10 Small Habits For A Great Evening Routine

Welcome to today’s episode! In this podcast, we’re diving into 10 small habits that can transform your evening routine and help you end your day on a positive note. These simple yet powerful practices are designed to help you unwind, reflect, and prepare for a restful night’s sleep. Whether you’re looking to reduce stress, boost relaxation, or just add more joy to your evenings, these tips will set you up for success.

Transcript

Hello,

Hello,

What's up everyone?

Welcome back to another episode of Try with Tess.

It's so good to have you here.

If you are new here,

I'm Tess and today we are going to get really cozy and we are going to talk about something super,

Super important,

But often overlooked,

Your evening and night routine.

So seriously,

This stuff can be like life-changing,

I promise you.

But before we are going to dive into all of the things,

You know the drill,

We are going to start with three journal prompts and of course this week's ins and outs.

I've got some fun things to share with you,

So grab your favorite drink,

Maybe a snack and let's get right into it.

All right,

So journaling time,

You know that I love to start off with a little self reflection and journaling.

It's just to help set the mood,

You know.

So here are the three journal prompts for this week.

So the first one is,

What was the best part of your day today?

This one is super simple,

But it's such a good way to focus on something positive.

Even on the rough days,

There is usually something that went right.

Even if it was just the first sip of coffee for you,

That's all right.

Some days are like this.

So the second question is,

How do you want to feel when you wake up tomorrow?

This is all about setting the intention,

People.

If you want to wake up like feeling refreshed and ready to take on a day,

What do you need to do tonight to make that happen?

So just think about it right now.

And the third question is,

What's one thing that you can let go of tonight?

So maybe it can be like a stress from work or,

I don't know,

One chore that you didn't get to.

It's okay to lift things for tomorrow.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is to give yourself small permission to relax and refresh.

Just write down your thoughts or just think about them for maybe a minute.

And it's all good.

No pressure here.

And now let's talk about what's in and what's out this week.

And it's always a fun little segment.

And honestly,

I'm being obsessed with finding out what's trending in the wellness world.

So this week's ins is Fresh Satin Pillowcase.

I've been hearing so much about these guys.

Not only that they're supposed to be better for your health and your skin,

But also they feel just so luxurious.

I mean,

Who doesn't want to feel like they're sleeping on a cloud,

Right?

And the second this week's in is Wind Down Playlist.

And if you haven't already,

Get yourself like a chill playlist for the evening,

Something with soft beats,

Maybe some jazz vibes,

Whatever helps you to relax.

And music can seriously change the whole mood of your night.

And the third this week's in is No Tech Zone.

Yes,

We are doing it.

Just design a space in your room where you are going to put your phone and your laptop and everything with the blue light screens.

And just let's bring back a little bit of peace to our evenings.

This week's out are Scrolling Before Bed.

Yeah,

We all do it,

Right?

So let's be real.

Nothing good comes from scrolling through Instagram at midnight.

Let's try to cut back on that,

OK?

The second this week's out is Late Night Work Emails.

I know,

I know.

Of course,

I know that sometimes you just have to check,

But if you can,

Just try to set a boundary for yourself because work can wait until the morning,

OK?

And the third this week's out,

It's Bright Overhead Lighting.

And if you are just settling down,

The harsh lights are definitely a no-go.

Think some soft or warm lamps or candles to just set the mood.

And trust me,

Your eyes will definitely thank you for that.

OK,

So now that we got our journaling and our trends out of the way,

Let's get right into the main event.

And it's the Crafting the Perfect Evening and Night Routine for you.

And this is something I'm super passionate about because,

Honestly,

How you end your day can really set the tone for the next one.

So let's just chat a little bit about winding down.

So the first thing I want to talk about is setting a consistent bedtime.

Yeah,

I know it sounds kind of boring,

But hear me out,

Guys.

Your body loves routines and going to the bed at the same time every night can help to regulate your internet clock.

It can also make it easier for you to fall asleep and also to wake up.

Plus,

Once when you got into the groove,

It's like your body knows it's just time to chill out.

And of course,

I'm not saying that you have to be in the bed by 9 p.

M.

Every night unless that's your thing.

No judgment.

I also try to do that.

But finding a time that works for you and sticking to it as much as you possibly can,

It can make such a big difference.

And I started also aiming for around like 10 ish p.

M.

And honestly,

It's been a game changer.

I feel so much more rested and ready to tackle the day,

You know,

Guys.

And the next thing what I wanted to talk about is unplugging from electronics.

I also put it into our ins and outs list.

But hear me out.

This one is hard.

I get it.

And we are all just glued to our phones.

And it's so tempting to just scroll through social media or just to binge watch Netflix before bed.

But actually,

The blue light from screen can really mess up with your sleep.

It's like telling your brain,

Hey,

It's still daytime.

We can scroll down.

We can have some fun.

But when you're actually trying to win down,

You know,

It's not a good thing.

So here is what I've been trying to do or I've been doing.

I set an alarm on my phone for actually an hour before I want to go to bed.

So around 9 p.

M.

Ish.

And then the alarm goes off.

That's the time to start shutting things down.

I will plug my phone and somewhere just away from my bed.

I also turn off the TV if I'm watching something and I will just let myself to disconnect and be with myself.

And OK,

It's it's very tough at first.

But once when you will get used to it,

It's seriously like freeing.

And now this is a little bit weird,

But I swear by it.

It's a taking warm bath or shower before bed.

And there is something just about warm water that just relax your muscles and also your mind.

But you can also add some Epsom salt or a few drops of essential oils like lavender or eucalyptus,

And you can just create your own little spa experience at home.

It's just so fun.

And I got into this habit of doing this most nights,

Especially when I had a long or stressful day.

And it's just such a nice way to wash off the day,

Literally.

And when you get out,

Your body's temperature drops slightly,

Which can actually help you feel sleepy.

And it's like your body's natural way of weaning down.

And another thing that I think is super important is practicing gratitude before bed.

I know we talked about journaling earlier and also in the previous episodes.

It is just a little bit different because before you go to bed,

You can just take a moment to think about just a few things you are grateful for.

And of course,

It doesn't have to be anything big,

Maybe just that you had a nice meal or that you just got through a tough day.

And if you are going to focus on something positive,

It can definitely help to shift your mindset.

And it can also make you feel more at peace before you just drift off.

And I also like to do this while I am lying in bed,

Right before I close my eyes.

And it's really just a calming way to end off the day.

And it can also help me focus on what's good in my life rather than kind of stressing about what went wrong.

And okay,

Let's talk about stretching or doing a gentle yoga before bed.

This is something I only recently started doing because usually I've done yoga in the mornings,

But it just quickly become one of my favorite parts of my night routine.

And you don't need to do anything crazy,

Just a few simple stretches to help release any tension and relax your body.

So I usually spend around like five to I would say 10 minutes doing some light stretches,

Just focusing on area where I tend to carry stress.

So for example,

Like my shoulders or my neck,

Definitely.

There are also tons of bedtimes yoga videos on YouTube and they are just perfect for this.

And it's also just a great way to physically let go of the day stress and prepare your body for sleep.

So this is what I've been doing recently.

And also let's not forget about herbal teas.

I know that I touched on this in the other episodes,

But seriously,

Like warm cup of tea in the evening can do wonders.

I swear.

Like peppermint or lavender teas.

There are just so many options out there that can really help you feel relaxed and just get ready for the bed.

And my current fave is like chamomile blend with hint of vanilla.

And it's like a warm hug in a mug,

I would say,

And it's just make me feel so cozy in the evening.

And plus just the act of making these kind of like a meditation itself.

I have a feeling that you think,

And it's just like a small ritual that will help me to signal my body that it's just time to wind down.

And now we can go into something that might not be so obvious,

But preparing your sleep environment as your bedroom should be like a sanctuary or just a place where you can like fully relax and get a good night's sleep.

And this means that you should just make sure that your room is cool and dark and quiet.

It's also some blackout curtains can make a world of difference.

And I swear.

And the curtains just,

You know,

Can keep out annoying street lights.

And also if you want,

You can also wear an air plug.

So it will just keep out the random sounds that might wake you up during the night.

And if you can also keep your room tidy because there is nothing worse than trying to relax in a cluttered space,

I swear.

Another biggie is avoiding heavy meals and caffeine before bed.

I know it's just something so obvious and sometimes you just need that late night snack,

But really try to keep it light.

Maybe snack on,

I don't know,

A banana or a handful of nuts instead of something super,

Super heavy.

And as for caffeine,

I try to cut myself off by around early afternoon.

It really does help to avoid that restless feeling when you're trying to fall asleep and you should avoid caffeine.

I think it's around seven hours before you actually want to go to sleep.

So yeah,

Around early afternoon.

And now this might be a little bit fun one,

But it's listening to calming music or sleep podcast.

And I also gotten really into this lately because there is something so soothing about just listening to soft music or guided meditation is you are just weaning down.

And it's also like having a,

I don't know,

Lullaby for adults.

I have the feeling.

And I have also a huge playlist on my phone that is just designed for bedtime.

It's also full of soft songs that just help me relax.

And if you are into podcasts,

There are also a ton of sleep podcasts with gentle voices and calming stories or some kind of meditation.

And you can also find some of my own night meditations or insight timer or also,

I think that I publish it on my podcast as well.

If you are just going to scroll down,

You will find some evening meditations.

So you can also try to listen to one of those.

And I just think that it's really nice way to kind of like transition from the chaos of the day to just a peaceful,

Nice sleep.

And last,

But definitely not least,

Let's try to talk a little bit about creating a bedtime ritual.

This can be just a combination of everything we've talked about,

Whatever just feels right for you.

Just the key is the consistency,

Because when you do the same things in the same order,

Every single night,

Your body starts to recognize it as a signal that it's just time to be down.

So for me,

It just looks something like that.

I will turn off my electronics,

Then I will just take a warm shower,

Sip on some herbal tea while I'm doing a little journaling,

And then I will just stretch for a few more minutes.

And then I will just settle into bed with some calming music.

And it's just been a small ritual that I look forward to every single night.

And it really helps me to transition from just the busyness of the day into,

Like I said,

A restful night's sleep.

So I think that we should kind of like recap all of the key habits we talk about.

So the first one is set consistent bedtime.

Second,

Unplug from electronics,

Take a warm bath or shower,

Practice gratitude,

Stretch or do some general yoga,

Sip on some herbal teas,

Prepare your sleep environment,

Avoid heavy meals and caffeine,

Listen to calming music or sleep podcast,

Create a bedtime ritual.

So maybe you can also start with one or two of these habits.

You don't need to start with all of them.

And you will just see how it works for you.

And also you should just remember that it's all about creating a routine that can really help you to relax and prepare for good night's sleep.

And it's not about accomplishing everything at once and accomplishing every single habit in one day.

It's just about creating the routine that really works for you.

And I think that's a wrap on today's episode.

So I hope that you found something helpful and maybe even a little bit inspiring because really your evening routine is such a personal thing and it can really set the tone for how you feel not just at night,

But also throughout the day too.

So give some of these tips a try and you can also see what works for you.

And if you enjoyed this episode,

Don't forget to subscribe,

Leave a review or share it with a friend.

I love hearing from you.

So feel free to reach out on my social media or also you can drop me an email.

We can also keep the conversation going.

So thank you so much for spending this time with me.

I will see you in the next episode and until then,

Sweet dreams,

My friend.