Sleep Rituals and Relaxation - What to do when the clocks go back.

Sleep Rituals and Relaxation - What to do when the clocks go back.

On Sunday 25 October the clocks go back and we all get an extra hour in bed. I'll be honest, I love that lie-in. I've never been an early riser. But I've also learnt that the change itself can knock me sideways for a few days. Suddenly it's dark at teatime, the mornings feel heavier, and my body clock takes its time catching up.

So these days I don't wait for it to hit. I start getting ready a week or so before, and I'd love to share how.

Why the clocks going back can unsettle your sleep

An hour doesn't sound like much, but our bodies run on rhythm. Light in the morning tells us to wake up; darkness in the evening tells us to start winding down. When the clocks change, those cues shift overnight while our internal clock is still on the old timetable. Add in darker afternoons, cosier (and later) evenings on the sofa, and a little more screen time, and it's no wonder so many of us feel out of sorts in late October.

The good news is that small, gentle changes made a few days ahead can make the switch feel much softer.

Five ways to prepare in the week before

1. Bring your evenings in a little earlier. Start your wind-down fifteen minutes earlier each night in the run-up to the 25th. It's a gentle nudge rather than a jolt.

2. Dim the lights after dinner. Swap the big overhead light for lamps and candlelight. I light our Relaxing Embrace candle as soon as the dishes are done; it's my cue that the busy part of the day is over.

3. Put your phone in another room. This is the hardest one for me, and the one that makes the biggest difference. Even ten phone-free minutes before bed helps.

4. Get outside in the morning. Morning daylight is one of the best ways to help your body clock adjust. A short walk, or even your first cuppa by an open window, counts.

I've also swapped my morning coffee for green tea. It's a much gentler wake-up: rather than the quick caffeine hit (and the slump that follows) I used to get from coffee, green tea gives me a softer lift that lasts so much longer. That's thanks to L-theanine, a natural compound in tea that works alongside its smaller dose of caffeine to help you feel calm but alert. It's also full of antioxidants called catechins, which help protect our cells from the everyday stresses of modern life, so it feels like a kind way to start the day as well as a waking one.

5. Make a ritual you look forward to. We're far more likely to stick to something that feels like a treat rather than a chore. That's where my ten minutes come in.

My ten-minute wind-down ritual

Our Magnesium Balm was first made just for me, at a time when I was living with chronic fatigue and really needed a moment at the end of the day that was mine. Warming it between my hands and massaging it into my shoulders, feet and the backs of my legs became the signal that the day was done. It's been part of my evening ever since.

Here's how I do it:

  1. Dim the lights and put your phone in another room.
  2. Warm a little balm (about the size of a pea) between your fingertips.
  3. Massage slowly into your shoulders, calves and the soles of your feet.
  4. Take a few long, slow breaths before bed and let the scent of Relaxing Embrace do the rest.

Our balm blends magnesium chloride with soft natural butters and our Relaxing Embrace essential oils of lavender, geranium, bergamot and patchouli. It's smooth rather than grainy, so it feels like a few calming minutes of self-massage rather than another job to tick off.

Make it a full evening ritual: soak, cleanse, rest

On the nights when I have a little longer, I turn those ten minutes into a proper bedtime ritual in three steps.

Soak. Add a few pumps of our Relaxing Embrace Organic Hand & Body Wash to a warm bath, where it turns into a silky bath milk. Breathe in the soothing vapours and let your shoulders drop.

Cleanse. Use one of our Natural Hand Made Soaps with slow, unhurried movements. There's nowhere else you need to be.

Rest. Massage the Magnesium Balm into the soles of your feet, your neck and your wrists, then head straight to bed.

If you'd like all three in one beautiful box, our Soothing Sleep Rituals Gift Hamper brings together the body wash, soap and balm. It makes a lovely gift too, for anyone you know who dreads the dark evenings.

Make your bedroom part of the ritual

Your surroundings matter just as much as your routine. Light, temperature and scent all tell your body it's time to rest. I've written a whole guide on this: Creating Your Sleep Sanctuary: Environment and Ritual.

Enjoy that extra hour

The darker months don't have to catch us out. With a little preparation, they can become the cosiest, most restful time of the year. I hope you spend your extra hour on the 25th doing something lovely, even if that's just staying under the duvet.

With love, Emma x

Want your balm before the clocks change? Order by Tuesday 20 October. SHOP THE MAGNESIUM BALM

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Free delivery over £75, and a free Patchouli & Wood soap bar on orders over £100.

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