How to Do a Calming Self-Care Night This Autumn
We may earn a small commission on any purchases made through the links in this article.
Throughout the Autumn months, having a secure routine to take care of yourself as the nights start getting dark earlier is a great safety blanket to have. I have spent many nights taking the time to take care of myself on the days that the winter blues start creeping in.
I’ve found my perfect self-care night routine that is right for me, and I want to help you find yours too. Finding the routine that is right for you can be difficult and you may have questions of how you practise self care and how to build this practised routine. This article can help you answer those questions.
1) Winding Down
The first thing that I tend to do to start winding down for the evening is to set some mood lighting and create a relaxing environment to enable you to focus on caring for yourself.
Firstly, you should choose the setting for your self-care - this could be your bedroom, your living room or even your kitchen - depending on how you choose to take care of yourself. Turning off main lighting, shutting your blinds or curtains and turning on a lamp and some fairy lights is always my first step to creating that environment.
I personally can’t start a self-care routine without lighting a candle, or wax melt or two. You can choose to do this in your comfort setting or in the bathroom as you begin to decompress - or both! This is the time to treat yourself by using a candle that you have been saving.
One of my favourite gifts that I have received is the Neom Skin Treatment Candle, which can be used as a body oil after the candle has been burnt - perfect for a self-care night. Or you can use a candle that has a scent that you are familiar with and brings you comfort.
Start your self-care evening by setting the mood in a comfortable space with soft lighting and candles.
One of my favourite ways to decompress and start my self-care night is to take a long shower or a relaxing bath. Taking the time to wash the day off of you and using your favourite products is the perfect introduction to a night of self-care. Here are some of my favourites:
Champneys Bubble Heaven. It comes with multiple scents - even a lavender one to help with sleep.
Getting out of the bath and putting on my favourite pair of pyjamas is one of my favourite forms of self-care, so get your comfort outfit ready for when you get out to relax.
2) Decompressing
After winding down, decompressing from a long day, week or month (although I definitely wouldn’t recommend not practising self-care regularly - it is understandable that life can get busy, but don’t forget to look after yourself along the way!) is so important.
One of my favourite ways to do this is by meditating and journaling. I will always recommend the Headspace App for guided meditation to help you get started. The important thing about meditation is that you will not be able to completely clear your mind, but the practice of noticing when your mind has wandered and bringing it back to your breath or physical sensation is such a valuable skill to have.
Decompress and let go of the day with some mindful meditation and journaling.
Letting go of the day through meditation can be really peaceful, however, it’s not always for everyone. So if meditation isn’t your thing, maybe try journaling! Being able to put all of your thoughts on a page - or on a journal app - can draw a line under the day and allow you to begin your evening with a relaxed, free mind.
3) Time for you
The best part about having a self-care evening is being able to make time to do the things you love but may not always get to do due to the chaos of everyday life. So pick something that relaxes you, but also excites you. A motivation during the day that makes you think ‘I can’t wait to get home and do this one thing for ME!’. Here are some suggestions to get you started:
Reading (my personal favourite)
Watching a film you’ve been putting off
Catching up on a series that you’ve fallen behind on
Trying a new recipe in the kitchen
Colouring.
Choose an activity that you love and relaxes you to give yourself some self-care.
If all of these sound appealing to you, one of my favourite deciders is to either write each thing down on a piece of paper and pick one out of a cup, or use a random decider wheel online. Feel free to add your own ideas to it too - not everyone’s idea of relaxation and self-care is the same.
Whilst you're relaxing and taking that time for yourself - don’t forget to treat yourself to your favourite snack, or bake something that you love! Some warming cinnamon rolls are always my go to treat at this time of year.
Treat yourself to a snack that you love - maybe something that suits the season!
However, you decide to spend your self-care evening, remember that it is an evening for YOU and for nobody else. Set aside some time to create your own self-care routine that suits you and feels comforting.
Want More Self-Care Tips?
With the help of this article, we hope you feel more confident in building a self-care routine that is right for you and incorporates all of your favourite things!
At Sofia Magazine, we're building a quieter alternative to social media, filled with honest beauty, fashion, lifestyle and wellbeing content.
If you’d like more articles like this one, sign up to The Loyal Edit newsletter for 2 free weekly articles, straight to your inbox.
The Winter Issue is landing this December! Pre-order now or get every seasonal issue with The Exclusive subscription.
