<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve written before about our morning routine<\/a> and how it keeps our home humming. Now it\u2019s time for me to dish the deets on nighttime routines. I also share my current personal nighttime routine<\/a> and why I have the habits I do.\u00a0<\/p>\n A routine isn\u2019t the same as a minute by minute schedule. One of the biggest breakthroughs for my sanity as a mom was switching to a block schedule<\/a>. Routines fit perfectly into that and are basically scheduled habits. Once we get into the habit of routines, like brushing our teeth every morning, it quickly becomes second nature.<\/p>\n We can literally rewire the pathways in our brain<\/a> in positive ways by using routines.<\/p>\n \u00a0Kids thrive with consistency<\/a>, routines, and knowing what comes next. This doesn\u2019t mean our schedules have to be rigid and static, but it gives us a framework. Give yourself grace and wiggle room. Nighttime routines don\u2019t work unless they\u2019re tailored to your individual family\u2019s needs and my health routines<\/a> aren\u2019t going to be identical to yours.<\/p>\n Before we design our ideal nighttime routine, we have to think about our ideal morning (and next day). Reverse engineer your perfect day. Decide what your priorities and appointments are for the upcoming day and what you need to do to make them as smooth as possible.<\/p>\n If everyone takes a bunch of supplements in the morning, then use presorted pillboxes for easy access. If the baby is going to grandma\u2019s for the afternoon, then make sure the diaper bag is stocked. Making coconut chicken curry<\/a> in the Instant Pot for supper? Set it out to thaw.<\/p>\n This will depend on children\u2019s ages and abilities, but I\u2019ve found kids can often do more than we give them credit for. Years ago, I realized I didn\u2019t have to do everything for my kids. It\u2019s better for them if I don\u2019t! Teaching children responsibility and self-reliance helps them to become strong, independent adults.<\/a><\/p>\n I have my own nighttime routine, but the kids have theirs alongside me. Kids can do simple evening chores, layout clothing, and pack their lunches, to name a few. Then there are the staples, like brushing teeth, pajamas, and bedtime stories.<\/p>\n Here are different elements or steps to get you where you want to go. Decide what works for you and your family as you build your nighttime routine. It helps to have the family routines printed and displayed in an easy to see place, like the fridge. It could be as simple as a list, or you could include exact times or checkboxes for the kids.<\/p>\n My kids are largely independent now and can handle their own breakfasts and lunches. The older ones can even cook a meal<\/a> from scratch for the whole family. When they were little though, that was all on my shoulders.<\/p>\n If you have busy mornings then make-ahead breakfasts like banana bread muffins<\/a>, baked oatmeal, or ham and egg cups<\/a> can be lifesavers. These can be made the day\/night before and reheated in the morning.<\/p>\n Are the kids going to school or co-op the next day? Then lunches need packed. Is bulgogi Korean beef<\/a> on the meal plan? Make sure the ingredients are thawed and ready to go.<\/p>\n I like to do a quick evening cleanup during our nighttime routine so I can start with a clean slate in the morning. A quick cleanup before bed helps ensure everything (most days) is in its place. This is something the kids can help with. Age-appropriate chores like, sweeping the floor after supper or loading the dishwasher helps everyone out.<\/p>\n Look at your schedule and see what appointments you have the next day to prep for. Do you need to pack the kid\u2019s lunches\/backpacks\/sports bags? Once they\u2019re old enough they can be entrusted with this responsibility. Certain items can be loaded in the car that night so there\u2019s no bag left behind in the morning!\u00a0<\/p>\n The kids can also set out their own weather appropriate clothes for the next day (capsule wardrobes<\/a> are great for this!).\u00a0<\/p>\n Our family eats pretty early in the day for several reasons. This fits best into our schedule, and it gives everyone time to really digest their food. The body can\u2019t efficiently focus its resources on sleep when it\u2019s busy trying to digest food.<\/p>\n I try to stop eating by sunset, or at least a few hours before bed. This simple practice helps:<\/p>\n Along with that, I stop drinking fluids about an hour before hitting the hay. This helps me avoid getting up all night to go to the bathroom. <\/p>\n I have morning supplements that I take for clearer thoughts and more energy, but I also have a nighttime supplement routine. I regularly take Pectasol<\/a> (modified citrus pectin) and enzymes<\/a>, or binders like Carbon Cleanse<\/a> on an empty stomach. This combination helps me reduce inflammation, support my detox pathways, and sleep better. Here\u2019s a list<\/a> of all my nighttime supplements.<\/p>\n Blue light has gotten a bad rap, but we actually need it for healthy cortisol during the day. At night though, it can disrupt sleep, leading to a host of health issues. That\u2019s why I started wearing blue-light blocking glasses<\/a> at night years ago.<\/p>\n I also switched the overhead lightbulbs in the house to daylight mimicking ones. Once sunset hits, the lamps with red light bulbs come on instead. By positioning the nighttime light at or below eye level, this mimics natural light angles, like campfire or sunset.<\/p>\n Our family also switches off screens to avoid blue light at night. And our phones go into the charging drawer in the kitchen before bed. If inspiration strikes and I feel like writing, I use this special bluelight-free\u00a0 Daylight computer. And if I have to use the phone, I use it with a red light filter.<\/p>\n By turning off the blue light this helps signal our body\u2019s circadian rhythms and supports melatonin production. It also improves blood sugar signaling, cortisol levels, and helps us get a better night\u2019s sleep.<\/p>\n In the past we used to turn off the WIFI every night. I learned though that this can damage the computer router over time. Now the phones go in the charging drawer and I sleep under a special EMF blocking canopy. Even if I have my phone under the canopy I don\u2019t get a signal!\u00a0<\/p>\n If you prefer to turn the WIFI off in the house you can put the job on autopilot with this EMF Safe Switch<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n We spend about a third of our lives in bed. By creating a healthy sleep environment we can get the biggest bang for our buck when it comes to health habits. This is why I sleep in linen or silk pajamas<\/a> and linen sheets.<\/a> It\u2019s an easy way to avoid microplastics (non-natural fibers) against my skin for at least 8 hours a day.\u00a0<\/p>\n When the temperature lowers<\/a> at night it triggers neurons in our brain to release melatonin and help us sleep. One option is to set the thermostat to 60-70 degrees before bed. If you don\u2019t want to add that much to your electric bill, another option is sleeping on a mattress cooling pad. I love my ChiliPad <\/a>which cools just the mattress and I can pile on the cozy blankets.\u00a0<\/p>\n Along with sleeping cool, I also make sure the room is dark. Like can\u2019t see my hand in front of my face dark. Blackout curtains can work, but I switched to blackout shades<\/a> that block 100% of the light. This helps further signal to the brain that it\u2019s time to rest and improves REM sleep.<\/p>\n I also sleep with a sound machine with white noise or gentle background music. With teenagers in the house I find that I\u2019m now going to bed before them and this helps cover any noise! My air filter<\/a> does double duty and also creates some white noise while it keeps the air clean.\u00a0<\/p>\n Nighttime is usually when I try to get some red light therapy <\/a>time in. Red light is natural and free during both sunrise and sunset and I take advantage of this whenever possible. I also have a red light panel <\/a>that does the same thing. Using a red light helps reduce inflammation, supports the mitochondria and signals our hormones it\u2019s time for bed. There\u2019s also a lot of evidence showing it\u2019s skin and other health benefits.\u00a0<\/p>\n I take a few minutes at night to do a simple skincare routine and support my lymphatic system. Right now this involves a weekly clay mask from Alitura and nightly moisturizing with things like tallow or shea butter. I\u2019m also loving the skincare products from Annmarie Gianni <\/a>and my Magic Molecule toner<\/a>. I also do a gentle lymphatic massage to support detox and boost circulation.\u00a0<\/p>\n There\u2019s a lot going on during the day for any family, and moms carry a lot of that mental load. Instead of laying down and drifting off to sleep, it\u2019s too easy to stay up thinking about tomorrow\u2019s to-do list. One way to get rid of the excess mental clutter is to journal or meditate before bed.<\/p>\n I keep a gratitude journal<\/a> that collects my daily thoughts. You can also write down tomorrow\u2019s priorities if you\u2019re anxious about forgetting something. Getting it all written out on paper helps our brains sort information and release tension.<\/p>\nNighttime Routine for Moms (and Everyone Else)<\/h2>\n
Consistency Plus Flexibility<\/h3>\n
The Basics of a Nighttime Routine<\/h2>\n
Do it as a Family<\/h3>\n
Create Your Perfect Nighttime Routine<\/h2>\n
1. Meal Prep<\/h3>\n
2. Avoiding the Mess Mayhem<\/h3>\n
3. What\u2019s on Tomorrow\u2019s Agenda?<\/h3>\n
4. Leave Time to Digest<\/h3>\n
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5. Nighttime Supplements<\/h3>\n
6. Avoid Blue Light<\/h3>\n
7. Avoid EMFs<\/h3>\n
8. Optimize Your Sleep Environment<\/h3>\n
9. Red Light Therapy<\/h3>\n
10. Skincare and Lymph Routine<\/h3>\n
11. Winding Down<\/h3>\n