My evening self-care

We hear a lot about self-care these days, and the truth is that it’s something we all need. Life can move so fast and sometimes it feels like there’s no space left to breathe. For a long time, I thought self-care was selfish, or that it meant something fancy or complicated. I’ve learned that it’s much simpler. Self-care is anything that nourishes me, that helps me come back to myself.

Over the past few months, I’ve started a small evening ritual that has become one of my favourite moments of the day.

Around 9 30pm, I begin to slow down. I put my phone aside, take a few deep breaths, and let the noise of the day soften. I play some calm music or an audiobook and turn on my red-light therapy panel. The light feels gentle and warm on my skin, almost like the glow of a quiet sunset. It helps my body relax and my mind slow down.

Red-light therapy has many benefits: it supports skin health, reduces inflammation, improves circulation, and helps the body repair itself. I love the feeling of standing in that soft red light, it feels peaceful, grounding, almost like being held.

While I’m there, I use a massage gun to loosen my muscles, shoulders, legs, arms, anywhere that feels tense. It’s a small thing, but it feels wonderful. A friend of mine got one too after seeing mine, and it’s helped her with neck pain.

Afterwards, I massage natural oils and creams into my body and face. I take my time, moving slowly, paying attention to how it feels. It has become a small act of affection, a way of saying thank you to my body for everything it does for me.

When I get into bed, I sometimes listen to a yoga nidra meditation. It’s such a beautiful practice,  it helps me drift into that soft place between wakefulness and sleep and soften each part of my body. Before I close my eyes, I think of three moments from the day that made me feel grateful: a kind message, a moment shared with a guest, a smile, a moment in nature. It’s a simple way of reminding myself that there is always something good to end the day with.

This little routine takes about half an hour, and it makes such a difference. My sleep is deeper, my body feels calmer, and my mind quieter. Self-care doesn’t need to be perfect or complicated, it can be as simple as a few moments in the evening that remind you that you matter too.

Love,

Rosie x