How to Create a Warming, Grounding Evening Routine

Is feeling cold getting old? Wired and not just tired? If you answered ‘yes’ to either of these questions, you’ll benefit from a warming evening routine. If you’re unsure on how to start, we’ve provided a ritual that’s flexible, informed by science and easy to embed each evening. When you download the day by warming the body and grounding the mind, it sends a signal that it's safe to rest.

What’s the difference between warming and grounding?

The ‘warming’ part of the routine sounds obvious, as it involves heat, but you could be left wondering what the ‘grounding’ part actually involves as a bedtime ritual. With the desired outcome of both warming the body and calming the nervous system, we’ll delve into what these terms mean. 

Warming

First, we’ll explain the hot topic of ‘warming’ as part of a sleep wind-down. These are actions to make you feel warm and cosy before bed, such as having a bath, wearing thick socks or snuggling under a blanket. Other things like exercise can also trigger ‘vasodilation’, or the physiological process by which blood vessels widen due to the relaxation of the smooth muscle cells.

Grounding

Grounding does not necessarily mean you have to be on the ground, but it does aim to get you out of your head and back into the present. This can be done through breathwork, body stretching and your environment.

What are the benefits of a warming and grounding routine?

There are numerous short-term and longer-term benefits of adopting a warming and grounding routine. In the short term, you’ll relax and fall asleep quickly, and in the long term, you’ll sleep better and have more energy. Implementing a daily warming and grounding routine will help your brain to recognise this pattern for sleep preparation. 

Short Term

• Fall asleep quickly – Your body gets the ‘safe to rest’ signal, so drifting off takes less effort
• Wake up less in the night – If you do wake up in the night, it’s easier to go back to sleep
• Deeper, steadier sleep – Less tossing and turning, more actual rest
• Looser muscles – Jaw, neck, and shoulders unclench; aches bother you less
• Warmer hands and feet – Cosy circulation makes your whole body feel ready for bed
• Quieter mind – clears head and helps rid rumination

Long Term

• More energy – Waking up less groggy with fewer afternoon crashes
• Better mood – Less irritable
• Sharper focus – Easier to think, plan, and make decisions
• Less cravings – Fewer sugar or caffeine fixes throughout the day
• Faster recovery – Your body repairs better from stress and workouts

How do I know which warming and grounding routine is best for me?

Depending on your focus area, there are different warming and grounding routines. For example, if you have cold feet and tense shoulders, you’ll need to add heat and do some gentle stretching before bedtime. See our advice below on what is recommended for the most common issues preventing you from unwinding.

• Intrusive thoughts or a busy mind – breathwork and journaling
• Overstimulated by screentime – low lighting and mini digital detox
• Restless body – yin yoga
• Overcaffeinated – warm shower and breathwork

How long does a routine take?

An evening routine can take up to 90 minutes, but if you don’t have that much time, you can do it in half an hour. Pick your length and we’ve indicated the timings for each part.

30 minutes:

• Transition (5): dim lights, put the mobile phone in another room.
• Warm (10): warm shower or foot soak. Put on socks and a dressing gown.
• Ground (10): 4–6 breaths with long exhales, followed by 2–3 relaxing stretches and jot in your journal.
• Close (5): prep tomorrow’s top 1–3 tasks then lights out.

60 minutes (standard):

Follow the 30-minute routine above and add:

• Herbal tea
• 10–15 min gentle yoga movement (cat-cow, forward fold, legs-up-the-wall)
• 10 min reading

90 minutes:

Follow the same steps as 30 and 60, and then add the following:

• A bath with magnesium salts
• Guided meditation
• Light tidying for visual calm
• Gratitude diary
• Sleep mask

How can I fit this routine into my busy life?

Parent/carers

It’s important to prioritise yourself even if you’re a parent or carer looking after others, as you’ll not give them your full support if you’re burnt out. Half an hour is enough time to dedicate to your warming and grounding routine, it is best to have already prepped the next day before your wind down.

Flat share inhabitants

If you have flatmates or you live in a small living space, invest in earbuds and a sleep mask to help you to block out noise or distractions. Our Bamboo Eye Mask has been designed to shut out ambient light so you can easily drift off. Made with bamboo, they’re super soft and so light, you won’t even feel like you’re wearing one.

Shift workers

Working at night means your daytime is reversed so you should create an evening environment when you’re catching up on sleep.

Menopause

Women who are going through the menopause or in their first menstrual phase should prioritise heat, add magnesium to their bath, and do gentle stretching as part of their routine.

Hot climates

Keep the warming part as perceived cosiness through soft lighting, warm spices in tea, light and breathable fabrics such as our Bamboo & French Linen Bedding Set. Highly breathable, naturally thermoregulating, and moisture-wicking, you’ll feel cool and comfortable when the temperature rises.

Pregnancy

Avoid very hot baths if pregnant or with certain medical conditions; check with a professional if unsure.

How do I keep up my warming and grounding routine?

So you’ve started your warming and grounding routine and you’re already sleeping better, but how do you keep up the momentum? As 90 minutes is the longest routine, cut it down on days when you have less time. Half an hour is a good enough timeframe to wind down before bed. Set a reminder on your phone, write it down in a diary or have a fixed cue e.g. doing the routine after you’ve washed up the dishes. If you still feel like you can’t switch off your mind, you may need to adjust your routine so you do longer breathwork or spend more time journaling.

Conclusion 

Evenings feel different when you signal safety to your body. Start small: dim the lights, dock your phone, and turn on a lamp. Run warm water over your hands or take a quick shower. Wrap up in our favourite dressing gown or socks. Then breathe: inhale four, exhale six, for ten rounds. Jot down tomorrow’s top three. When you treat warmth and grounding as non-negotiables, sleep stops being a struggle and starts being a rhythm.