I'm naturally a very anxious and stressy person and at
the end of the day I often find it hard to let go of my worries and just
relax. This usually leads to a broken or disruptive sleep and instead of waking
up refreshed the next morning, I end up feeling sluggish and unmotivated. 4th
year of university has definitely taken it's toll on me but instead of being
stuck in a depressive slump, I decided to take action and try and try out some
evening rituals to help clear my mind and relax my body. Here are a few of my
favourite tips I've picked up along the way.
Take a Bath: I know this is probably one of the most clichéd tips
on how to relax but I do find a taking a long bath really does help to de-stress! I like to watch an episode of whatever TV show i'm addicted to (at
the moment it's Gossip Girl) while I soak. It helps take my mind off of any
stresses that occurred that day and allows my brain to focus on
something happy!
Take some "you" time: Again, another clichéd tip, but it's
my favourite! Nothing makes me feel better than lathering myself in St Tropez
and popping on an Origins face mask. It has been proven that taking time to
pamper yourself helps to boost your mood and I find even taking 20 minutes do
my nails or put on some nice moisturiser really helps me feel better. There's
no shame in taking some time out to look after number one!
Candles and Peppermint Tea: Holy.Grail.Items.
I am such a candle hoarder. I cannot get enough.
There's just such a lovely feeling about dimming the lights, lighting
loads of candles and taking in all of the lovely scents. If
this doesn't help you wind down, I'm not sure what else will!
Peppermint tea is my new obsession. Not only does it
have a ridiculous amount of health benefits but it has also been shown to
help battle sleep deprivation. It's naturally caffeine free so no more
bedtime buzz for those of you who drink breakfast tea before sleep!
No technology half an hour before sleep: I'm not sure if this actually has any
effect on how well I sleep but I do find I get off to sleep quicker when I
ditch all technology at least half an hour before I'm ready to turn out
the light. Instead of social media, I like to read a book or magazine
before bed.
Make nightly lists: Making lists is one of my favourite tips to
calm myself down if I have a lot going on. Every night I've gotten into
the routine of making a To Do list for the next day. I find it really
useful as it helps me plan my time and visualise exactly what I need to
achieve. Breaking big tasks into small manageable chunks really
helps me not to stress out about all of the things I need to get done. Plus my "What Would Blair Waldorf Do?" notebook is freakin sweet!!
Bed time Yoga: Now, I am no yoga professional. In fact, I've never
taken a yoga class in my life! But it is something that I've researched a lot
and would really like to get in to! I came across this video online that shows
you 6 simple postures designed to help you relax and release stress.
And the best part is, you can do them all in your own bed! I've been
completing this sequence a few times a week and I really do find it helps me to
relax! Be sure to learn the positions first so you don't have to follow along
with the video (I don't find the instructor's voice particularly
soothing!!)
I hope this has been of use to those of you who struggle to
relax and de-stress before bed like myself. Let me know if
these types of posts are something you enjoy reading as a break from
OOTD's and makeup tutorials! Until next time,
S.B x
