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8:00pm? 10:00pm? Two in the morning? Whenever you wind down, here’s a helpful guide for how to create a mindful evening routine with night time affirmations.
Now, of course, routines are very personal. There’s no set Perfect Evening Routine that’s going to work for everyone.
We all have different needs – and sometimes our needs change! Maybe you had an evening routine that worked for you before, but now you’re looking to switch it up.
Whether you’re looking to adjust your current routine, or you’ve never really had a set evening routine and are looking for more structure, I’ve got you.
Here are some suggestions for things you can use to personalize your own mindful evening routine.
Set a Regular Sleep Time
First things first, it’s a good idea to wake up and go to bed at consistent times – even on the weekends!
Sometimes this won’t be possible. People who work irregular schedules might not be able to tuck in at the same time every night.
But the closest you can get to a consistent schedule, the better!
Consider what time you want to actually be asleep, and how much time you want for your evening routine beforehand.
For me, it always takes a good half hour or so to fall asleep once I’ve crawled into bed, so I have to keep that in mind when creating an evening routine.
Wind Down with Herbal Tea
It’s a general consensus amongst health and sleep experts that you should cut off food and drink intake about two to three hours before you actually go to sleep.
And, caffeinated beverages specifically ought not be consumed eight hours before bedtime!
That rules out black teas, which are the most caffeinated. Herbal teas, however, are caffeine-free!
As long as you choose a caffeine-free, sleep-safe tea, and finish drinking it a couple hours before you climb into bed, you’re good to go!
This can be a great first step to ease yourself out of the day and into the rest of a mindful evening routine.
Listen to Soothing Tunes
Relaxing music can help you ease out of the day and into the evening.
Some good generalized playlists might be smooth jazz, or classical piano music… or whatever songs you personally find soothing!
You can create a relaxing evening playlist on Spotify, YouTube, or whatever music platform you prefer, and have it playing on a low volume as you go about the rest of your routine.
But once you’ve got your music playing, you might wanna step away from your device as you wind down!
Put Your Phone Away & Read
I feel a bit like a hypocrite, here, because I am the worst at this!
It’s so tempting to scroll social media for hours, even after I’ve gotten in bed.
But, it’s a good idea to eliminate your interaction with a screen at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
The blue light from your phone or computer screen can disrupt your circadian rhythm, making it harder for you to fall asleep. It can also prevent you from getting enough REM sleep, which can leave you feeling unrested come morning.
I like to read fanfiction as I wind down at night (AO3, my beloved), but unfortunately that requires the internet and staring at a screen.
So, if I want to be an avid fic reader, I’ve gotta remind myself to do it earlier in my evening routine, and then put my phone out of reach to avoid temptation as I give my eyes a rest from that harsh blue light.
Settling down for the evening with a good ol’ fashioned book not only gives you the chance to engage your imagination, it’s also a good way to get your mind off the rest of the day.
Reading not your style? Another thing you can do besides read, is solve crossword puzzles or sudoku.
Many dollar stores sell paperback puzzle books, and those can make for a fun (and brain-sharpening) addition to a mindful evening routine!
Relax Your Body by Stretching
After a long day, whether you spent most of it sitting, standing, or moving about, it’s good to stretch a little before you hit the hay.
Taking care of your body is an absolute must for any evening self care routine.
This could look different for each person, depending on their physical ability and their body’s needs.
But, if stretching before bed is a possibility for you, it’s highly recommended!
Even if all you do is roll your neck and shoulders a few times, it’s better than climbing into bed with stiff joints!
Establish an Evening Hygiene Routine
Hygiene is an essential part of self care!
Going to bed with greasy skin, a bad taste in your mouth, or smelly pits just… doesn’t feel right.
Here are some things to consider adding to your evening self care routine:
- Shower / Bathe – You might not need to take a shower or a bath every night, but hot water sure can be a nice way to wind down sometimes!
- Wash Your Face – My absolute favorite face wash is by Public Goods! (Here’s a link for $25 off your first purchase of $50 or more from this affordable, eco-friendly online essentials store!)
- Moisturize Your Skin – Public Goods makes an excellent moisturizer, too! Honestly I could rave about it in a whole other post; I rarely go to bed without putting it on my face. But if moisturizer isn’t your thing, try a rejuvenating body oil!
- Brush Your Teeth – Looking to make your evening self care routine a little more sustainable? Try this toothpaste from EarthHero!
- Floss Your Teeth – Remember, you only have to floss the ones you wanna keep! (I actually put a reminder to floss on my daily to-do list, or I’ll straight up forget half the time!)
Take Time to Be Grateful
A great way to end the day is to reflect on what went well.
You can keep a physical gratitude journal, to write down what you’re grateful for at the end of the day.
Or, you might just choose to list a few things out loud.
Of course, not every day makes it easy to find the emotional space for gratitude.
If it was a rough day, you can be grateful it’s over!
Put Your Thoughts to Sleep
It’s the end of the day, time to let it go and get some rest before moving on to tomorrow.
If your brain is anything like mine, sometimes it waits until the end of the day to hurl chaotic thoughts at you.
All the embarrassing, painful, or other stressful moments of the day that seek to rob you of your precious sleep.
But how do you put your thoughts to sleep?
There are a few things you can do to help shut your mind off, and get ready for a peaceful night’s sleep.
Meditate and/or Pray
Whether you believe in any deities, the Universe as a force in its own right, or simply the power of the human spirit, prayer and meditation are a great way to honor your spirituality as part of a mindful evening routine.
There are many guided evening meditations available on YouTube, or on mindfulness apps like Headspace.
You can also do breathing exercises, to slow down both your body and your mind as you prepare for sleep.
Journal Before Bed
Sometimes you’ve just gotta write it all out!
Whatever thoughts crowd your mind as the evening unwinds, try scribbling it down instead of keeping it locked up inside.
Often, if I’m feeling anxiety at the end of the day, I feel a lot better after I’ve written it out in my journal.
Maybe I haven’t solved all my problems, but I’ve at least given attention to my thoughts, and as a result they don’t hold as much power over me anymore.
Whatever you write down can be addressed another day! You don’t have to figure it all out at once.
Just write down your thoughts, so you don’t lose them, and leave them to be dealt with in detail after you’ve had your rest.
Write Down Your Accomplishments!
If, like me, you often find your brain chastising you at night because you “didn’t do enough” during the day, shut that thing up by writing out what you did do!
I literally wrote a list of things I could pat myself on the back for once, when thoughts of “not enough” were keeping me up at night.
Sometimes we don’t even realize how far we’ve come until we stop, look back, and write it down!
You can even use your journal to write out some night time affirmations as you say them.
That’ll help ensure you really process and internalize the words.
Speaking of those night time affirmations… let’s move on to the star of the evening!
End the Evening with Night Time Affirmations
Night time affirmations are a great way to close out the day on a mindful note.
You can use this list as inspiration. If you like some of these suggestions, keep ’em!
But if they lead you to think of your own, more personalized night time affirmations, jot those down, too.
If you’re new to affirmations, check out this quick guide on how to use them effectively!
You can say (or sign 🤟 ) these affirmations to yourself as you settle down for the night.
You can also write them down, to help you process the words and really internalize what you’re saying.
Night Time Affirmations to Reflect on the Day
- Whatever I did today, it was enough.
- I am proud of the progress I made today.
- There is nothing more I need to do today, but to rest.
- What happened today is in the past, and I release it as I go to bed.
- I am grateful for the things that went well today.
Night Time Affirmations about Going to Sleep
- Now is the time for rest.
- It is okay for me to rest.
- I don’t have to earn the right to sleep; it is a necessary thing I am inherently worthy of.
- I honor my body and mind by prioritizing sleep this evening.
- May peaceful dreams greet me as I go to sleep.
Night Time Affirmations about Tomorrow
- I will handle tomorrow when tomorrow comes.
- Whatever I didn’t get done today, I can do tomorrow.
- Whatever happened today, tomorrow is a new beginning.
- I’m honoring the Me of tomorrow by prioritizing my sleep tonight.
- I’m not going to spend any more time thinking about what tomorrow may hold; it’s time to rest.
And that’s all I’ve got for ya! I hope some of these affirmations resonate with you, or at least inspire you to come up with your own as part of your evening routine!
Whatever your evening routine looks like, I wish you peace and rest with the end of each day. ❤️
Sincerely,
So, you’ve crafted a mindful evening routine… now what about your mornings?
Looking for more night time inspiration? Here are some inspiring quotes to end your day with. ❤️
What are your absolute musts in a mindful evening routine? Do you have any ideas for more night time affirmations? Share your thoughts in the comments below! ⬇️⬇️⬇️
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