My Cozy Fall Night Routine – Slowing Down

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Every year when Fall rolls around, I find myself ready to slow down. As the sun sets earlier, I find my internal clock wanting to rest earlier too. 

While the seasonal depression is a very real thing, I still enjoy the chilly nights spent being cozy and indulging in more self-care activities. 

While my evening routines generally consist of the same habits throughout the seasons, I love taking advantage of the slow and cozy feelings that accompany fall and really lean into them with my routines. Especially when summer was hectic or busy. 

My evening routine now consists of:

• Indoor workouts
• Hearty dinners (lots of root veggies, stews, and soups!)
• Long(ish) hot showers
• Alternating between cozy nights & content nights
• Changing the color of my bedside lamp
• Getting into bed earlier

Indoor Workouts

As a lifelong asthmatic, working out in the cold outdoor air is a no go. I’ve learned the hard way in the past that when it’s cold outside, I workout inside. 

Which is fine by me, because as part of my “slowing down” process, I’ve been leaning more into pilates and yoga workouts, as well as meditation. 

I’ve never been a fan of working out in gyms, so leaning into the home workouts that feel right for me are helping me to stay a lot more consistent with my exercise. 

Hearty Dinners

There is nothing worse than being hot and sweaty, and then cooking dinner over a hot stove/oven.

I am someone whose stomach seems to shut down when it’s too hot. If it’s not cold water, my stomach doesn’t want it. So summer meals consist of a lot of cold foods and meals that just aren’t quite as hearty. 

Chili’s, stews, soups, one pan sheets of baked veggies and proteins are staples in my kitchen during the colder months! Growing up, my mom always made stew year round, but I have found that in my home, I much prefer stew in the colder months. 

Hot, hearty dinners on a chilly evening always warm my bones up in ways I can never explain. 

Long(ish) Hot Showers

Another thing I cannot fathom doing during the summer months! 

Yes, we are fortunate enough to have A/C in our apartment, but taking a hot shower when I know as soon as I step out the door to 90 degree and humid weather just makes my stomach turn. 

If you love hot showers, even in the summer months, more power to you! It’s just not for me. 

So during these colder months, I am very much looking forward to hot showers to really feel refreshed and prepare myself for sleep. 

Cozy Nights vs. Content Nights

Something I am also changing is my content schedule. (Though this will probably last beyond Fall/Winter.)

I previously used to come home from my day job, and after a dinner break, jump right back into work. Though this time it was working on my content, rather than work from my day job. 

Slowly, I burned out. And I am at a point where I am coming back from that burnout. So in order to prevent further burnout, I am pulling back on work and prioritize rest and play. 

Right now I am trying out alternating nights between resting and doing things that bring me joy (reading, playing Stardew Valley, watching TV) and night spent more productively (workout, write, edit, life admin tasks). 

Changing the Color of my Bedside Lamp

About a year or so ago, I discovered smart light bulbs. I think it was the first time I truly felt old. 

My boyfriend and I decided to swap out almost every bulb in our apartment for smart bulbs. And until recently, I loved the slightly blue/purple hue the lamp gave off in the evenings in our bedroom.

However, turns out that warm hues (red, orange, and yellow) are far better than cooler hues (blue, purple, and green) for sleep, according to this article by The Sleep Foundation.

While I am not a fan of red lights, I do enjoy the soft orange glow of the lamp in the evenings. 

It may seem like a very small, almost irrelevant detail, but as someone who is prioritizing rest, anything I can do to help promote healthy sleep is a must. 

Getting Into Bed Earlier

While I have never considered myself to be a night owl or early bird, I do struggle with going to bed early to ensure I get enough sleep. 

I have little reminders on my phone to help get to bed on time and make sure that I feel rested in the morning. 

Or well, as rested as I can feel. 

I noticed that I was showing up for everyone else in my life, except for myself, and that was super disappointing. 

Prioritizing my rest helps me learn how to set boundaries and put myself first. 

All in all, my evening routine hasn’t changed too much. But there is just something about Fall that encourages and inspires me to slow down and lean into prioritizing rest and play. 

Work is important, but it’s also equally important to know how to rest and recharge. 

All the Fall activities and meals, and weather just makes it so much easier to indulge in my self-care faves. 

How about you? How does Fall affect your routines and habits? 

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