Taking some time to wind down at the end of the day can work wonders on your overall health. Developing a nightly wellness ritual can help you get release the tension from the day, get better sleep, and can encourage personal growth and productivity. Routines like this can be especially helpful if you are in a really busy or stressful period of your life. Celebrity yoga instructor Claire Grieve shares her tips for relaxing at the end of the day.
Turn off your phone
Get to know the Do Not Disturb function on your phone, so you are not interrupted or tempted after a certain time. Discipline yourself to resist scrolling social media and googling while in bed. Disengage from technology at the same time every night and put your phone on the charger, so you can recharge your mind and body.
Restorative yoga
Indulging in a few very easy restorative yoga poses, like legs up the wall, before hitting the sack can relax your nervous system as you head towards sleepy-time mode. Keeping a yoga mat within arms- reach of your bed is a smart way to remind yourself to do this.
Savor a cup of tea
Drink a cup of warm chamomile tea. Looking forward to a nightly mug of tea is one of my favorite bedtime rituals. Chamomile or lavender teas will help promote relaxation and deep sleep.
Gratitude
If you struggle with bed time overthinking, tossing and turning, it’s time to hack your thoughts. You can do this by creating the habit of keeping a gratitude journal. Writing out 3 things that you are grateful for before bed can help ensure proper rest.
Take a bath
An Epsom salt bath is a surefire way to get the relaxing and soothing benefits of magnesium right into your system. A bath is also an easy way to calm your nervous system and allow your mind to unwind. Add a few drops of essential oils to ease your tension.
Meditate
A short, gentle progressive relaxation meditation will encourage a deeper rest. Start at your feet and work up. Tense and relax each area of your body. This helps us to be aware of any strain we are holding and lets the muscles know it is time to let go and relax for
These are just a few tools that I use and recommend to my clients, but different people respond to different practices. Find exercises that help you feel calm and grounded and make your nightly ritual your own.