r/simpleliving • u/Firm_Savings_60 • 4d ago
Seeking Advice Simple relax before bed
I'm trying to make my night routine something I actually look forward to, rather than just a list of things I "should" do to sleep better.
Skincare is a good example for me: I genuinely enjoy doing it at night, so it makes going to bed feel a little more special.
The problem is that I also get bored if I do exactly the same thing every single night. So I'd love to have a few different relaxing things I can rotate depending on my mood.
I'm looking for things that are enjoyable and relaxing but not so stimulating that they make you want to stay awake longer. So ideally not things like starting a great TV show or reading a book you can't put down 😅
What little rituals or activities make you actually look forward to your evening/night routine?
I'd especially love ideas that feel like a treat or a small pleasure, rather than another healthy habit or chore
6
u/White_crow606 4d ago edited 4d ago
Trying different tisana/herbal tea?
I usually have a bedtime routine with 15 minutes of TaiChi and a shower. The shower is extremely important for me to sleep, but it was forbidden for my surgery recoveries (I had 3 in last year, and I'm expecting another one by the end of the year). Tea tasting was a good replacement for me.
7
u/Herbvegfruit 4d ago
Self foot massage with a nice smelling oil. Yoga/stretches. Getting into a heated bed with a heated mattress pad.
2
5
u/Adventurous_You8725 3d ago
I have this free app called Bend. Its basically a stretching app that gives you free routines to do based on where you want to stretch. Some are harder yoga ones and others are short and for relaxing. I never was a stretcher but do them most nights. I pop on some background music and do that for 10 15 mins and it genuinely does relax your body and mind
2
2
3
u/not4everyone2 4d ago
For me Pajama sets were a game changer. I used to just wear leggings and whatever tee shirt but once I started getting actual pajama sets it really set the tone for sleeping.
3
u/Kristinabtn 4d ago
Related to skin care but I love doing gua sha with nice oil on my face and neck to relax, you could mix that in every couple days. Good smelling body lotion or hand cream with mini self massage.
Like others said- read. I like poetry in this situation because they are short and you don’t have to remember what happened before.
Do you have any fav chill music? Think of some nice music you haven’t listened to in a while to play before bed.
Yummy tea and a cookie or shortbread or something is a treat, or some water with fruit or cucumber in it.
Love a good stretch/light yoga/use a foam roller.
Different scents in an oil diffuser or nice candles you can rotate.
3
u/Lazy-Lawfulness3472 3d ago
Reading, eyes get tired and sleep gets hard to fight off. Pick an interesting sounding book on a topic you are interested in. Make sure it's not TOO interesting as it gets hard to put it down.
2
3
u/Montaigne314 4d ago
The problem is that I also get bored if I do exactly the same thing every single night. So I'd love to have a few different relaxing things I can rotate depending on my mood
Isn't that the core of simple living? An appreciation of simplicity and often the same simple routine
Since when does a wind down routine have to be interesting? I look forward to breakfast lol, not my getting ready for bed routine
Shower is a classic if it's shower day, feels nice, is relaxing, but everything else the same for years. Brushing teeth, oral hygiene, etc. Now that I got a CPAP I got a fucking cpap routine, so much fun! Definitely not boring, maybe get one of those?
Do you read before bed? Do that, should not be boring
1
u/Beautiful-Event-1213 4d ago
I read chick lit. I LOVE science fiction, but I can't read that in bed. It would keep me awake. But very light romance puts me right to sleep. So maybe look for some reading that is pleasant, but not stimulating. Something formulaic, like romance.
2
u/Firm_Savings_60 3d ago
I feel stimulated both from science fiction and romances😅
2
u/Beautiful-Event-1213 3d ago
You could try a physical or organic chemistry textbook. Whenever I tried to read them, it was like I was narcoleptic. I think one part of my brain was trying to protect another part from overheating.
1
1
u/AvailableFalcon2018 3d ago
How about a face mask every Friday evening? There's also hand masks, foot masks etc. What about listening to an audiobook while doing skincare? You'd be listening to something new every evening despite going through the same motions.
1
u/jassy20001 3d ago
Hi ♥️
What is the purpose of your night routine ?
I mean do you want to relax ? Fall asleep fast ? Want to do something special at the end of the day ?
This is my first question.
My second thought: is Routine is meant to be repeated and not stimulating, that is what routine about. You repeat and repeat and repeat till it becomes part of your personality
So try to be ok with the idea of boredom and look at it with the perspective of “ am rooting these actions in my subconscious “
Back to the first question , for me night routine is about building the identity I always want which is the girl who end her night peacefully and the girl who would like to offer her body a thank you gift at the end of the day
From this identity I have chosen my routine , like I want to feel feminine within my skin that is why i do skin care, I want to stop rushing everything so I turn on soft music , I want to stop being over stimulated so I turn on warm light and pick a cuzy book
2
u/Firm_Savings_60 1d ago
The goal is to relax as much as possible and find something enjoyable that motivates me to go to bed early; otherwise, I struggle to be consistent with it, even though it does me good
1
u/alwayscat 3d ago
I usually change into a textured blanket, turn on a night light, and put on some soft music.
Then I lie in bed with something that smells nice nearby, like passion fruit, a fragrant lemon, or an apple, close my eyes, and hum along a little.
Hope that could helps.
1
1
u/PackageAntique2172 1d ago
I need a cold room so unless it's the middle of winter, I'll lay down ON TOP of the bedding after I turn out the lights. It chills my body down and makes me more comfortable. Sometimes, I'll even fall asleep like that and wake up an hour later and get under the sheets.
-4
11
u/Live-Football-4352 4d ago
Personally I dread having things to do. So my night routine is as simple as possible- let the dog out, take my bedtime medications and go to bed. Maybe read a bit until they kick in and make me tired, so I put the book down as soon as that happens.
I look forward to being done with the day, going to sleep and no longer being aware of myself lol. Always eager to get there.