Evening Rituals

It is believed in Ayurveda that our evenings are best spent in self-care. Self-care helps us to unwind after a long day of meetings, taking phone calls, answering emails and taking care of the kids. Self care in the evenings prepares you for one of the most important, restorative, healing functions of the day - a good night sleep.  Here are a few evening rituals to help settle the mind and body for deep and revitalising rest.

Meditate

Incorporating meditation into your evening routine sets a tone of calm and peace of mind to take into your evening with your loved ones. It helps you leave stress at the office, dissolve the stress and fatigue you have accumulated throughout the day, and brings you back into yourself. The optimal time for your evening meditation is anytime in the late afternoon after you have digested your lunch and before dinner. 

Eat a light dinner 

Our digestive fire is not as strong in the evenings because our body is preparing for sleep. If you eat something overly heavy or too late, you don’t give your body enough time to break down the meal and the result is that your sleep can be disturbed. Eating a light, easy to digest dinner allows your body to quickly digest the meal before you go to sleep so you can wake up feeling rested. Taking a short 15-minute walk after dinner will also aid digestion. 

Turn off electronics

Exposing yourself to blue light, the backlight colour of electronic screens, scrambles your body’s circadian rhythms and can reduce your natural levels of melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone, preventing you from falling asleep. To signal to your mind and body that its time to rest, try dimming the lights and scheduling a technology free period for at least one hour before bed. 

Abhyanga

Abhyanga is the ancient Ayurvedic practice of massaging your skin with oil. Oil, especially when warmed, penetrates the deeper layers of your body, hydrating your body from within. Abhyanga also increases circulation, enhances muscle tone and detoxification, softens your skin, calms your nervous system, releases fatigue, promotes relaxation and aids your sleep. Check out the Vital Veda website for a guide to self abhyanga here.

Warm drink 

There’s something comforting about the ritual of warm milk before bed. Try heating organic unhamogenised cows milk until it boils. Add a pinch of ground cardamom and nutmeg, spices that are said in Ayurveda to promote sleep, and cinnamon to aid digestion. It is believed in Ayurveda that this remedy will help you have a more restful and undisturbed sleep. Don’t drink milk? Try substituting with coconut milk or freshly made almond milk. 

Go to sleep by 10pm

According to Ayurveda, Kapha time takes place from 6pm to 10pm. It is a time to wind down and settle in for the night. Going to bed before 10pm allows your body to settle while still in the evening cycle of kapha. If you are not in bed before 10pm, you will get a second wind when Pitta time kicks in from 10pm to 2am. Turn the lights off before 10pm to ensure you get good quality sleep.

Gradually weaving some or all of these practices into your evening routine for abundant restful sleep will help prepare your mind and body to take on the next day. What will you incorporate into your evening routine?

Sweet dreams!