9 Soothing Self-Care Night Routine Ideas for Sunday
Sundays can provoke anxiety as we look ahead to the week. Rather than spending your precious last hours of the weekend dreading Monday, I recommend crafting an intentional self-care night routine. Incorporating relaxing rituals into your Sunday evening helps you unwind, clear your mind, and prioritize self-nurturing.
As a life coach who specializes in mindfulness and wellbeing, Sunday nights are when I double down on my own soothing activities to instill calm and mentally prepare. Here are my favorite ideas I suggest to clients:
Unwind with a Long, Indulgent Bath
Draw yourself a warm bubble bath infused with Epsom salts and essential oils like lavender or eucalyptus. Dim the lights, light some candles, queue up a relaxing playlist, and soak away all tension. Let the water wash your cares down the drain. Focus on your breathing as you clear your mind and decompress. A long, languorous bath signals to your mind and body that it’s time for rest.
Do Gentle Bedtime Yoga
Incorporate some gentle, restorative yoga poses like child’s pose, legs up the wall, or seated twists before crawling into bed. These stretches help release tight muscles, improve circulation, and put you in a calm headspace. The deep breathing and mind-body awareness of yoga primes you for high quality sleep. Hold poses for several slow breaths, noticing how your body feels.
Sip Sleep-Promoting Herbal Tea
Caffeine-free herbal teas in the evening provide comfort while promoting sleep. Chamomile, passionflower, valerian root, and lavender infusions are all natural sedatives. The warmth feels soothing. Slowly sipping tea as you unwind cues your body that bedtime approaches. Have a cup while journaling, reading, or meditating to maximize the relaxing ritual.
Write Out Your Thoughts in a Journal
Processing your thoughts and feelings by writing them out is profoundly calming. Journaling helps release any mental tension or worry from the week. Note the things you feel grateful for and your personal wins. Empty your mind onto the page so you can start the new week fresh. Writing by lamplight feels cozy and reflective.
Try a Guided Sleep Meditation
Apps like Calm offer wonderful guided meditations designed specifically for sleep preparation. Even 10 minutes can make a noticeable difference in slowing your racing thoughts and inducing a sense of tranquility ideal for quality rest. Breathing deeply while focusing on the speaker’s cues blocks out distractions. Make bedtime meditation part of your routine.
Listen to Calming Music
Curate playlists of soft instrumentals, nature sounds, binaural beats or whatever music helps calm your nervous system. Have this soothing soundscape on in the background as you potter around completing your evening wind-down rituals. Music is such a powerful tool for evoking emotional states – take advantage by setting a chilled-out mood.
Do Light Stretches
Simple seated or standing stretches for your neck, shoulders, lower back, hamstrings and hips can help release accumulated tension and get your muscles prepped for bed. Hold stretches like seated forward fold or a supine twist for a few deep breaths. Full-body stretching creates lightness.
Read a Chapter of a Book
Allow yourself to get lost in the pages of a captivating novel or inspiring non-fiction read. Avoid stimulating electronic devices – read an actual physical book. When your mind is absorbed in a story or learning something new, you tend to forget daily worries. Let yourself unwind through the joy of reading before switching off the light.
Make Your Sleep Space Ultra Cozy
Light a candle, use an essential oil diffuser, put on cozy pajamas, play soothing music – create an environment conducive to relaxation. Having a comforting nest helps your mindset shift to being ready for sleep. Develop cues that signal your body it’s time for bed.
Routinely taking time for self-care on Sunday evenings has benefits radiating through your whole week. You start off on the right foot feeling energized, focused, and calm rather than anxious. Consistent rituals beget lasting wellbeing. I hope these ideas inspire you to customize your own Sunday night self-nurturing routine.