It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the pressures of our modern lifestyle, where we are constantly paying the price for being on our phones too late into the night and drinking too much coffee during the day. It’s almost like we’re setting ourselves up for failure as soon as we get home from work where the little things that seem to calm us the most in the moment, are actually detrimental to our future selves. Having a clear nighttime routine amidst the chaos of each day is where we take time to slow down our racing thoughts and switch from the 9 to 5 mindset. Here at Clever Little, we are super passionate about making sure we have half an hour at the end of each day to put our routine in practice, honing in on our mental, holistic and physical health before we ultimately clock off for the evening.
First of all, nighttime is for taking a rare brain break, so if it’s late - get off your work laptop and read this article on your phone instead, with the brightness dimmed of course! Even if we’re having a slow day, our minds are pretty much always in go mode - processing our surroundings and daily tasks. Living in the city and working that busy office job means that we’ve eliminated some of the key mindfulness moments in our previous lifestyles. When our ancestors used to take some time for themselves while doing the foraging and cooking, we’ve replaced it with ready made meals delivered to our doorsteps, and when they would knit and make their own clothing, we’ve replaced it with late night online shopping. Yes, you can pop on a podcast while sitting in rush hour traffic, but are you really relaxing then? Most of our modern daytime schedules haven’t factored in our antecedent pockets of peace, so that’s why it’s crucial we wind down before sleeping.
Our bodies are our vehicles for getting us through the day, so it’s important we honor them by listening to our biological body clocks. Circadian rhythm is the natural, internal process that regulates our cycle of sleep. We respond to our environment, so stop confusing your brain by staying on your phone late at night! Pick up that book your mum got you for Christmas that you still haven’t started, I promise you’ll thank us later. However, don’t go into a shame-spiral about staying online watching random youtube vlogs if you can’t tear yourself away - if that calms you then so be it. Just turn down the brightness or switch your screen onto dark mode. We love using our blue light blocking glasses to avoid harmful light exposure and keep our eyes healthy while we go down Wikipedia rabbit holes.
Parting with daily stresses can seem like a stressful task in itself, where hanging on to tomorrow’s to-do list is keeping you up at night. Here at Clever Little, we love connecting with our senses when it comes to removing stress and tension, especially honing in on our sense of smell. Scent is hugely attached to memory, so if you’re habitually smelling something late at night in order to relax, your brain will make that routine connection. One of our favourite things to use is our Calm - Stress Oil from our Essential Formula Range. This soothing oil is full of essential goodness such as Jojoba oil and Ylang Ylang oil, to help ease strain. We love applying it to pressure points on our body like our wrists and behind our ears to stimulate the senses. Another great tip is to put a few drops in a spray bottle and mist it over your bed sheets, or pop some in your diffuser to make the whole room relaxed.
While your room is smelling oh so good, now is a great time to physically relieve any tension in your body. Take some time to stretch and twist and turn, lengthening your body and relieving any built up stiffness from the day. Although It's great to do some yoga or pilates in the morning to wake your system up, it’s actually also a great way to wind down. By simply breathing deeply as you move through some yin yoga steps, your mind can put focus onto certain muscle groups instead of the stresses from the day, and everything will just slowly ease away.
There’s nothing quite like a decent night’s rest, where your body and mind are at peace.
Although 5 hours of sleep is manageable for some people, humans actually need around 8 hours of sleep for peak performance levels. You can function on less, but in order for your body to be completely regenerated and well rested, it’s best if you treat yourself with kindness and turn your light off early. There are some things you can do during the day to help with your routine as well, like getting some exposure to the sun and fresh air, limiting caffeine, and moving your body. If you’re not going to do it for your mind, do it for your face! Beauty sleep is totally a thing, and without a decent amount of sleep after a soothing night time routine, your dark circles and fine lines will come out to play. Feel your best to look your best.
Incorporating Clever Little’s Essential Formula Range into your nighttime routine could be a game changer, that you’ll never turn back on. So, put your phone on ‘do not disturb’ and we’ll see you tomorrow evening to do it all over again.