Evening Rituals To Unwind from the Day

Life can be quite chaotic, and of course there can be beauty in the chaos. But there is usually also stress and fatigue that leaves you depleted at the end of the day. And when we’re depleted, it’s so easy to turn to things that deplete us even more.

How many evenings have you gotten home from work, pulled out your phone for what you thought would be ten minutes, only to find the whole night gone? And how do you feel after?

The more we can bring mindfulness to life, the more calm and content we’ll be. Nowhere is this more true than in the evening, after we’ve been ‘on’ for so long. Making an evening ritual to unwind from the day is good for your body, good for your mind, and good for your soul.

Here’s our favourite evening rituals to unwind from the day.

Journal In The Evening

Take some time each evening to reflect on your day. There’s great power in putting pen to paper. Getting your thoughts down can help release them, so that they don’t keep you up all night.

Feel free to use your journal as a brain dump, getting out all the stressors from your day. Alternatively, many people also like to use their journal to reflect on what they’re grateful for, or to remember the small, little moments that made their day beautiful. If you are working on self-compassion, you can also write a ‘good for me’ list, noting everything you’ve done today that required some effort, big or small. It’s a great way to start giving yourself more of the credit we all deserve.

Don’t be intimidated if you don’t think of yourself as a writer, or if you’ve never journaled before. You don’t have to be the next Jane Austen, and no one’s going to read this but you.

Light A Candle

There’s a reason so many spiritual and religious rituals for rest and renewal include candles. Candles help create a space free from the stresses and worries of the day. Lighting a candle to signify the end of your workday is a great way to enter a new space, one where you’re free to fully relax and fully be yourself. Create that for yourself.

When choosing a candle, be aware that scent can have a profound impact on our mood and energy levels. In the evening, try to stay away from invigorating scents, instead choosing calming candles with scents like lavender, musk, and jasmine.

Unplug With Self Care

‘Self-care’ has become a bit of a buzz word, which is sad, because we tend to take buzz words less seriously. And self-care is definitely something we should be taking seriously.

Maybe it’s a bath, a skincare routine that makes you feel good about yourself, or reading a good book. Or maybe it’s something totally unique, that no one would think of but you. The important thing is to find personalized activities that you find soothing and meaningful.

Give you mind time to truly unwind by disconnecting and creating a cozy environment (which should include that calming candle!). After a day that was surely filled with giving to others, it’s important to take this time to give to yourself.

Pour Some Tea

And maybe the best self-care of all? A good cuppa. Not only is a hot cup of tea soothing and calming, but when you choose the right herbal tea, like chamomile chai tea, it can also help induce relaxation. And in our go-go-go world, sometimes we just need that little push to help us relax.


Sleep Meditation

As children, your parents may have read to you each night before tucking you in – and those can be wonderful memories. But in our culture, we’re not really ‘taught’ how to fall asleep. So, for many of us in our adult lives, falling asleep is more of a struggle than it needs to be.

Thankfully, there are now many great, free resources you can access online, providing sleep meditations that can help you fall and stay asleep. Find one that jives with you, and you’ll be getting the sleep you crave in no time. 

 

 

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