How to Makeover Your Evening Routine for Optimal Rest and Less Stress

Are you stuck having sleepless nights, waking up just to hit snooze on your alarm clock? Do you skip sleep to check off more things on your to-do list, and wake up moody and rushed?

You need sleep. A full night’s sleep every single night. So to help you get the optimal rest your body needs, I’ve put together a few ways to change your evening routine so that you can wake up rested and excited every morning.

Plus, setting aside a little time each night for yourself is one the best things you can do for you.

Be Active

One of the best ways to relax and de-stress is to get up and move around. In the evening, go for a walk around the block or head to the gym for a low-intensity workout. If you’re hesitant about doing an intense workout before bed, that’s perfectly fine, in fact it’s recommended that you don’t. Instead, try some yoga with deep breathing—it will relax your body and calm your mind.

Have a Mini De-clutter Session

When you wake up to a messy house and you have to spend extra time digging through clutter to get ready, you’re not going to feel too excited for the day. That’s why I recommend taking 15-20 minutes each night—before you start getting ready for bed—to clean up as much of your house as you can. Try starting with the areas of your home that you’ll use in the morning, like the bathroom and kitchen, and then go from there.

Prepare for Tomorrow

I’m sure at some point or another you’ve been late in the morning because you couldn’t decide on what to wear or you had to take extra time to pack your lunch. If you incorporate taking care of these small details before you go to bed, it will make your mornings a little smoother. Try laying out your clothes and shoes for the next day. This will help reduce the amount of decisions you have to make. Also, prepare your lunch for the next day as you’re cleaning up your dinner. Take five extra minutes and pack your lunch while your kitchen is already a mess and all your food is out.

Take a Relaxing Bath

Practicing self-care is key to optimal rest and less stress, and enjoying a relaxing bath is a great way to recharge after a day at the office, running various errands, or chasing kids. It’s also the perfect place to pamper yourself. Start with hot water and add in a cup of Epsom salts with Lavender or doTERRA Serenity. Make your time in the tub all about you—apply a deep conditioner to your hair or a facemask to your skin and let them soak in during your whole bath. Take full advantage of this alone time to recenter yourself.

Start your Diffuser

Using your oils to relax and recenter is one of the best ways to de-stress. Three of my favorite oils for finding peace at the end of the day are Balance, Console, and Serenity.

Balance was created to help ground emotions. It is formulated with emotionally beneficial essential oils that work together to create a sense of calmness and wellbeing. Console is the perfect oil for the end of a hard day. Created to promote feelings of comfort and hope, diffuse this oil when you are feeling overwhelmed. Serenity is a restful blend created to encourage calm emotions and lessen feelings of tension. It is the perfect oil to diffuse while falling asleep.

Avoid Screen Time

I know, this one may just be the hardest one on here, but the bright light from our screens triggers our brains to wake up and keep working. Instead of staring at your phone or watching TV, as you drift off to sleep, use the time right before bed to read a good book, try coloring in a coloring book, or journaling what you’re grateful for. Nothing builds more happiness and peace than recognizing the things in your life you are most thankful to have.

Take some time to reflect on your day and set goals for tomorrow in your journal as well. This time spent in the real world away from your phone will help your brain know it is time for rest.

Now, I’d love to know, which of these things do you already do? What are you going to work to incorporate? And which thing do you think would be hardest for you to make a habit?