6 evening rituals to calm and prepare you for sleep
Struggle to unwind at bedtime? Consider one of these dreamy night-time rituals to create a sense of calm and help soothe your nervous system as you prepare to catch some Zzz’s.
Try Self-Massage: Choose your favourite Embodyme Nurturing Body Oil and apply it to your body using firm, slow strokes starting at your feet and moving upwards. Finish the ritual with a sensuous head or hand massage to lull you into sleep. We love Peace at bedtime, and keep it by our bedside table within reach every evening before bed.
Listening To Calming Audio: Many people choose to fall asleep while listening to a sleep podcast or sleep music. Curate your own playlist of slumber-inducing sounds to soothe you, or find a sleep story that resonates with you. Studies have shown binaural beats are an effective tool to fight stress and anxiety and have a positive impact on sleep, so have a look around on Spotify for sounds that fit with this. Sleep podcasts are another excellent way to wind down, or try a guided meditation that’s slow and repetitive.
Sip A Sleep Tea: Is there anything more soothing than a warm cup of tea? Choose a delicious brew that incorporates herbs like chamomile, lavender and passionflower - all of these are excellent herbs to brew as a tea before bed as a ritual to signal it's time to slow down.
Relax Into Yoga Nidra: Yoga Nidra is a form of meditation where you lay down (in Savasana Pose) and are guided on a blissful journey that falls somewhere in between being awake and falling asleep. Breathwork, mindfulness and self-awareness are key components of this incredibly relaxing practice. There are thousands of free teachings online but we love Insight Timer.
Stretch Your Legs: Stretching your legs up the wall is a simple yet effective stretch that can be done to end your day. Simply lie on your bed or on the floor with your legs placed vertically up the wall. This stretch helps to relieve any tension or muscle cramps, not to mention it's incredibly relaxing.
Give Breathwork A Go: It may sound simple, but breathwork is an excellent ritual to try at the end of your day. There are so many ways to breathe, from a simple long and slow inhale and exhale, to box breathing. Our pick for bedtime is a deep belly breath with a ratio of 4:6 - breathing in for 4 seconds and exhaling for 6. Adding a longer exhale to let it all go will aid in preparing yourself for a restful night's sleep. Sleep tight.
YOUR REMINDER -
Before you drift off, place a couple of drops of the Embodyme Peace Body Oil into the palms of your hands and rub them together briskly to warm them. Place one hand over your heart and one on your tummy. Take a nice long inhale, and a slow exhale. Bliss.
Looking for more inspiration? Follow @embodyme_daily or sign up The Weekly to discover more ways to create your own Daily Rituals for Self Care each week.