Why I’m Adding An Evening Routine

I’ve thought about an evening routine for a long time. Not in a determined, colour-coded way - more as a vague sense that my nights might be arriving too abruptly. One minute it’s dinner, screens, light and noise, and the next I’m in bed, expected to sleep.

When sleep has never been particularly reliable, that jump can feel surprisingly jarring.

For years, I avoided routines because they felt like another standard I’d fail to meet. Another thing to keep up with. Another way to turn rest into a task. I didn’t want evenings that felt managed or monitored, and I definitely didn’t want sleep to become something I had to earn by behaving correctly beforehand.

But as I’ve started paying closer attention to my sleep, one thing has become clear: how my evening feels matters more than I realised.

Evenings set the tone, whether I notice or not

Looking back over my nights, sleep often doesn’t unravel at bedtime - it carries on from the hours before. When evenings are bright, busy or rushed, my sleep tends to feel the same way. When things are calmer and more predictable, sleep at least has a better chance to settle.

That doesn’t mean calm guarantees everything. It just means I’m beginning to see bedtime less as a switch, and more as the final part of a longer process.

This routine isn’t about controlling sleep. It’s about softening the edges of the day.

My evening routine

Rather than overhauling my evenings completely, I’m adding a few specific behaviours that are often talked about in relation to sleep. I’m not qualified to say how effective any of them are in general, but I am interested in what they’re said to do for the body and mind - particularly when it comes to winding down and supporting deeper, less fragmented sleep.

One of the first changes I am making is dimming the lights in the evening and putting screens into warm mode. This is often described as a way of reducing stimulation and encouraging the brain to shift out of “daytime” mode. Bright light keeps you mentally alert, so I’m curious whether a visually quieter environment helps my evenings feel calmer and less activating before bed.

I’ve added a warm shower about 2 hours before I go up to bed as a deliberate transition point between day and night. Reducing your core body temperature is frequently mentioned in discussions about preparing the body for sleep. A warm bath or shower is said to aid the body’s natural temperature regulation process, improving sleep as a result. I don’t know if this will translate into more deep sleep for me, but I like the idea of creating a physical cue that the active part of the day is winding down.

I’m also drinking sleep tea in the evening, specifically for relaxation. Many sleep teas are associated with calming the nervous system and easing tension, and that’s what I’m hoping for - not sedation, but a subtle sense of settling. It’s less about knocking me out, and more about helping my body feel a little less wired as bedtime approaches.

Another addition is using a weighted blanket, usually resting across my legs when I’m sitting on the sofa in the evening. Weighted blankets are often talked about in terms of grounding and promoting a sense of calm. I don’t expect it to force relaxation or suddenly increase deep sleep, but I am interested in whether that physical pressure helps my body feel more settled before bed.

I’m also trying to stop drinking fluids 2 hours before bed. This is commonly mentioned as a way to reduce overnight awakenings. Since my sleep is already quite fragmented, I’m curious whether fewer interruptions might help my sleep feel more continuous - even if total sleep time doesn’t change that much.

Finally, I’m taking magnesium and L-theanine before bed, which I’ve chosen because of how often they’re discussed in relation to relaxation and sleep. Magnesium is frequently associated with muscle relaxation and nervous system support, and is often linked to helping the body feel calmer at night. L-theanine is commonly talked about in terms of reducing mental chatter and promoting a more relaxed, attentive calm rather than drowsiness.

I’m not taking either with the expectation of immediate or dramatic results. What I’m watching for instead is whether, over time, they influence how easily I wind down in the evening, how restless or alert I feel at bedtime, and whether my sleep feels any less fragmented as a result.

None of these changes are guarantees. They’re ideas I’ve come across repeatedly while reading about sleep, and I’m approaching them cautiously - not as fixes, but as experiments. I’m interested in whether, together, they help my evenings feel calmer and whether that calm carries through into the night in any meaningful way.

Letting the routine be information

For now, this routine isn’t something to succeed or fail at. It’s something to observe. I’m curious about how evenings feel when they’re more intentionally shaped, and how sleep responds - or doesn’t - over time.

Some nights I’ll follow this rhythm closely. Some nights I won’t. Both are useful. Both add context.

If there’s one thing I’m trying to hold onto, it’s this: I don’t need evenings to be perfect for sleep to improve. I just need them to be a little less abrupt.

That feels like a reasonable place to start.

Here’s to better sleep, one night at a time.

Andie x

DISCLAIMER: I’m not a sleep expert, medical professional, or therapist - just someone sharing my personal experience with sleep, what I’m trying, and what’s been helping me. Everyone’s sleep patterns and needs are different, so please don’t take anything on my blog as medical advice. If you’re dealing with long-term sleep problems, significant anxiety, or anything that’s affecting your daily life, it’s always best to speak with a qualified healthcare professional.