Routines/ December 15, 2021February 27, 2023

A Winter Night Time Routine That Works For Everyone

Changing your routines with the seasons is a very normal thing to do. I have tried so hard to “stay consistent” with my routines all throughout the year but the reality is, the time changes and the weather changes influence us so much. It’s unrealistic to keep the same routines. So, I wanted to share my winter 2021 night routine and how I transition to a new routine for a new season!

Why I change my routines with the seasons

Personally, I find myself deeply affected by the weather. The sunshine makes me so freaking happy and motivated. The rain makes me want to sleep all day and eat all the food. As I’ve gotten older I find myself even becoming kind of sad during the winter time. Not quite SAD level but some sadness is there. Here is some information about SAD (seasonal affective disorder) for you to read up on if you feel like it!

I found changing my morning and night routines with the seasons helps me stay more productive and motivated. I tried for a couple years to stay consistent all throughout the year but would always fall off the train. When I wasn’t able to wake up early enough during the winter or get to bed early enough during the summer.. I always felt bad about myself. It just made me feel like a failure because I couldn’t even keep up with a basic routine.

Only recently did I realize that it’s okay to change things up. A routine doesn’t have to be a long drawn out thing AND the routine is only helpful if you feel it’s helpful. That took some time to understand. I actually was watching a woman on YouTube who I LOVE (Angie Bellemare – go check her out) and saw that she changes her routines with the seasons and it just made so much sense to me.

So, all to say – I change my routine with the seasons now because I find it helpful to do what my body feels capable of and what is good for my mental health. The weather influences me so I make changes as I need to!

How I transition my routine

Like any changes, I don’t totally switch my whole routine overnight. It’s a slower progression. It makes the whole change feel more natural! It goes along with the weather and time changes. As the days get shorter and darker, I make changes. Just like the days get shorter, I slowly change my routine.

Usually the first thing that changes is my bedtime. Even if I’m not actually sleeping I get into bed a little earlier. I find it hard to be productive when it’s dark so my bedtime gets earlier because my body needs the rest.

I also start changing my night time tasks. For example – during the summer time it’s light out much longer. Therefore, I feel safe and comfortable running errands after work or I’m able to do certain things after dinner like take photos for Instagram, etc. However, in the winter, it gets dark so early so I feel less comfortable running errands after work and I can’t take my Instagram photos after dinner. SO, I change up my night time tasks. During the winter I spend more time doing things that don’t require sunlight (household chores, blog writing, working on my business).

My current night time routine

6:30pm – dinner time

Me and my fiance tend to plan out dinners for the week. Dinner time can be a stressful time for people and it has been for me in the past. I find planning ahead helps so much and it’s easier to eat healthy!

7:00pm – tidy up the dinner mess/ household chores/ other to do’s

I find doing some simple household chores before going to bed helps soooo much in the overall cleanliness of the home. Taking 30 minutes to fold the laundry or put the dishes away makes a big difference and less work for yourself later!

I also use this time to work on any business stuff I have going on. Making shirts/sweaters, creating designs, etc. I try to fit in a little bit everyday. This obviously can make my night a little longer if I have a lot to do but I try to keep it within the hour!

8:00pm – start winding down (watch a movie/ YouTube, get my last bit of phone time in, have a bath/shower)

I don’t have a super strict wind down routine, I mostly do whatever I’m feeling that day. Sometimes I want to watch a movie with Nick. Other times I want to just read a book quietly. Sometimes I spend this time scrolling TikTok. It doesn’t really matter. This time is just for me to relax and let my brain chill out from the day.

9:00pm – get ready for bed (skin care, brush teeth, etc.)

Nothing special here. I have a VERY basic skin care routine and all the usual before bed things!

9:30pm – in bed – reading time

At this point my phone is away. If I’m not tired I will read a book for a while. It doesn’t happen every night because some days I’m freaking tired haha but this is a good time to just be in bed and get cozy!

10:00 – sleep (or try to at least)

My insights for your own night time routine

Something I hope you realized about my routine is that it’s flexible but structured. I have structure in the sense of time blocks but what happens inside the time blocks is a bit more flexible. I don’t believe routines can be super strict or else you will give up after a period of time.

In the end, all routines need to work for YOU! It doesn’t matter what works for me or any other person. You will find your own routines and schedules. If you find a past routine is not serving you anymore because of the seasons, time constraints, responsibilities, etc, just move on!

I hope you found some good info in here and some motivation to create a night time routine that works for you!

Related read: Anti-anxiety morning routine

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