Last Updated December 23, 2023 by Davina Kelly
Do you want to learn how to create a productive night routine? In this post, I will share some helpful ideas.
Creating a good night routine can have many benefits. It can help to improve sleep quality, make time for self-care and set you up for a productive next day.
As someone who thrives when having a routine, I will share some habits that have helped me become more productive.
This post is all about a productive night routine.
Benefits of Having a Productive Night Routine
There are many benefits of having a productive night routine. Your night routine in many ways dictates how the next day goes.
If you create a routine that works well for you, you can set yourself up for a super productive next day and get all the essential things done.
You can also get good quality sleep which will have you waking up feeling refreshed!
Our bodies naturally follow a circadian rhythm which is essentially the body’s internal 24-hour clock. The most important part of this rhythm is the sleep-wake cycle.
This means in the mornings our bodies crave sunlight and feel more awake and at night we feel sleepy. In the evening we release a hormone called melatonin which makes us feel tired and signals to our body it is time to sleep. You can read more about it here.
So if we create a routine that works with our body’s circadian rhythm it can have many benefits such as improving digestion, feeling more alert, and performing better throughout the day.
Know Your Why
Understanding why you want to create a productive night routine will make the things you need to prioritise in your routine clear.
For example, if you want to create a productive night routine because you are not getting enough sleep and want to work towards fixing your sleep schedule.
This will mean getting to bed on time is a priority. You can then create a routine that includes habits to help you sleep better.
You can include things like doing a yoga flow for bedtime which will include movements to help your body feel relaxed and you can drink herbal tea that includes valerian root which is an herb that helps improve sleep. Think about why you want to create a routine and the things that are a priority for you.
How To Create a Productive Night Routine:
Choose An Optimal Bedtime
Before we get into the finer details of creating a productive night routine, we must decide the best time to go to bed.
Knowing your bedtime will let you know what time you need to start your routine and how much time you have to complete it.
Having an optimal bedtime means you can have good quality sleep and can wake up early in the morning. Even if you are not a morning person, having good quality sleep is important for your health. When we sleep our bodies have time to rest, repair and recover which is very important for our overall health.
How To Choose An Optimal Bedtime
An easy way to choose an optimal bedtime is to think about what time you need to wake up in the morning. Once you know your wake-up time you can work backwards.
For example, if you need to wake up at 6 am, an optimal bedtime is 10 pm. Going to bed at 10 pm will allow you to get 8 hours of sleep which is within the recommended amount of hours we should sleep each night (experts recommend between 7 – 9 hours).
Now that you have decided on a 10 pm bedtime, you know what time your routine needs to start and be completed. For example, if your routine takes 2 hours to complete, you will know that you need to start it by 8 pm.
This doesn’t have to be perfect and your routine doesn’t need to be 2 hours long. The point here is that you know what time you need to be in bed and allow yourself enough time to complete your routine. I have struggled with this in the past, but I found that once I started going to bed at the same time each night, my body adapted quickly.
Plan For The Next Day
Planning your day the night before is a game-changer! Doing this allows you to be organised and set yourself up for a productive day.
It is like having a head start, you begin your day already knowing what you need to get done. This will also help you to be prepared mentally. Having a plan for your day can reduce stress and stop you from feeling overwhelmed especially if you have a long to-do list.
You can keep this simple by writing down the important things you need to get done, or you could take it further and include the tasks in your calendar and add time blocks.
Do what works best for you, the important thing is to write a list so that you know what you need to do. I used to use a diary, but now I use Notion as I find it helpful to see everything on my phone and make adjustments without having to cross things out.
I would recommend having 3 important tasks for your day. They can be simple things like answering emails, doing laundry, and making it to your appointment on time.
If you have many tasks on your list, I would recommend choosing the top 3 tasks, making them a priority, and tackling them first.
Doing this will give you a sense of accomplishment and you will want to continue that throughout your day.
Move Your Body
Moving your body in the evening is a great way to check in with your body to see what it needs.
After a long day of work, you may be feeling mentally drained, or you may feel like you need to stretch your legs. Whatever you feel your body needs you should honour it, that could sometimes mean no movement as you may need rest.
Some good options for moving your body in the evening are as follows.
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Walking outdoors
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Yoga
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Pilates
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Stretching
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Light jog
Moving your body in the evening has other great benefits such as contributing to better sleep and clearing your mind. I find that when I do yoga or go for a run I can clear my mind as I am just focused on the movement and breathing. I always feel really good afterwards and my mood improves.
Eat a Nutritious Dinner
We want to nourish our bodies by having a healthy balanced meal. A healthy meal can mean different things to different people and that is fine. The point here is to focus on eating a balanced meal.
This means having a meal that includes all of the macronutrients like protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Eating this way will keep you full and satisfied.
You can keep your meal simple or make it fancy lol it is your choice. Having leftovers for lunch the next day is a great bonus if that is an option.
Clean Up Your Space
Cleaning up your space before you go to bed is a very productive habit to incorporate into your night routine. It is especially beneficial for the future version of you.
If you clean up after yourself in the evening, you will wake up to a clean space in the morning. There is no better feeling than waking up to a clean space.
This doesn’t need to be a deep clean. You can just do the basics like washing the dishes, cleaning the countertops, and straightening up.
If you clean up after yourself consistently you will have less cleaning to do and your space will remain clean.
If you find cleaning too much to do in the evening, you can at least clean the kitchen after dinner and do the rest of the cleaning the next day.
Get Unready
Getting unready after a long day is a good habit to include in your night routine. This will allow you to start unwinding, wash away the day, and start to feel relaxed.
You can have a relaxing hot shower and use your favourite products or you could just do your skincare, brush your teeth, and floss. (Don’t skip out on flossing your teeth now lol it is important for your oral hygiene).
I would recommend having a shower, this is the perfect way to put your body in a relaxed state. You can make it a quick one or a long one depending on how much time you have. You can also make it fun and create a nice vibe by lighting your favourite candle and listening to some relaxing music.
Do what works best for you. But this step is important to include in your routine as it will signal to your brain that it is time to start preparing for sleep.
Set Out Your Clothes For The Next Day
This may seem like a small extra step but it is very helpful. It is part of setting yourself up to have a productive day. It is also one less decision to make in the morning.
The outfit you choose will depend on what you have to do the next day.
For example, if you work from home you may choose something comfortable to wear, or if you work in an office you may want to choose a smart outfit.
It is a good idea to check the weather if you are going to the office, as you want to ensure your outfit is also weather appropriate.
I have forgotten to do this many times in the past and end up either feeling hot because I am wearing long sleeves or too cold because I didn’t bring a jacket lol. So now when I have to work in the office I always check the weather before choosing an outfit.
Drink Some Tea
I really love tea which is why I included this habit lol but drinking a nice herbal tea in the evening has many benefits.
It can help with digestion and help you to relax, and some teas can help to improve your sleep. Drinking tea is also very soothing.
I would recommend drinking herbal tea. It can be any flavour of herbal tea that you enjoy, there are a lot of options specifically for the evening. They include herbs to help you relax such as chamomile and valerian root. Choose one or a few options that you enjoy. You can start with chamomile if you are not sure which one to choose.
Include Something You Enjoy To Unwind
Now that you have gotten unready, you have made tea and you are feeling relaxed you can choose something you enjoy to unwind.
Some good options are watching your favourite TV show, reading a book, or listening to a podcast.
The important thing is that it should be something that you enjoy and something that you can do in a relaxed state.
If you choose to watch your favourite TV show I would recommend watching it while on the sofa. But if you choose to read or listen to a podcast you can do it while laying in bed.
This is because you want your body to associate being in bed with sleeping so you can fall asleep after doing this.
Express Gratitude
Before going to bed it is important to express gratitude in my opinion. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, so why not express gratitude for the day you just experienced?
I know that not every day is a good day, sometimes we have those tough days where everything goes wrong. That is just part of life.
Sometimes you may find that if you have had a tough day and you write down the things you are grateful for, it will improve your mood.
You may also start to feel like your day wasn’t as bad as you thought it was.
You can show gratitude by writing down 3 things you are grateful for, or you could say a prayer.
Choose the method that feels right for you.
Get Into Bed a Little Earlier
I would recommend getting into bed at least 15 – 30 minutes before your bedtime.
This is because it will give your body time to prepare to sleep. If you choose to read or listen to a podcast you may already be in bed earlier which is fine.
Some people can fall asleep as soon as their head hits the pillow, I am not one of those people lol. I need at least 15 minutes to prepare.
So if my bedtime is 10.30 pm, I will get into bed by 10.15 pm at the latest to allow myself enough time to fall asleep.
In the beginning, when you are trying to go to bed earlier you should continue to go to bed at your chosen time even on days when you don’t feel tired.
If you keep doing it after a few weeks your body will adapt and start to fall asleep quicker.
Be Consistent
For your night routine to work you need to do it consistently. Our bodies love routines and will adapt to them quickly.
For example, if I have a shower every night at 9 pm and read a book while laying in bed at 10 pm my body will begin to associate those habits with preparing to sleep.
In time it will adapt and you will begin to fall asleep easier.
Keep It Simple
Your night routine can be productive and it can be simple. Keeping your routine simple will make it easier to stick to.
The habits I have listed are simple, but simple means different things to different people.
The most important habits you need to include in your routine are the habits that best align with your goals.
I mentioned knowing your why before, this is why it is important. Because knowing that will identify the steps that are most important for your routine so you can prioritise those steps.
Also, if something you have included in your routine isn’t working you can change it. Your routine doesn’t need to be rigid, it should work well for you and your needs.
Optional Step
Prepare Breakfast For The Next Morning
Preparing your breakfast the night before is a productive habit to include in your routine. This will give you a head start in the morning.
Here are some breakfast ideas you can prepare the night before.
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Overnight oats
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Chia pudding
If you don’t want to prepare something the night before you can think about what you may want to eat so that you have an idea.
This will mean you have fewer decisions to make in the morning.
Related: How to create a morning routine
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Bedtime Routines Work?
In short, yes they do. As mentioned in this post our bodies love routines, so if we go to sleep at the same time our bodies will adapt quickly.
The best way to make your bedtime routine effective is to do it consistently.
I would recommend choosing an optimal time to go to sleep and then creating a simple routine using the habits listed in this post to help your body unwind and prepare to sleep.
Why 10pm Is The Optimal Bedtime?
10 pm is the optimal time to go to sleep because it is aligned with our circadian rhythm and it is also good for our heart health.
Going to bed late can affect our body clock which can have a negative effect on our cardiovascular health
Our circadian rhythm is triggered by environmental factors such as the sun rising and setting. When the sun sets our bodies start to feel tired because it associates the sun setting with time to slow down. Our bodies release a hormone called melatonin which signals to our body it is time to sleep.
This process happens in the evening so the sooner we go to bed after this the better our quality of sleep is.
How Do You Stick To Your Bedtime?
An easy way to stick to your bedtime is to make it realistic for your lifestyle.
For example, if you finish work at 7 pm it is unrealistic to set an 8 pm bedtime. This is because that won’t leave you a lot of time to have dinner and unwind before going to bed.
Your bedtime needs to be optimal for you, so if you enjoy doing yoga and watching your favourite TV show before bed then you should make time for that.
Once you have made time to include the things you enjoy before bed and have chosen an optimal bedtime you should be consistent with it.
If you find yourself still going to bed later than you should you need to remind yourself of the consequences. For example, if I go to bed late I will be tired and moody in the morning lol this will then have a negative impact on my day. So for me, going to bed late isn’t worth it.
If you love watching movies in the evening that is fine, you just need to start watching them earlier. Make your bedtime routine easy and work with, not against yourself and your needs.
I have shared some helpful habits to include in your night routine. I hope you are now able to create the best routine that you can stick to.
This post is all about a productive night routine.
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How To Create a Morning Routine
Davina Kelly
Hey! I'm Davina, the owner of Davinas Finance Corner. I'm passionate about finding ways to budget, save, earn more money and improve your life. After breaking free from payday loan debt and living paycheck to paycheck I want to share my experience to help other women improve their finances.