My night time routine

In both ayurvedic and tcm teachings, routines are a pillar of health. Both systems emphasize the importance of daily practices that align the body, mind, and spirit with the rhythms of nature. In both traditions, the structure of a regular routine is seen as a way to enhance vitality, stabilize emotions, and optimize overall health. As a student of both ancient health systems, I have implemented several routines into my day and find that I appreciate these structured moments and their grounding effect, creating a sense of balance and intentionality in my life.

One of the most recent additions to my daily rituals is my nighttime routine, which I’ve been consistent with for about five months now. I’ve found that not only does it improve the quality of my evenings, but it also positively impacts the start of my mornings. My routine officially starts at 8:00 but there are several things I do before then that I want to mention.

First, I try to do a sunset walk daily. Since the sun sets at different times through out the seasons, the time of this walk changes. Like tonight the sun is setting at 5:54 pm so I’ll start walking towards the river near me, which has beautiful sunset views, around 5:30. I sometimes drive to the beach and do my sunset walk there. I’m not always disciplined (like when it rains) but I aim to see the sun sink into the horizon as often as possible.

Second thing I want to mention is an alarm I’ve set to go off at 6:30pm everyday. A reminder to unplug the wifi and put all screens away. I’m not always good about this too. Like right now, I am working on a novel so I end up using my laptop much later than 6:30pm. Other times I just decide to watch TV but the alarm is there and I try to honor this boundary I’ve set for myself.

The part of my routine that I aim to do without excuse begins at 8:00 p.m. If I’m writing, I shut my laptop; if I’ve been reading, I close my book. Then, I head to my bedroom to change into cozy pajamas.

8:00 Skin Care

I start by washing off the day. I cleanse my face, and depending on what my face needs, I either apply a mask and leave it on while I continue with the next part of my routine, or I go ahead and cleanse, treat, and moisturize, completing my skincare for the night. I have written about my skin care routine here.

8:15 Cleaning

I then make my way to the kitchen to clean up. This is pretty standard but I’ll write it out anyhow.
Hopefully I was good about putting dishes away as I used them, but if not I begin with clearing dishes from the sink. I then turn on the dish washer and clean the counters and vacuum the floor. This either takes 15 minutes or an hour depending on my mood and the state of the kitchen,

If I had a face mask on, I’ll wash that off before moving on to the next part of my routine.

8:30 Sleep Milk

I love routines because they provide an opportunity to infuse nutritional intake into my day in a mindful way.

One of my favorite evening rituals is drinking golden milk, which contains turmeric, black pepper, honey, nutmeg, and cinnamon. This combination is not only great for circulation but also helps with sleep. Turmeric, in particular, is rich in phytonutrients that may protect the body by neutralizing free radicals from things like pollution and sunlight, while also shielding the cells from damage. As I’m on a blood-building journey this year, I might start alternating the sleep milk with bone broth.

8:40 Journaling

If I had a face mask on, I’ll wash that off before I take out my journal. I sip my turmeric sleep milk as I review my day and plan for the next day.

9:00 Relaxing Yoga

Then my absolute favorite part of my night, Evening yoga :)

Sometimes I just flow intuitively, letting my body guide me, and other times I follow a YouTube video. Yoga, for me, is the perfect way to both close and open my day. I love having my days sandwiched by movement.

In the morning, my flow is more energetic, vinyasa-based and dynamic. But my nighttime practice is slow, intentional, and deeply relaxing. It’s the perfect way to unwind and transition into a peaceful, restful sleep.

At 9:30, I’ll then brush my teeth, tape my mouth, and go to sleep.