I’ve got the perfect morning routine almost down pat, but my nighttime routine still has some work to do.

There are elements of my nights that I love, but there are also things that I know need to be added or nixed.

So, let’s start with what I’ve got going for me:

+ skincare — when I was younger and first started having to take care of my skin I was awful at it. In college, there were countless nights when I would go to bed without washing my face, even when I had a full face of makeup on. I cringe thinking about it now. But now I’ve gotten to the point of adulthood where I wash my face before going to be. And there’s nothing better than a freshly washed and moisturized face.

+ sleepy time tea — I took a break from caffeine and instead drank a lot of herbal tea. One of my favorites was sleepy time tea and while I don’t have it every night it is nice to have a mug of something hot to sip on when you get into bed.

+ about twice a week I read before bed — in my ideal world I would read every night before bed, but I’m not there yet. But I always love the times that I do.

+ gratitude — sounds cheesy but Michael and I share what we’re grateful for that day, and it sends you to bed feeling really warm and fuzzy inside.

Things that I like but probably aren’t the best for winding down:

+ Michael and I love watching an episode (or a few) on Netflix at the end of the day. Right now we’re on the last season on The Office as well as the new season of The Crown. I know it’s not good to stare at a laptop before going to bed, but it’s this fun little thing we both enjoy to wind down from the day

What I need to stop:

+ staying off social media — I’ve gotten a lot better over the years but I used to have to scroll through Instagram until I got through all the new posts. Ridiculous I know. But overall I’d like to cut down on technology before bed.

What I would like to add:

+ mediation — I go through phases of meditating regularly, but I would love to start consistently doing it at night. And not leave it to the last thing or I will definitely fall asleep during.

+ journaling — while I’m all about morning pages, I would love to add regular journaling at night as a way to reflect on and document my day. I love looking back on old journals, and I think night time would be a great spot to start doing it consistently.

+ pajamas — ok, last and probably weirdest, but in the past year or two I’ve really wanted to get a dedicated pair of pj’s that I only wear to bed instead of stuff I also work out in. Something about getting into the mindset of sleep is what keeps pulling me towards getting a pair of pajamas.

What are your favorite parts of your night time routine, and what would you change?