25 Nighttime Self-Care Ideas For Yogis On Healing Journeys

If you’re a yoga student looking to deepen your practice, you may wish to include more self-care into your evening routine. This is a perfect way to unwind, prepare for the next day, and send yourself love before rest. If you’re ready for the 25 nighttime self-care ideas, I welcome you to join me in this blog post.

What Is Self-Care? 

The World Health Organization defines self-care as: 

“Self-care is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote their own health, prevent disease, maintain health, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker.”

If you’re a trauma survivor, self-care is a way to show yourself love, take care of yourself, and maintain good health. I welcome you to read this blog post for a more in-depth guide to the eight areas of self-care for trauma survivors.

What Are Yogi Self-Care Ideas?

Yogi self-care ideas are like regular self-care, except you focus more on mindfulness, yoga techniques, and ways to make your yoga practice better. 

I also welcome you to add more mindfulness to each self-care activity you try. Below is an example of how to do this with a nightly skin care routine: 

As you wash your face, I welcome you to ask any or all of these questions:

• How do your hands feel against your skin as you wash your face? 
• What is the water’s temperature? 
• Are your feet grounded into the bath mat as you wash your face, or are you leaning to one side more than the other? 
• What is the texture, color, hue of your skin?
• Are there any kind words you can repeat to yourself while washing your face?

These simple questions take your typical boring routine and transform it into something much more impactful! 

How Are These Nighttime Self-Care Ideas Beneficial For Healing Journeys?

If you’re a trauma survivor, these brief moments of grounding and awareness allow you to arrive in the present and into your window of tolerance, balancing your nervous system. The more you bring yourself into this state, the easier it will be to come home to your body. 

This is only a small practice as part of an entire care plan. I encourage you to explore additional support options to give you a well rounded, healthy healing plan.

25 Nighttime Self-Care Ideas For Yogis On Healing Journeys

Before we begin, I welcome you to explore these as optional. If one doesn’t interest you, then you can skip it. The nighttime self-care ideas that resonate most with you are the best ones to try. You are always in control of which techniques and ideas to incorporate into your life. 

1. Begin a nighttime writing/coloring routine. (Coloring, journaling, bullet journal, anything you like)
2. Read a yogic text, mindfulness book, self-care journal, or anything else that calms you.  
3. Spend time with a loved one or pet.
4. Explore ambient sounds. If you don’t like quiet or stillness, you could explore nature sounds, types of filler noise like white, brown or green, or calming music you enjoy.
5. Try a warm bath before bed to release tension. You could even combine this with a meditation for deeper relaxation.
6. Experiment with breathwork. If you have a busy schedule, I welcome you to try breathwork as you do chores or as you’re getting ready for sleep. I invite you to explore these three styles of breathwork to release trauma and can do anywhere.
7. Add chakras to your routine. You could place a stone or something to resemble the color chakra by your bedside, focus on color as you rest, say a mantra before bed, include fragrances or affirmations. I invite you to explore 49 healing chakra affirmations in this blog post for inspiration.
8. Create an ambiance that grounds you. You can use anything that makes you comfortable (wax melts, incense, candles, mood lights, anything you prefer.)
9. Take a quick mindful moment: I invite you to place one hand on your heart, the other on your belly. Continue to breathe in any way that suits you, and I welcome you to check in with yourself. You can be as brief or introspective as you like. I invite you to send yourself kind words, then gently unwind from the practice. 
10. Prepare your space tonight for a more peaceful morning. I welcome you to prepare anything the night before so that you can continue your calm, mindfulness routine into the next day. There is something very serene to me about waking up to a clean, organized space. 
11. Send yourself gratitude for your day. Healing journeys are difficult, so any kind words you send to yourself is a quick, healthy habit to explore before bed. 
12. Include simple yoga techniques before bed to promote restful sleep. One example is by laying on your right side to activate your parasympathetic (calming) nervous system.
13. Give yourself permission to do nothing. Some nights, you may crave rest over yoga, meditation, or other practices. I welcome you to follow this instinct.
14. Replace your traditional style of yoga before bed with trauma-informed yoga. This style of yoga honors the lived experiences of trauma survivors, focuses on calming your anxiety, learning how to embody your practices, and come home to your body. I welcome you to read more about this style of yoga in this blog post.
15. Explore a tension release meditations for soothing your nervous system and releasing stress.

10 Quick Nighttime Self-Care Ideas: 

Here are a few more ideas that require brief explanation, but are still part of a wonderful nighttime self-care routine. A few of these include the Yamas and Niyamas. These are part of yoga philosophy and are essentially guidelines for yoga practitioners. You’re welcome to include or skip as many as you prefer.

1. Drink warm tea that eases your nerves like lavender or chamomile.
2. If short on time, explore one yoga pose that brings you the most relaxation. You could try legs up the wall, child’s pose, or forward fold.
3. Practice tapas, or discipline, and try your best to sleep around the same time every night.
4. Include svadhyaya, or self-study, with a daily reflection. You could use a journal or run through your day in your mind.
5. Practice nonviolence (ahisma) toward yourself, meaning you are well fed, hydrated, and kind to yourself as you prep for nighttime.
6. Explore one or more cards from your favorite affirmation or yoga deck.
7. Practice a quick mudra as you rest in bed.
8. Spritz your favorite essential oil or scent onto your pillow or in your space that calms you. Lavender is my favorite!
9. Give yourself a gentle hand or foot massage with your favorite lotion. 
10. Give your lower back some kindness with this quick trick: place a pillow under your knees before you sleep. This will provide relief in your low back for more comfort.

Overview

Many might think self-care is selfish or overindulgent, but it’s crucial to a healthy lifestyle. If you’re healing from trauma, this is even more important because giving yourself the gift of self-care sends a powerful message: you matter.

I wish you the best on your healing journey, and if you’re looking to have your mindful self-care Sunday, I welcome you to explore this blog post.

Take Care.