Love the irony

Since a lot of people seemed to enjoy my Morning Routine for a Busy Witch, I’ve decided to write out my nighttime routine. Again, this post is only for ideas, and there’s no need to do this every night.

Tea is my absolute go-to for nighttime calm. 

Herbal teas that don’t have caffeine, but can still calm you, include: chamomile, lavender, rose, valerian (do not take while already on a sedative), lemon balm, spearmint, sage, licorice root, rooibos, and blackberry leaves. 

A lot of these herbs, such as chamomile, will also help you digest if you drink the tea after dinner.

Green teas do have a bit of caffeine, but can be very calming. I’ll often drink sencha at night.

Light a scented candle. Any floral scent, like the ones listed above, will help you relax before bed.

Baths and showers will not only relax your muscles, but also calm your mind. I personally refuse to bed with wet hair, so I usually take a bath with some scented candles lit and low light.

This has been said a million times before, but baths and showers make great cleansing rituals. Imagine scrubbing off your biggest worries and watching them swirl down the drain along with the soap bubbles.

When you rub on lotion, draw some sigils or runes on your skin before rubbing them in.

If you have a cleansing spray or air freshener, now is the time to use it. What better way to end the day than cleansing your house and having the air feel fresh?

If possible, go outside and sit with the moon for five minutes. I don’t know what it is about moonlight–it just heals the mind.

I struggle to do this myself, but in the best case scenario, it’d be great to wash your dishes before going to bed. It is so nice to wake up to a clean kitchen. Picking up clothes off the floor and throwing them into a hamper also greatly improves your morning. When your space is less cluttered, your mind is less cluttered.

Give a tiny offering before going to bed. It can be something you can leave overnight, such as water, salt, or herbs. It’s low-effort, spiritually attuning, and helps you feel satisfied with your day before bed. 

I don’t personally do this, but I know a lot of people will meditate or stretch before bed. I find that grounding exercises also relax me before bed.

This is a personal routine of mine: I use a lavender salve I made and rub it on the bottom of my feet before bed. The lavender helps calm the body, and according to reflexology, your feet are connected to the rest of your body. Not to mention your feet get sore after a long day! Rubbing the salve on your feet will help you sleep. 

You can do the same thing with lotion, preferably lavender scented.

I used to rub on hand cream before bed, and that helped me relax as well.

You can give your face a steam bath by boiling some water and adding a drop of essential oil into it, then bathing yourself in the steam. I’m wary of adding essential oil to my cooking pot because not all of them are edible, so I usually transfer the boiling water to another bowl and then add the essential oil. Still works like a charm.

When you get in bed, read something. Even like two minutes of reading will help calm you and (hopefully) make you drowsy. Unless you’re SUPER into the book. Then don’t read at night. Read something boring, like your homework.

Placing one of these crystals under your pillow may help you sleep: amethyst, labradorite, jade, black tourmaline, clear or rose quartz, selenite, or hematite.

Some people will place bags of pine, thyme, lavender, eucalyptus, or other calming herbs beneath their pillow. If you do this, be extra careful with how you bag them! My cousin ended up getting pine needles all over her bed because they weren’t secure. Use a ziploc bag or envelope to contain the herbs.

Credit: Dara Scully