I love nothing more than having a relaxing evening, finding the time to unwind properly and chill out always makes me feel better prepared for the next day. I’m definitely not someone who can be overly productive in the evenings as mornings are my time to shine so I try to keep my evenings as minimal as possible to make sure I’m feeling refreshed and ready to go for the next day. Here are some of the things I try to do to create the best evening routine for relaxing and to leave me feeling refreshed for the next day.
Have a Bath
I absolutely adore having a bath. It’s a time where I can be totally alone, catch up on some YouTube or TV and pamper myself. There’s nothing more relaxing than being covered in bubbles and lying back and just feeling totally chilled. Adding some oil or bath salts to your bath can also be a great way to carry out a bit of self-care without the effort and the heat of the bath is a great way to open up the pores on your skin and make the most of any pampering. I always find I feel so much fresher and more me after having a bath, especially if its a certain time of the month! They’re a great staple to have in your evening routine if you need a bit more downtime to relax!
Pamper Yourself
Following on from the bath itself is to pamper yourself whilst in it. Treating myself to a facemask, shaving and moisturising my body are some of my favourite ways to really look after myself as it’s something I don’t do that often so it feels like even more of a treat when I finally make the effort. I often neglect my skin or fall out of love with skincare if I don’t see instant results but I’ve found some skincare products that work for me recently so I’ve been really trying to keep up with my routine to try and see a big difference in my skin. Moisturising my body is often something I forget to do so I always make sure to treat my skin after a bath.
Do Something you Enjoy
Whether this is baking, sleeping, eating, reading or watching a film, I always try and do some of these things in the evening to help me unwind. Recently, I’ve found myself watching a lot of new things on Netflix and I’ve become an avid fan of Four in a Bed so I often incorporate these things into my evening routine. Taking the time to switch off from work or blogging is always helpful to separate these different spheres in your life and setting boundaries between work and play is essential!
Keep a Consistent Sleep Routine
This is a step my boyfriend definitely needs to incorporate as we have completely different sleep routines. I am most definitely asleep by 11, awake by 8 kind of gal whilst he is much more of asleep by 2-3 awake between 11-12 kind of person! Whenever we see each other both of our routines go out of whack and we normally end up quite tired. However, the importance of keeping a regular sleep routine is so important for productivity and health. Whilst it can be hard to initially adopt a routine that works it’s definitely worth it in the long run.
Turn off the Technology
I am very guilty of not doing this but it is definitely useful if you struggle to feel sleepy in the evenings or when in bed. If you can’t put your phone away then at the very least you should put a blue light filter on as blue light suppresses the production of melatonin (a sleep hormone). We’re so attached to our phones these days that it can be so tricky to switch off from our digital lives but I’ve been trying to start reading before I go to sleep which I think has helped the quality of sleep I have too. I also really recommend listening to Podcasts if reading isn’t your thing as they can be so interesting and are a great distraction instead of scrolling on your phone!
Go for a Walk
This is something myself and my family have started doing more recently and it’s often weather dependent as who wants to walk in the rain?! Going for a stroll around our village on a winter’s evening as it starts to get dark is such a nice way of avoiding getting into a slump and just sitting around waiting to go to sleep yet it’s not too taxing either. It’s a nice way to get a bit of a refresh and get some exercise and steps in for the day without having to be too adventurous or energetic. It was one of my favourite things to do during lockdown too and discovering new places in my village has been fun as well!
As I said earlier, evenings are not my time to be productive so I try and keep any activities to a minimum as I know that I’ll do a much better job the next morning! For me, evenings are all about unwinding, relaxing and getting prepared for the next day without doing anything too strenuous – I am most definitely not a night owl. I find that these steps help me create the perfect evening routine for relaxing whilst still being semi-productive.
What’s your evening routine for relaxing? Are you a night owl or morning person? Let me know!
These are all great things to relax! I am not the biggest fan of baths, so I usually take my time with my skincare routine, loads of reading and have now started to get a time limit on my phone and it helps so much! Really need to try and listen to a podcast in the evening as I used to enjoy them a lot, thank you for sharing x
Thank you for reading!
I’m more of a morning person as well, but I keep putting too much pressure on myself to be productive in the evenings at the moment too, which I really need to stop. There are some great ideas here – I definitely need to sort my sleep routine out, for sure. Great post!
Thank you!
Lovely tips Tash! I am always on my laptop and I am 100% guilty of being on my laptop till I fall asleep. I really need to stop that as I have found that I sleep much better when I turn off the technology few minutes or an hour before bedtime. These are some amazing tips by the way!
Thank you!
A relaxing evening routine is exactly what I need for a relaxing weekend. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for reading!
Great post! One of the ways I love to relax is by completing my skincare routine before bed- and also a bath is a great way to relax x
Oooh yes I love doing my skincare in the evening!
So many relaxing ideas! I love taking a bubble bath and reading a good book! Perfect way to end a day!
I completely agree!
What a wonderful way to spend an evening! It sounds so relaxing. I love reading before bed. It always helps me let go of the day’s stress. I will definitely have add some of your ideas to my evening routine. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for reading!
For some reason my brain associates walking as a morning thing, but I really don’t know why as there’s something about the evening light… think I may have to start doing an evening walk! Also, turning tech off for a bit every night is such a life changer!
Katie | katieemmabeauty.com
It’s such a lovely thing to do when the weather is warmer!
I love this evening routine, it’s perfect! It’s always good to do what you want to do in the evening and do the things that you find relaxing x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
I completely agree! Thank you for reading
Love this! I’m very odd but I’m a morning and night person. So, I tend to be productive at both times. The relaxation time is from 2-8 pm. I like to get some exercise, put some candles on, watch netflix and have a hot shower or bath! A consistent sleep routine is something I desperately need! Thanks for sharing x
http://www.lynnmumbingmejia.com
Wonderful routine! I plan to start a new book tonight and I am so excited! Love self care.
I definitely like to relax in the evening too! Love all these suggestions 🙂
I’m the same – I find it hard to be productive in the evening. I like to have this time to facetime my friends, play Sims, watch a movie etc. Occasionally, I like to have a bath but for some reason, I can never relax – maybe I’m worried about dropping my book? 🙈 Great post 💗
These are some great points you’ve mentioned. A good sleep routine is so underrated yet it can make you feel so much better in the long run.
Yes, I completely agree!
I love having a pamper on an evening with a face mask, bath and plenty of candles. I just love the bath photo in this post! I have really gotten into doing guided meditations to wind down before bed, so would add that to a relaxing evening routine!
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
Aimsy’s Antics
Great ideas and points for relaxing. I like to read a book and watch some Netflix (more often than not). Thanks for sharing,
I’m probably all your readers mothers age, but still need tips to unwind. This is the month I finally buy a bathtub rack for candles and wine.
That sounds like a good plan!
These are great ideas to unwind in the evening. I enjoy watching a bit of TV/Netflix after dinner, have a warm bath or reading a book. Thanks for sharing!
In the evening I either watch some TV shows or do some reading. You ideas look great too! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for reading!
I agree with all of these ideas and as I really need to get into a better routine, this has given me the reminder I needed. Thanks for sharing!
I loved reading this and getting a sense of your evening routine! I love to workout in the evenings, chill with a book or my fave tv show, and catch up on any blog comments I’ve missed x
Definitely an evening is a time for relax, some nice
phone call, book or a film. Amazing ideas..
Ohh, I fully agree with your ideas for relaxing routine! Taking a bath is just perfection, especially with a nice smelling bathbomb or bath stuff. I also love just curling up in bed or in my favourite chair and read. 🙂
Yes, I completely agree!
Started this year I scheduled social media detox every weekend and it’s REALLY awesome to spend the weekend pampering myself! You really have awesome tips here. Thank you for sharing x
Skincare in the evening really sets me up for a good nights sleep, I just need to turn off technology before bed as this ruins my sleep so bad!
I’m the same – always more productive and motivated in the morning. I like to keep my evenings super chill and away from work now! I love having a bath and playing videogames and watching a couple of episodes of whatever series my boyfriend and I are watching. I try and turn social media off at 7:30 too!
Doing my skincare regime always makes me feel super relaxed in the evening! Like you, I’m definitely guilty of forgetting to moisturise my skin though x
https://www.femaleoriginal.com
I am way more productive in the evenings than in the mornings, but I do like to unwind mid-week to recharge. My go-to relaxation method is always a bath because, as you say, it is a chance to be totally alone and is a place where I can unwind, read and simply relax. I am still trying to work on my sleep routine, as I find it incredibly difficult to sleep. I need to work on it, so thank you for the reminder.
I read just before bed as a way to keep myself from pointlessly scrolling on social media. It is great getting out of the house and going for a walk, as you say. I will say that I do like going for a walk in light rain though. 😂
Thank you for sharing. 😊
I’m not much a morning person, but during quarantine times and being at home more, I’ve been forcing myself to get up & have a slow but meaningful routine. this allows me to treat myself to some tea, return comments etc… and then i’m ready to be productive the rest of the day
i also love to make time for myself in the evenings & turn off technology a few hours before bed. this allows me to fall asleep better.
thanks for sharing your suggestions. loved reading this post.
This is such a great post and you have included some great ideas. My favourite way to relax in the evening is to read a book with a mug of hot chocolate, I always find it helps me sleep better too.
These are such great tips! I’m trying to cut my screen time at night down by reading, but I definitely have a messy sleep schedule due to Covid. We don’t have a bath in my student flat, so when I got here for Christmas I had a bath with a bath bomb and a glass of prosecco!
I always treat myself to a bath when I come home from uni!
I love a bath as part of my evening routine. Also, reading before bed really relaxes me.
In terms of relaxing I’ve learned a lot from Corona actually, since I take walks way more often and my sleep routine is way more stabilized than it was before. Great tips!
I really love this post. I’ll admit I’ve not been great at having a routine – mornings or evenings – and I noticed at the end of the last year I simply woke up and got to work and worked until I went to sleep. Obviously not the most productive or good thing for your mental or physical health. So this year I’ve really been putting in some effort to separate work and personal time and having an evening routine and taking time to relax with a bath and book and sit down and eat a meal without any distractions too. Now to fix my sleeping routine!
I am definitely more of a morning person. I try to keep a consistent sleep routine but, with a teenage daughter working part-time in a fast food establishment, her schedule sometimes throws off my schedule.
I try to do a 10 minute mindfulness practice every night before bed. It helps me to unwind.
Lovely post! I loved the ideas about having a sleep routine and spend time away of technology, I think these can help you so much to relax and unwind. Thanks for sharing! Xx
Such a useful post! You make such a good point when you said you try to keep your evenings minimal and relaxed as your mornings are when you shine – this is something I NEED to think about because I’m finding that i cram work in the evenings and then wake up feeling tired and unproductive (when normally I’m a morning person too!) x
Haha yes it makes such a difference!
I’m a morning person, and this evening routine is definitely a kind of motivation or reward for a day full of different tasks. I love this post!
These are such great tips! I love taking baths too, they’re so relaxing, but I don’t think I’ll be able to take one any time soon as I only have a shower in my apartment and my parents recently got rid of their bath too and have replaced it with a shower 😂😭 I’ll try out all of your other tips though, I could definitely use some relaxing to prepare for a better sleep routine!
I’m the opposite, and tend to be more productive in the evenings! Although I’m really trying to keep away from my phone / technology before bed, I find I have a much better night’s sleep if I give myself a rest beforehand.
Lovely ideas. I’m definitely more of a night owl, so a good evening routine is everything to me. This has totally inspired me to run a cosy bath!
Anika | chaptersofmay.com
I used to hate baths but now they are part of my self-care relaxation time!
Great blog post 🙂
Although I do get things done in the morning before work and like to start off productive, I still feel less stressed out at night since I don’t have the “work starts at 11, should be done before that” mindset. So I blog, catch up with friends on Discord, or read before bed.
I’m so glad you mentioned shaving – shaving my legs can make such a difference in my mood!! Especially the feel of soft, freshly shaved legs on clean bed sheets! 🙂
Also – going for walks is something I really, really miss in the winter time. We still try to get out for a good walk here and there when it’s not freezing, but it’s something that can always clear my mind!
Yes I agree, walking in the evening is always so nice!
I agree with all of these things – especially the sleep routine! Me and my boyfriend have an out of whack sleep schedule too where I like going to bed early and getting up early and he’s the opposite, so I get tired on the weekends where we inevitably go to bed later but I wake up early still and feel super tired. Something I need to improve! Thanks for sharing this post 🙂
I too love to have a relaxing evening to wind down and begin to end off the day. I need to be more consistent though, especially with my timing and putting away electronic devices for the day.
I love your routine. this is something I can begin to dream of and make plans towards too! Thanks for sharing.
The photo is in the beginning of your post looks so nice. I would like to recreate that for my bathroom. I totally agree with taking a walk as it helped me a lot to just get away from the computer and just think.
Great post! I absolutely love a read that chats about nightly routines. Sounds like you and you’re boyfriend have the same sleep patterns as my husband and myself. I love the mornings and do my best work then but my husbands likes later starts to the day. I’m also a huge fan of baths in the evening too. I think you’ve convinced me to take one tonight!
Haha yes we are the complete opposite in terms of sleeping patterns!
I love having a bath and pampering myself in the evening. Siobhan ♡ | Vegan Babe Life
Yay! Through Twitter I can actually comment on your blog and I don’t have any problems! ☺️ I love to have a bit of a pamper with a bath to relax and I have been enjoying lighting my balance me sleep candle and has really been helping me relax and sleep. Thank you for sharing your post.
Lauren – bournemouthgirl.com
Yay! I’m glad commenting finally works, haha!
Very relaxing and excellent self care too! It’s important to have routines. Thanks for sharing, this certainly is inspiring.