Treat your five senses with these simple tips for at-home relaxation.
Some days, you might walk through your front door, bone-tired, and simply want to collapse into bed. We’ve all been there, but mindlessly rushing through or skipping the mundane steps of your evening habits might not be the best approach if you want a restful night’s sleep.
Whether it’s a hectic or ordinary day, you deserve a touch of indulgence. Each day is an opportunity to enjoy simple pleasures and moments of peace. However, your home and routines might not always be inherently conducive to total relaxation. Residue from your day — harsh lights, clutter, disruptive noise, and stress — can linger, making it difficult to decompress and fall asleep.
Here’s a tip: don’t neglect your senses. Try to pause and check in with your five senses — sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste. Intentionally catering to them can be powerful for relaxation and sleep preparation. From the warm glow of dim lighting to cozy beverages, engaging your senses can change your nightly routine from a rushed chore into something you look forward to.
Here’s how to create a soothing, sensory-rich bedtime routine.
Sight
Mood lighting is borderline magical. When done right, it’ll transform your space into a homey and relaxing sanctuary. Instead of bleakly lit rooms, bathe them in the honey-colored glow of strategically placed lamps. Replace cool-toned lights with warm-white or soft-white bulbs, and gradually transition from bright to moody lighting with a dimmer.
Softer tones, with yellow or orange hues, create a more inviting atmosphere and suppress the effects of blue light, which can disrupt your natural sleep cycle. A darker, cozier environment will help your body produce melatonin — the hormone that supports the regulation of your circadian rhythm and sleep.
Then, before you fully dive into your nighttime routine, address the visual clutter that might be amping up your anxiety. That pile of mail or messy dining table you’ve been meaning to clear for days? Tackle it by spending five to ten minutes doing a “closing shift” each night. Think of it as a mini-reset: put things away, wipe down surfaces, and create a sense of order for the remainder of the night. Your future self will be grateful too.
At last, whether it’s time for a shower or a pampering bath, avoid turning on the harsh overhead lights in your bathroom. Instead, opt for a salt lamp’s amber glow, some pretty flickering candles, or even a night light for a spa-like ambiance.
Read more: How Light Affects Sleep
Smell
Have you ever walked into a spa, resort, or a friend’s home and felt a wave of calmness wash over you? It could have been the power of scent at play, which you can recreate in your own home. Some notable essential oils known for their therapeutic scents are lavender, cedarwood, sandalwood, and bergamot.
Adding these blissful fragrances to your bathroom can enhance your cleansing rituals. Place a eucalyptus shower steamer – a small, dissolving bath bomb-like tablet — in the corner of your tub. Or, for a muscle-relaxing bath, sprinkle in a bath soak with essential oils, Himalayan sea salts, and magnesium flakes. Keep in mind that everyone’s preference is different, so experiment to find what your nose loves best.
Candles and diffusers can also be pleasant additions to any room. Or my current favorite — wax melts in the form of cubes or squeezes. Since the wax is warmed, instead of burned, you don’t have to worry about open flames or smoke. Plus, they last longer. As you move from room to room or settle into bed, take slow, deep breaths and savor these aromatic moments.
Sound
Noisy neighbors, traffic sounds, even random creaks from your home — these disruptions can ruin a peaceful evening. Even if your surroundings are out of your control, you can attempt to dampen the noise with calming lo-fi beats, jazz, and classical music. While popular for work productivity, these genres and their gentle melodies are also lovely for loosening up.
On the other hand, silence is ideal for some. But complete silence isn’t always an option or a preference. That’s where white noise and brown noise machines come in — they effectively mask unwanted sounds. Or, you can use an app to turn on a nature soundscape — from rain showers, rhythmic ocean waves, crickets, or a crackling campfire — for a serene backdrop.
Touch
Soft textures are peak luxury — like drying off with plush bath towels, slipping into cozy pajamas or a robe made of natural fibers, and then sliding into fresh, temperature-regulating sheets. You don’t have to reserve these small touches for hotel stays.
Beyond draping yourself in comfy fabrics, physical touch also feels luxe and can ground you to the present moment. Try gentle stretches, focusing on areas that tend to hold tension, like your neck, shoulders, and lower back, to release any knots and soothe aches.
You can follow a guided yoga video online or pick a few simple poses. After stretching, give yourself a mini hand and foot massage with your favorite grounding dry body oil or body melt, combining the benefits of touch and smell for an even more rejuvenating experience.
If you’re still feeling tense or restless, consider snuggling under a weighted blanket that’s about 10% of your body weight. It’ll provide deep pressure therapy that feels like a hug, reducing anxiety and stress-related insomnia.
Read more: The Best Fabrics for Deep Sleep
Taste
Sipping a sweet or caffeinated drink at night might sound deliciously tempting, but we all know they are stimulants that sabotage sleep. Resist the urge to reach for these before bed, and instead, treat your taste buds with a comforting cup of caffeine-free herbal tea like chamomile or peppermint.
If you crave something refreshing, make a sleepy girl mocktail with tart cherry juice, magnesium powder, and sparkling water. This non-alcoholic, sleep-friendly concoction can calm your racing mind as you drift off into a deep, restorative slumber.
As you incorporate these sensory elements into your routine, remember that the key is personalization. Experiment, make minor tweaks, and pick and choose which rituals feel good for you. Don’t feel pressured to try everything at once — start with one sense, like using softer lighting, and gradually build your at-home sensory retreat.
Read more: How to Drink Caffeine Without Disrupting Your Sleep
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