A good night’s sleep doesn’t start when your head hits the pillow, it starts hours earlier. What you do around 8 pm plays a huge role in how rested, clear headed, and energized you feel the next morning. Think of your evening routine as a gentle signal to your nervous system that it’s time to slow down, restore, and reset.
Here are simple, effective habits you can layer into your evening to support deeper, more restorative sleep.
1. Eat Your Last Meal Several Hours Before Bed
Late, heavy meals ask your body to stay “on” when it should be powering down. Digestion requires energy, blood flow, and metabolic activity, all of which can interfere with rest and cellular repair. Aim to finish dinner 2 to 3 hours before bedtime to give your gut time to do its work before you do yours, sleeping.
2. Create a Consistent Bedtime Routine
Your body loves rhythm. Going to bed and waking up around the same time each day helps regulate your circadian rhythm, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed. A routine doesn’t have to be complicated, it might be stretching, reading, journaling, or brewing a cup of tea. Consistency is what matters.
3. Block Blue Light in the Evening
Screens emit blue light, the same wavelength we see from midday sun. This light tells your brain it’s time to be alert, not sleepy, suppressing the production of melatonin (your natural sleep hormone). If screens are part of your evening, try blue light blocking glasses with yellow orange lenses or dim your devices after sunset to protect your internal clock.
4. Support Relaxation with Magnesium Glycinate
Many people are low in magnesium due to depleted soils and modern diets. Magnesium plays a key role in muscle relaxation and calming the nervous system. Try 100 to 200 mg of magnesium glycinate about 30 minutes before bed. This form is especially gentle and effective for relaxation. (Tip: there are many forms of magnesium, glycinate is the one you’re looking for.)
5. Add a Sleepy Time Tea Ritual
Herbal teas can be a beautiful signal that the day is winding down. Herbs like chamomile, passionflower, valerian root, cinnamon bark, and skullcap leaf have calming properties that help cue the body for rest. Making tea can become a ritual your nervous system learns to associate with safety and sleep.
If you’re looking for an easy, great tasting option, Yogi Tea Bedtime Tea is a lovely blend that combines several of these herbs into one comforting cup.
6. Be Thoughtful with Melatonin Supplements
Melatonin supplements are everywhere, but more is not better. Many products contain high, synthetic doses that can cause grogginess or disrupt natural rhythms. In our teen years, peak melatonin production was only about 0.3 mg, and production naturally declines with age. If you choose to supplement, look for a low dose, bio identical option (around 0.3 mg). One example is Symphony Natural Health’s Herbatonin.
Final Thought
You don’t need to overhaul your life to sleep better. Try incorporating one or two of these habits and notice how your body responds. Better sleep supports everything, energy, mood, digestion, hormones, and resilience, and it all begins with how you treat your evenings.
Sweet dreams 🌙
