BLOG 225: THE 5 THINGS I ALWAYS DO BEFORE BED EACH NIGHT

Something I’m very passionate about and talk about a lot on this blog and via my social media is the importance of making self-care a regular habit. It isn’t about those one-off spa visits or wellness retreats (lovely though those can be) – it is about making wellness and self-care a part of our daily lives.

That said, it isn’t always easy to make time for self-care. We all live busy lives and when we’re rushing from task to task, it can be hard to slow down and focus on our wellness.

There are two things I’ve found really help here. One is choosing just two or three things that are your wellness non-negotiables. These are the things that you do every day, without fail, no matter what. Mine are face yoga, walking in nature, and body yoga. Yours will probably be something different.

And the other is building your wellness habits into your daily routines. This helps to take the guesswork out of it – you don’t need to think about what you are going to do or when you will do it, because you always do roughly the same things at the same time of day.

Most of us already have some kind of routine at the beginning and end of the day, so these are usually the easiest times to start incorporating wellness habits like face yoga, gua sha, breathwork, etc.

I’m always fascinated to hear what wellness routines other people have – it’s a question I often ask guests on my podcast. So, in this blog post, I thought I would share what I do as part of my bedtime routine so that I can wind down and feel calm and relaxed before going to sleep.

Of course, I always do face yoga too – that’s a given! But here are the other five things I do before bed every night.

1.  MAGNESIUM

The first thing that I always do in the evenings before bed is take my magnesium supplement. I have magnesium powder that I mix in with some water. I usually add my Rejuvenated collagen (use code DC for 10% off at checkout) to it too and drink it all down together.

I also like to use a magnesium body cream on my feet, which I’ve found really helps to prevent restless legs or muscle aches during the night.

Magnesium is great for supporting healthy sleep, so it is an ideal supplement to take in the evenings.

2. LAVENDER OIL

Another reason I like my magnesium body cream is that it also contains lavender oil, which makes me feel more relaxed and ready for sleep.

As well as using the cream, I sprinkle a few drops of lavender oil on both sides of my pillow, so that the soothing scent can help me drift off easily. My pillow itself also helps me sleep better – I use the Omnia pillow from Sleep & Glow.

The reason this pillow is so special is that it is shaped to cradle your head without putting pressure on your skin, meaning you don’t wake up with your face all wrinkled from where it has pressed against your pillow.

For side sleepers like me, this pillow is a game-changer. I’ve used it for years now and I love it. I have a silk pillowcase on it too, which again helps to keep your skin and hair smooth while you sleep.

You can find the pillow here – use code faceyoga10 for $10 off.

3. BREATHING

I can’t stress enough how much of a difference just spending a few minutes breathing deeply can make to your mood and health. It is such a simple thing, but it has a profound effect, which is why you’ll hear me talk a lot about using the breath in my face yoga videos.

Breathing exercises are wonderful at any time of day, but I especially like to do some deep breathing techniques before I go to bed. It helps me let go of any stress or tension from the day, so I feel calm, centred, and ready for sleep. 

4. ACUPRESSURE MAT

Another thing I love to do before bed is spend a few minutes lying on an acupressure mat. This is particularly lovely if my back feels a little bit sore, or when I’m feeling more awake than usual and need some help winding down.

There are lots of different brands out there, so you can easily find one just by Googling “acupressure mat”. They look a bit daunting at first because they are covered in these little spikes and look a bit like you’re about to lie down on a bed of nails.

But the spikes aren’t actually sharp. They just provide a bit of pressure to stimulate the acupressure points on your body – it is the equivalent of getting an acupressure massage. 

I find lying on the mat helps me feel a bit calmer, which is great before bed. And it is also good for releasing muscle tension too.

5. GUA SHA

Finally, I couldn’t go to bed without using my trusty gua sha tools. I’ve demonstrated using gua sha on my face in plenty of YouTube videos, and you can dive into it in more detail in the Gua Sha Teacher Training Course. 

I also love to use a gua sha comb on my head and body. For example, if I still have tension in my neck or lower back, I might apply some oil to that area and then use the comb to relieve the tightness and encourage a good flow of energy and blood to that area.

Or if I’m feeling tension in my head, I’ll use the comb there to help me relax and let go of any stress before I go to sleep.

You can find the gua sha comb via my online shop, where I also stock a variety of facial gua sha tools. All of them are supplied by the Hayo’u Method, so they are very high quality and lovely to use as part of your wind-down evening routine.

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