How To Create A Night Time Self Care Routine For Autumn

I’ve secretly been waiting for autumn and winter to arrive. I’m proud to declare that these are my favourite two seasons of the year. I love the fact that we get to slip into multiple layers and play around with different colours to match the autumn foliage. It is the one time during the year where we can slow down more than usual. It’s usually the time when we focus on self care routines.

In fact, autumn seasons encourage us to rest more. To take the time to do things that nourish us both inside and outside. We will be changing the clocks back pretty soon. I know that you can see that the days are already getting shorter. It’s getting colder outside and you may not have as much energy as you did in the summer. That is perfectly normal. I recognise that summer self-care can look a lot different to an autumn self-care routine. Self-care is imperative for a mental health all-year round. Autumn is one of the best times to give your night time self care routine a bit of a makeover.

Cozy and Comfy Pyjamas

When the weather is getting colder, my favourite thing to do is slip into some cozy and comfy pyjamas. There is something oddly satisfying about feeling my skin brush against soft fabrics. I’m pretty sure you agree with me there. Top it off with a thick house robe and some fluffy slippers brings a sense of warmth. Although you are only going to bed, you should feel comfortable and feel good before going to sleep. It makes the changing of seasons even more enjoyable. To me, self-care as a whole incorporates all the five senses. The pleasure that the sense of touch brings to your routine is just as important. Make the most of your time indoors and invest in pyjamas.

Cooking & Baking

You may not be able to find time to cook your favourite dish. Or bake your favourite dessert during the week. Having these things prepped over the weekend and tucked away in the fridge for easy access helps with the slowing down of the season. This is the time I like to experiment with autumn ingredients, so take out the apples, pumpkins, squash, cinnamon, oatmeal, caramel etc. and try out some new recipes. Cooking and baking as seen as therapeutic activities that can help improve your mood. Also it is a great way to improve your cooking skills to maintain a balanced diet.

Watching autumn movies

I love watching movies more around this time of year. There is something about seeing the autumn foliage outside and having that vibe inside my home from a movie that makes it more enjoyable.

A health tip here: try to start watching the movie earlier in the evening so that you finish it about an hour and half before you go to bed. Looking at screens before bed can disrupt your sleeping patterns and quality of sleep. It’s not the end of the world if you can’t create that time gap.

Studies show that the blue light can disrupt the body’s production of melatonin (helps us fall asleep better). I find that watching something that makes me laugh or feel at peace puts me in a good mood before bed. I like to watch romantic comedies like Pretty Woman, 10 Things I Hate About You. Lately I’ve been into watching more Black romcoms such as Think Like A Man or Just Wright.

Outdoor oasis

Your home is your oasis. It should bring you peace, comfort and warmth. If you have a balcony and/or garden, you should extend that feeling to your outdoor space. This pakuromo has inspired most of us to make the most of our homes. It has inspired me to make the most of my outdoor space too. Having an outdoor oasis for the autumn season is a great idea.

As the weather is still crisp and temperatures are not that low, spending some time outside helps. Wrapped up in a blanket drinking some peppermint tea, watching the sunset or reading a book can transform that space into a self-care destination. It’s a simple activity to do on an autumn night. Balcony sets tend to be on sale at this time of the year so you can easily grab something and start creating that space. I’m still on the hunt for a set of my own but I have found some promising ones on IKEA.

Autumn Scents For Self Care

Candles are a great way to set the mood before going to bed. I like to light my candles in the mornings when I write my blog posts, after I clean my place and before I settle down to watch a movie. Switching your candles from summer scents to autumn scents such as apple pie, cedar wood, cinnamon, pumpkin can create a relaxing environment before going to bed. If I am not watching a movie, I would usually curl up on the couch with a book and play some music in the background. A safety tip: Make sure to blow out/extinguish your candles before going to bed. I’m currently reading ‘The Fear-Fighter Manual – Lessons from a Professional Troublemaker‘. Dig around and read some of your favourite books as you take in some autumn scents.

Stretching

As an athlete, stretching is important but it becomes more important as we head into the autumn and winter months. Our hips become tighter as we start to move most of our activities inside and sit down for much longer. Spending 15 minutes before bed to stretch helps with our flexibility and it can prepare the body for bed. Although I stretch after my training sessions in the mornings, doing a gentle stretch before bed gives me an awareness of my body and how it feels after the day. I recommend doing Mady Morrison’s 15 minute stretch routine, I’ve been doing it every day for the past year and I have seen an improvement in my flexibility and mobility.

Skincare & Haircare routine

As the temperatures get colder, our skin can get tighter and our hair can quickly lose moisture. If you don’t have a set routine for your skin and hair, this is a great time to explore that. I like to spend some time before going to bed to prep both my skin and my hair. I like to use the DHC deep cleansing oil and the Neogen foam cleanser to prep my skin before I do my evening routine.

Haircare Routine

My hair routine is make sure that my hair gets the hydration it needs before I seal that with a hair oil. Taking care of our skin and hair is not only a self-care activity but also a part of our health as multi-dimensional people. Spending time in the evenings to do these routines eases me into relaxing mood and can help you wind down after a day’s work.

---

Here are my 7 tips to create and curate a night time self care routine for the autumn season. I really hope that I can get my balcony space done up so I’ll be able to spend more time on there all year round. If you have any other tips or activities that you like to do on autumn nights as self care, please drop a comment and share them below.

I’d love for this post to be a resource to you and others who are looking for some new ideas. Don’t forget to check out my Instagram stories to see what I get up to this Autumn and subscribe to the blog to get notified of all upcoming posts.

Until next time,

Folakemi