is Important

Let’s start with the obvious reason – better sleep! We all know that when we sleep well, we start the next day in a much better state – mentally and physically!

Having an evening self-care routine can also help reduce stress and promote relaxation, support better mental health and encourage consistent healthy habits.

Your physical health is also dramatically improved when you get enough sleep! Poor sleep can lead to an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack and stroke! Yikes.

How to Create Your Own Routine

Creating a nighttime self-care routine that works for you is easier done when you know best what your evening routine is lacking.

Are you struggling to sleep? Do you find it hard to wind down? Do you want to make better use of your before bed? Do you want to break bad habits?

All of these questions can help you to design a nighttime self-care routine that is effective for you – not just a copy-and-paste routine that works well for someone else!

1. Identify Your Needs: Consider what activities help you relax and unwind. Reflect on areas of your life that may need more attention.
2. Set a Schedule: Choose a consistent time to start your routine each evening. Consistency is key to forming habits.
3. Prioritise Activities: Ideally, select just 2-3 self-care activities that you find most beneficial and enjoyable. Avoid overloading your routine.
4. Create a Calming Environment: Ensure your space is conducive to relaxation by dimming lights, reducing noise, and creating a comfortable atmosphere.
5. Be Flexible: Allow yourself to adjust your routine as needed. It’s important to listen to your body and mind.

Nighttime Self-Care Routine Ideas

Now, what should you include in your nightly self-care routine? Here are some self-care ideas for nighttime that can help get you ready for relaxation and sleep and make sure you feel like you are taking good care of yourself:

1. Mindfulness Meditation

A meditation practice can be highly effective for resetting your mind to prepare for rest. This is a great way to process the day and encourage yourself to let go of any lingering worries or stress.

After all, most of these worries are out of our control by the time bedtime rolls around, so meditation can be a good way to help us quiet our minds.

Sit quietly and focus on your breath for 10-15 minutes. Incorporate this practice right before bed to calm your mind.

2. Gentle Stretching or Yoga

Perform gentle stretches or yoga poses for 5 to 10 minutes to stretch out your muscles and improve flexibility.

While you don’t want to be doing any vigorous exercise before bed, since this will release endorphins that can keep your brain awake, some gentle stretches can be a good way to release physical tension.

3. Reading a Book

This is the final step of my routine each night and it almost always guarantees I fall asleep easily afterwards, plus it means spending leisure time doing something I enjoy before bed each night.

Read a book that interests you for 15-30 minutes.

If you read using an electronic device, make sure you set your device to night mode if it has the option to minimise blue light exposure. Or if you do use a device, consider finishing your reading earlier in your nighttime routine to give yourself a break from blue-light emitting devices before sleep.

4. Taking a Warm Bath

Soak in a warm bath with essential oils for 15-20 minutes. Do this to soothe muscles and signal your body to relax. This might not be something you have time to fit into your nightly routine each day of the week, but it can be a great self-care activity to schedule once or twice a week.

5. Journaling

Journaling is one of the best ways to reflect on your day, process your thoughts and find some inner calm before bed. Spend 5 to 10 minutes writing about your day or thoughts. Focus on gratitude and reflection before bed to help move you into a positive mindset.

These nightly journal prompts can be a great tool if you’re stumped on what to write. Pick just one or two a night to write about.

6. Listening to Calming Music or Sounds

Play soothing music, nature sounds, or white noise for 15-30 minutes. Use headphones if you prefer an immersive experience. This can have a similar impact to meditation before bed.

7. Practicing Deep Breathing Exercises

Practice deep breathing exercises for 5 minutes. Do this to reduce stress, lower blood pressure and to engage in some mindfulness activity before bed.

8. Aromatherapy

Use a diffuser with calming essential oils like lavender. Inhale the scents to promote relaxation. You can put a diffuser on an hour before bed so that your bedroom smells inviting and calming before sleep.

Be careful to choose essential oils that encourage sleep and calmness rather than something uplifting and energising, otherwise, you might find yourself wide awake instead!

9. Practicing Gratitude

Write down or think about three things you are grateful for each night. Reflect on why these things are meaningful to you. Ending your day with positivity and gratitude can help you to relax, rather than focusing on the challenging and difficult parts of your day.

10. Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive Muscle Relaxation can take a little practice initially. It’s essentially how it sounds – progressingly relaxing each muscle group in your body. First by tensing the muscle, then by allowing it to relax. The easiest place to start is by clenching your fist or your toes and then letting them relax.

Tense and relax each muscle group from toes to head. Spend a few minutes on this to relieve physical tension.

11. Creative Activities

Creative activities can be the ultimate form of self-care as they allow us to do something we truly enjoy and fill our cup in a way that many of us do not make enough time. That’s why scheduling time for creative (yet relaxing) hobbies during your evening routine can be such a positive lifestyle change.

Engage in hobbies such as drawing, knitting, or crafting for at least 15 minutes. Enjoy the process without worrying about perfection. This simple act is your way of showing up for yourself by doing something that might not be essential but helps you to feel like you are prioritising yourself.

12. Herbal Tea

Drink a caffeine-free herbal tea like chamomile. Sip slowly 30-60 minutes before bedtime.

13. Visualisation Techniques

Imagine a peaceful scene like a beach or forest. Spend 5-10 minutes visualising every little detail of this scene to promote calmness. This can be part of a guided meditation or just through your own imagination.

Consider what you would see if you were in this place, what you would hear, feel, or smell. Give your senses a workout.

14. Skincare Routine

Cleanse and moisturise your skin each night as part of your nightly self-care routine. Take your time to enjoy this nurturing ritual that also helps keep your skin looking and feeling youthful and healthy.

15. Disconnecting from Electronics

Turn off electronic devices at least one hour before bed. Use this time for other relaxing activities instead. So many of us are in the bad habit of spending time scrolling social media or watching streamed media just before we go to sleep and it is very disruptive to our sleep cycle.

The blue light from screens paired with the over-stimulation of media is the opposite of relaxing, so giving yourself a break before bed allows you to give your eyes a rest and calm your mind.

16. Social Time

By social time, I don’t mean head out to a party and fill your social cup. Instead, this means relaxed quality time with your household members, whether it be your partner or your kids, or anyone else you happen to live with.

This could be a relaxed end-of-day chat with your partner about each of your days or snuggling up in bed with your kids while they practice their reading. These moments of undistracted quality time with loved ones will strengthen your bond and help you feel more connected and loved.

17. Pet Time

Spend time playing or cuddling with your pet (if you have one). Dedicate 5 to 10 minutes to this bonding activity, appreciating their important role in your life. This one works best with cats and dogs, since you can’t cuddle your pet fish, but a few minutes spent watching it swim around can be very relaxing.

18. Tidy Your Space

Tidy up your living space each night. This isn’t a start a new project kind of tidy up, but a simple reset of a space before bed each night. A popular option is to tidy the kitchen before bed so that you can wake to a clean space in the morning. Instant stress-relief when you aren’t faced with a pile of last night’s dirty dishes!

A quick 5-minute pick up is another thing I like to do before bed. Grab anything obvious that is out of place and put it back where it belongs and throw out any trash you spot. This quick and simple daily habit can lead to a much cleaner and less stressful home environment!

19. Planning for the Next Day

Review your schedule and make a to-do list for tomorrow. Spend 5 minutes getting organised for the next day by identifying your top priorities and any extra items you would like to get done. Having a plan for the next day can help calm your mind and relieve your worries before bed.

20. Practicing Affirmations

Repeat positive affirmations to yourself silently or out loud. Reflect on their meaning and embrace a positive mindset before curling up in your bed for a great night’s sleep. Check out these end of day affirmations for inspiration.

Creating a nighttime self-care routine tailored to your needs can improve your quality of life and your sleep quality. A well-rested you is a much happier you, so start by identifying what helps you unwind, set a consistent schedule, and create a calming environment. Not only are you giving yourself a better chance of getting a great night’s sleep, but you’re also working towards a more balanced life that actually makes time for self-care… no matter how busy you are!