nighttime routine

Another week, another Monday! I’m reporting live before work today, which is always an accomplishment in itself. As many of you may know, I’m a natural night owl. I tend to get a second wind around 9 or 10pm, and always struggle to fall asleep which, in turn, makes it increasingly difficult to get up in the morning. I really want to become more of a morning person, so this has become a real issue for me! I always feel my best and most productive on the days when I can wake up early enough to do a workout, or write, or enjoy my coffee before the day truly starts.

SO! All that being said, I thought I’d share a few aspects of my recently implemented nighttime routine that are helping me get to sleep earlier – and have me actually looking forward to going to bed (and waking up!). I’ve already talked about the best morning ever, but it’s just as important to kick that off with the best night ever. Without further ado, here are my tips to do just that:

Take THE shower. I’m talking hair washed, legs shaved, the whole shabang. Nothing leaves me feeling calmer or more refreshed, and there’s nothing better than the nights when I do all of this and can then slip into a set of clean, cold sheets.
Do some skincare. For me, this typically just means Vitamin C oil, a little gua sha action, and some moisturizer with a splash of self tanner. Love having a morning to look forward to where my skin is glowing and tan, am I right?
Stretch. This has been a habit of mine for a while, and I look forward to it every day. Whether I’m feeling sore from a workout or had the laziest day ever, I love to be able to stretch out before I go to bed. It really calms me down and leaves me ready to curl up for the night.
Light some candles. There is truly no better way to set the mood for a great, cozy night more than turning down the lights and lighting a few great-smelling candles.
Put the phone away. I am so guilty of mindlessly scrolling before bed, giving myself a headache and finding random reasons to stay up later. We all know what they say about that blue light keeping us up at night! I really do find that if I tuck that bad boy away a solid 30 minutes before I want to sleep, it’s much more likely to actually happen.
Make tea. Sleepytime tea, to be exact – I think this one is pretty self explanatory.
Read. I typically put on a comfort show before bed (Gilmore Girls, if you’re asking), but that can’t compare to curling up with a good book and a nice hot cup of tea.
Toss on some ASMR. This one was a recent discovery for me – there’s tons of ASMR dedicated to falling asleep out there, and I promise you it will change your life forever. If you’re not ready to take the plunge, a sound machine or guided meditation could do the trick too. Cue the snoring in t-minus 10.

So there you have it folks – I hope this nighttime routine leaves you feeling sleepy tonight and refreshed tomorrow. Here’s to making the start of every day a little more enjoyable. Sweet dreams! ☼