How to Relax Before Bed

If you struggle to wind down and relax after a busy day, you might notice that it’s starting to affect your sleep. The good news is that there are some simple tools you can use to ease stress and anxiety, helping you to switch off and find a sense of calm ahead of going to sleep.

Tools to help you relax before bed

1. Meditations

Guided meditations have been shown to reduce stress and improve sleep. Here are some short ones to try at home:

Meditation

15 mins

Legs Up The Wall Meditation

with Jess (Wood) Baccanello

A restorative meditation to relax and relive stress and tension. This is great to calm the body and mind.

Meditation

15 mins

De-Stress Breathwork

with James Dowler

This practice uses the technique of slowing the exhale right down. In doing so, the slowing down branch of the nervous system is activated and a feeling of relaxation and calm sweeps through the body.

Meditation

5 mins

5 Minutes Of Evening Gratitude

with Cordelia Simpson

A short, daily practice with Cordelia Simpson to help you find gratitude for each day.

Meditation

10 mins

Ease Into Sleep Breathwork

with James Dowler

This practice uses a technique called “Ocean Breathing”. The intention of this practice is to down-regulate the nervous system at the end of the day by activating the vagus nerve in doing so preparing the body for a deep and restful night’s sleep.

Meditation

20 mins

20 Minutes To Release Before Bed

with Holly Husler

De-stress, unwind and let go of your day in this soothing sound and meditation practice.

Meditation

20 mins

Blissful Sleep Practice

with Phoebe Greenacre

For this blissful sleep practice, find a comfortable resting position in bed and allow your body and mind to drift naturally into a state of deep, rejuvenating sleep.

2. Relaxing Yoga

Gently stretching out your body, as you begin to focus on your breath and the here-and-now can be really powerful for helping you to let go of the day. Allowing your body and mind to settle into a calm state ready for rest.

Yoga

20 mins

Gentle Nighttime Flow

with Cordelia Simpson

Get yourself into something cosy, grab a pillow and allow yourself to be held, as you decompress ready for beautiful night's sleep.

Yoga

15 mins

Quick Evening Wind Down

with Lisa Hood

Perfect for the end of the day, or if you're feeling a bit tired and just want a flow that will allow you to move your body gently to relax and unwind. This flow is also great for post-natal new mammas looking to start introducing gentle movement back into their routine.

Yoga

20 mins

Go-To Grounding Flow

with Ella Mills

This is a great flow if you need a moment of calm to reconnect with your body and to ground yourself. Ella helps you open up and stretch out your whole body, focusing on your breath and how each part of your body feels to create a sense of calm and connection - the perfect start or break in your day.

Meditation

15 mins

Evening Relaxation

with Holly Husler

Yoga teacher Adam Husler is accompanied by sound healer Holly Husler to take you through a relaxing yoga flow to prepare for sleep.

3. Soundbaths and sleep music

Create a deeply relaxing environment for yourself with soundbaths and soundscapes, which help soothe your nervous system, allowing you to gently unwind.

Meditation

40 minutes

Deep Sleep Release

with Holly Husler

Using soothing sounds with guided meditation this practice guides you into deep state of calm, helping you let go of your day, release residual stress and drift into a peaceful sleep.

Meditation

2 hours

Drift Off Soundscape: Lunar Tide

with The Soundscape Studio

Drift off to this beautiful moonlight track, full of the sounds of light shimmering on the surface of gentle waves.

Meditation

40 minutes

Settling Into A Peaceful Sleep

with Holly Husler

This practice uses a meditative sound bath accompanied with some soft chimes to bring a sense of calm and peace as you drift into sleep.

Meditation

40 minutes

Full Body Relaxation For Deep Sleep

with Holly Husler

This 40-minute sleepy sound session starts with a full body scan to settle your mind and body before helping you drift into a good night's sleep.

Meditation

2 hours

Deep Sleep Soundscape: Ocean Waves

with

Drift off to sleep with the soothing sounds of the ocean, helping you drown out any distractions and find a deep level of quiet and peace.

Top tip

Make these practices even more effective by creating a super relaxing environment for yourself; have a warm bath beforehand, dim the lights, and try spraying a calming scent like lavender around your bedroom, turning it into a restful sanctuary for sleep.