Life gets busy, and it can be tempting to squeeze every ounce of productivity out of your day, even when you’re technically off the clock. But keeping yourself in “on” mode for too long after work or school is a recipe for burnout, which can negatively affect both your mental and physical health.
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If you often find yourself responding to emails or scrolling through your newsfeed right up until bedtime — or if your pre-bed routine isn’t setting you up for good sleep — it might be time for an evening-routine refresh.
Creating an evening routine that allows you to disconnect from the busier part of your day can help you manage your stress levels, set you up for a better night’s sleep, and ultimately lead to a more productive tomorrow, says Angela Holliday-Bell, MD, a pediatrician and certified sleep specialist based in Homewood, Illinois.
Here are seven ways to do just that.
1. Put a Hard Stop to Work Activities
It’s common to continue checking email, answering texts, or even completing work-related tasks during your commute or shortly after the workday ends. But blurring the lines between your work and after-work time keeps your body in a state of alertness and stress, which makes it hard to truly rest in the evening, says Dr. Holliday-Bell.
Indeed, research shows that checking work emails after hours leads to emotional exhaustion.
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This state of feeling emotionally worn out and drained builds up slowly over time, causing symptoms such as anxiety, depression, irritability, and poor sleep.
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“One of the best things you can do for your sleep and mental health is to create a clear boundary between your ‘on’ time and your ‘off’ time,” Holliday-Bell says. “These small signals help your brain understand that the demanding part of the day is over.”
If you work or study outside the house, your commute home could be the boundary line. If you work from home, set a boundary by shutting down your computer, logging out of email, or even physically putting your phone in another room when the workday is done.
2. Check In With Yourself
Many of us go straight from task to task without pausing to notice how we feel, and that constant momentum often follows us into the after-work hours.
“A quick check-in, asking ‘Am I tense? Am I tired? Do I need food, water, or movement?’ helps you address your needs before bed instead of carrying that stress into sleep,” Holliday-Bell says.
Taking even two to three minutes to pause after work allows your body and mind a chance to shift gears, she adds, which can lower stress hormones and make it easier to fall and stay asleep at bedtime.
Checking in like this is a form of mindfulness, in which you focus on the present moment and observe your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment. Practicing mindfulness has been linked to higher levels of well-being, including lower levels of anxiety and depression, as well as better sleep.
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3. Create a Healthy Post-Work or -School Ritual
Once you’ve disconnected from the day’s stressors, it can help to have a go-to activity that signals the day is winding down, says Raj Dasgupta, MD, an internal medicine physician with Huntington Aligned Medical Group in Pasadena, California.
Some people like to take a short walk, while others might stretch, tidy up their space, or make a cup of tea. Whichever ritual you choose, the key is to do it consistently. “This helps your body and mind learn that it’s time to move from ‘go mode’ into ‘rest mode,'” Dr. Dasgupta says.
Research also shows that rituals provide stability and certainty, which can help lower anxiety and stress levels.
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4. Change Into Comfortable Clothes
Swapping your “day” outfit for a more comfortable one can have mental health benefits. Research suggests that wearing relaxed clothes can lead to lower stress levels, particularly when you opt for breathable, temperature-regulating fabrics like cotton or wool.
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“Changing into more comfortable clothes helps your brain register that the busy part of the day is over,” Dasgupta says. “It’s a small shift, but it goes a long way in lowering stress and making it easier for you to relax before bed.”
5. Listen to a Relaxing Music Playlist
Both Holliday-Bell and Dasgupta recommend listening to calming music after the busy part of your day to reduce stress and make it easier to prepare for sleep later. Research shows listening to music decreases levels of cortisol (a hormone the body releases in response to stress) and brings down heart rate and blood pressure. It can also boost mood and increase levels of oxytocin, a hormone linked to feelings of well-being.
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The above research review notes that classical music has been well-studied for its positive effects on stress but adds that there’s evidence these benefits tend to show up regardless of the genre you select. The key, according to another research review on the topic, is to listen to music you enjoy. In other words, choose whatever music feels relaxing to you.
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“The main thing is to make it feel enjoyable, not like another item on your to-do list,” Dr. Dasgupta says.
6. Write Down Your Worries and To-Dos
Anxiety over a looming deadline or upcoming presentation can hinder the transition into the more relaxing part of the day. So, if your mind is racing with anxious thoughts, try journaling. “Write down everything that’s on your mind, such as tasks, worries, or reminders, so you don’t feel pressured to hold it all in your head,” Holliday-Bell says.
The goal is not to erase tomorrow’s concerns, but to give your brain permission to rest so you’re ready to meet those challenges the next day, she adds.
A study of healthy young adults reveals that this approach offers benefits for sleep. Those who wrote down tasks they needed to complete during the next few days fell asleep significantly faster than those who recorded tasks they had already completed.
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7. Practice Relaxation Techniques
Mindful relaxation techniques that focus on your thoughts or body can be effective wind-down activities after a long school or workday, reducing stress and ultimately setting you up for a better night’s sleep later on.
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There are many techniques you can try, including deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation.
For deep breathing, inhale deeply for four counts, hold for four, and exhale for six counts; repeat until you feel relaxed, Holliday-Bell says.
To do progressive muscle relaxation, sit or lie in a comfortable position and focus on slowly tensing and then releasing each muscle group, working from your head to your toes (or vice versa).
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If that sounds too complicated, light stretching works well, too, Holliday-Bell says.
The Takeaway
- Cultivating a more intentional evening routine can have benefits for both your physical and mental health.
- Setting a clear boundary between your “on” and “off” time helps manage stress levels. It creates space for more restful evening activities.
- Consistent evening rituals such as light exercise or stretching, changing into comfortable clothes, listening to calming music, and journaling can signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down.
- Mindfulness activities, such as checking in and deep breathing, can also be part of a healthy evening routine that lowers stress and supports better sleep.
