Sleep deeper: 8 Ayurvedic tips for a blissful bedtime routine
There is a heavy emphasis on morning routine in Ayurveda, but having an evening routine is also important. How we spend the last few hours of the day can have a big impact on our sleep, which is our body’s chance to clear toxins, restore and renew.
Creating an evening routine shouldn’t be complicated. In fact, you probably have some kind of evening routine already. For example, making dinner, bathing, brushing your teeth or washing your face. If you do these things at a similar time every day, you may notice that your body starts to get sleepy as you go through these evening tasks.
A good evening routine is one that helps you wind down, let go of the day, and get ready for sleep. If what you’re already doing has this effect, that’s great! You may not need to add more steps to your routine, but perhaps simply bring more intention to the things you’re already doing. A face washing/moisturizing ritual can be wonderfully relaxing if you do it with a calm mind and the intention of self-love.
A note on insomnia and sleep issues: the root of these problems is often a vata imbalance. Vata is the energy of movement, and so too much movement within the body or the mind can make it hard to settle into the stillness of a good night’s sleep. Vata energy is highest during the fall season, so if your sleep feels like it’s off right now, that could be a reason why. Anything that balances vata is also great for helping you get a better night’s sleep, and vice-versa! Getting enough sleep balances vata and the more balanced your vata, the better you will sleep. So wherever you are in this cycle, you just have to start with small changes to see the effects! You can read more tips on simple ways to balance vata here.
In last week’s blog I shared my step-by-step morning routine. If you haven’t read that yet, I encourage you to check it out, because truthfully, everything we do in our day from the moment we wake up plays into how well we are able to relax, wind down, and eventually drift off peacefully to sleep at the end of a long day. But this week I want to share my not-so-official “official” evening routine, along with some suggestions to tailor it to your own needs.
1. Intentional completion of the work day
My evening routine begins when I end work for the day. I strive for this to be a conscious transition, rather than rushing to answer all my emails until my husband gets home or I have to pull myself away to make dinner. If you’re one of the many people who has transitioned to working at home this year, you may share this same struggle of creating good work/life boundaries.
Kate Northrup, author of the book Do Less, has taught me a lot about using the cycles of nature in my own work routines. This is also an important concept in Ayurveda, as the three doshas cycle throughout the seasons, throughout the moon cycle, and throughout the day. Each day we complete a mini cycle that has a beginning, a middle, and an end.
When I make a conscious effort to have a moment of culmination or completion at the end of my work day, it makes a difference. I feel both more ready to let the day go, and more prepared for the next day. When I’m done with my work, I take a few minutes to look at my tasks for the day, assess what I got done, and write down what still needs to be completed or what I want to focus on the next day.
If you want to take it one step further, you could do some journaling on the following questions: What lit me up, excited or inspired me today? What brought me unexpected pleasure today?
When I do this exercise it trains me to acknowledge the good things that happened during the day rather than focusing on all the things I didn’t get done. Plus, it’s super sweet to have a little record or what brought you joy each day that you can flip back on when you’re feeling down.
2. Transition time
After I complete my work and shut down my computer, I like to give myself 10-30 minutes to do something nice for myself, before I see my anyone else and get into the rest of the evening. I used to have a long commute home every day, and while that kind of sucked, it was also kind of nice. Mindless time to listen to music or a podcast, or just be alone with my thoughts. This year, this kind of “in-between” time feels like it’s a thing of the past.
These days, my favorite activities to do in this “transition time” include some gentle yoga, a walk around the neighborhood, a guided meditation or pranayama (breathwork) class, or even just lying on my floor, using my foam roller or therapy balls to do a little self-massage. Basically, anything that gets my out of my head, where I’ve been most of the day, and back into my body. On really full days, just a five minute meditation or roll on the floor is so much better than nothing.
3. Light, early dinner
This lifestyle habit really goes against western culture and the way we’re used to doing things in modern society, but is an important aspect of a healthy routine according to Ayurveda. Many of us think of dinner as the biggest or heaviest meal of the day, but according to Ayurveda, our biggest meal should be at lunch; dinner should be light and simple.
Especially in the fall and winter season, warm soups, stews, curries or kitchari make great dinners. But if it feels too hard to change what you’re used to making for dinner, just think about eating a little less! Start with a small bowl of whatever you’ve made, and check in with your body before you go back for seconds. I find that when I eat a big lunch, I really need much less food in the evening than I think I do. That said – don’t deprive yourself just because you’ve heard of Ayurvedic “rules” that say you should eat less for dinner! Always listen to your body and make healthy decisions from there.
As far as timing goes, it’s ideal to eat dinner before the sun sets, as our digestive fire is considered to be weaker after dark. It’s not always possible to do this in the dark winter months, but I do the best I can. I recommend trying to eat no later than 7pm, to give your body time to digest fully before bed. (We’re getting to the ideal bedtime soon… it’s all part of the plan.)
4. Shut down the screens
Ah yes, the number-one rule in the ancient Ayurvedic texts is: you must not look at Instagram past 8pm. I kid, I kid. But if iPhones had been a thing back then, I can only imagine all the warnings and parameters that would have been written about them! Personally, I have learned from experience that if I spend time on my phone or computer at night I will go down all sorts of rabbit holes that all lead to me feeling either wired or depleted.
I use the downtime function on my phone starting at 8pm, which automatically turns off all my apps. At 9pm, I take it a step further and put my phone on airplane mode, where it stays until about 9am the following morning. I think we all deserve a good 12 hours with no notifications.
I often end up watching television or movies at night – my husband and I both went to film school and are big film nerds, so this is a way we connect and enjoy spending our time. I know that tv at night is a habit for most Americans, and I don’t think it’s necessarily bad. Like anything, it’s good to be conscious and consume in moderation. If I watch things that are too violet, scary or upsetting before bed, I know that can affect my sleep and even my mood the next day.
Most nights I make sure we finish whatever we’re watching at least 30 minutes to an hour before my “lights out” time, so that I can get a little space for my bedtime ritual and move away from any type of screens for the end of my day.
5. Bedtime beverage
There’s something about holding a warm mug of tea or milk in your hands that’s so comforting and cozy. Especially in the winter months, I look forward to this every night. I’m actually really proud of this habit, because I can so easily remember the days where I ended many nights with a glass of wine… or a bottle. I remember thinking, if I could just stop associating relaxation with alcohol, and associate it with something healthy, my life would be so much better!
Now that I’ve traded in the wine for warm milk my life is indeed better. My sleep is better, my mood is better, my energy is better… I mean, the list goes on and on, but that’s another story! Whether you like the idea of making a yummy, warm, spiced bedtime milk, or prefer a cup of hot tea, I highly recommend finding a beverage that helps trigger those warm and fuzzy bedtime feelings.
Currently I’m taking an herbal blend of equal parts shatavari, ashwagandha and brahmi. I mix the powdered herbs with honey or ghee, and warm almond milk. These adaptogenic herbs are great for balancing hormones and calming the mind – but I recommend checking with an Ayurvedic practitioner or an herbalist before you start combining different herbs for yourself. For a simple “golden milk” recipe, check out this blog.
If you want to keep it simple, you can buy some chamomile or lavender tea, or find your favorite night time blend – most organic tea companies will offer a nice one! If you have a lot of anxiety or a really hard time winding down at night, you might want to experiment with something a little stronger like skullcap or passionflower. Banyan Botanicals recently came out with a new “Mellow Mind” tea blend that looks great for bedtime – I haven’t tried it yet but I just ordered some!
6. Oil your feet
Ok, if you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you knew the oil was coming at some point! Ayurveda’s cure for pretty much everything is oil, somewhere on or in the body. For a super simple and grounding bedtime routine, massage warm sesame oil onto your feet. You’re going to want to wear socks after this, so you don’t get your bed oily. I certainly don’t do this every night, but it’s nice when my nervous system is feeling on edge.
You could also do a full body oil massage, followed by a bath… I’m just saying. It’s pretty blissful.
7. Make your sleep space sacred
I remember my teacher Katie Silcox doing a podcast last year where she reprimanded everyone for having bedside tables cluttered with dozens of bottles of lotion. Generally, it’s a great idea to keep your bedroom as simple and spacious as possible. Stacks of books, spare change, piles of lotion bottles… it’s not conducive to peaceful sleep.
After you’ve cleared your space a bit, you might want to add in some elements to make it feel more sacred. I keep a lavender candle on my nightstand and a good book in my drawer, and try to read a few pages when I get in bed. You could try an essential oil diffuser with calming scents, some relaxing music, or a journaling ritual. Things that engage our five senses really help the “rest and digest” nervous system come online. That’s why soothing smells, soft blankets, dim lights and peaceful sounds make great bedtime cues.
8. Lights out by 10
Is 10pm a magic number? According to Ayurveda, yes. I mentioned earlier that the three doshas cycle throughout the day, and 10pm is the start of pitta time. Pitta energy is intense, hot, focused and sharp. If you’ve had the experience of staying up late and getting a second wind, that’s pitta! (To read more about the doshas and the times of day, click here!)
I’ve really found it to be true for myself that if I am in bed before 10pm, I have a much easier time falling asleep. If you’re a night owl and like to use this pitta time to get work done, I’m not saying it’s inherently wrong. But if sleep is something that eludes you, an earlier bedtime can help – though it may seem counterintuitive!
Above all, vata is soothed by routine. So pick one of these habits to try, commit to it for at least two weeks, and see if it makes a difference in your sleep patterns.
Whether you’re new to bedtime routines or have a solid one that you swear by, I’d love to hear about it. Just comment below and let me know what works for you!