My Cozy Evening Self-Care Routine to Unwind & Reset (Even After a Stressful Day)

By the end of the day, my brain feels like 34 open tabs…and none of them are responding 🫠

I used to just scroll until I fell asleep (hello, anxiety 👋🏼). But let’s be real here, it wasn’t really doing me any good — and to you too, even if it seemed right at first.

Now, I have a slow, cozy evening routine that actually helps me unwind — nothing fancy, just little rituals that make me feel human again.

If evenings feel rushed, stressful, or meh… this routine might inspire you to create your own soft landing at the end of the day. I’ll share my Cozy Evening Self-Care Routine that helps me unwind and reset after long, stressful days.

Cozy Evening Self-Care Routine

• Set the mood

• Something warm to drink

• Skincare

• Self-soothing ritual

• Digital wind-down

Set the Mood (Lighting + Environment)

First things first, I turn off all harsh lights and let only my lamps on or light candles. We don’t need a hospital OR vibes in here. I even stay in the dark for a bit at times, depending on the intensity of the day 😅

Then, following my mood and what my body needs, I put on soft music or silence. Mind you, I spend a lot of my days talking and in meetings with associates and clients, and what I usually go for at the end of the day is straight silence. This actually feels very refreshing and like a massage to my brain.

Lastly, the golden rule : messy room = messy brain. I take a quick five minutes just to clear visual clutter from the space. I don’t talk about a deep clean here, just a little reset of my desk, folding the blankets on the couch… Even putting my clothes in a basket helps me breathe better lol

Something Warm to Drink

To close the day, I like to finish with herbal tea, warm lemon water… Hot cocoa or anything hot will do. Maybe avoid coffee, because that would do the opposite effect we’re aiming for (unless you are the kind of super human who can drink a coffee and take a nap right after, you go).

The point isn’t what you drink, it’s the ritual of holding something warm in your hands. It instantly tells my brain “hey, we’re slowing down now.”

Skincare or Mini At-Home Facial

A little self-care everyday keeps the doctor away… ain’t it ?

I follow by removing the day of my face (literally) with a gentle cleanse. I remove my makeup, untie my hair, change clothes… I like to throw a face/hair mask in there from time to time or a gua sha routine if I want extra TLC. If you love DIY masks, I shared my top 3 here 💛

In the end, I just trick myself and pretend I’m at a spa even if I’m literally in pyjamas and fuzzy socks.

One Tiny Self-Soothing Ritual

While my face or hair mask bakes, I like to include a little self-soothing ritual or throw in physical movement. It can look like anything from stretching, yoga, pilates, breathing exercises or just read a cozy book.

But the key is : it doesn’t have to be long to be powerful. Even 3 minutes of intentional calm feels better than one hour of mindless scrolling.

Digital Wind-Down

I came to realize that some days, I am as wired as an electrical pole lol so I need to stop the flow of incoming information, otherwise, it’s short-circuit.

I try to step away from my phone at least 20–30 minutes before bed. Not always perfect (TikTok is powerful 😅), but when I do it, I sleep SO much deeper.

When I’ve had a really hard day…

Sometimes, the routine just takes the next boat : I just shower, cry, tea and straight up to bed.

Honestly, healing isn’t always aesthetic, and it should not be. Be flexible. Not everyday is the same, and the version of you changes daily. So listen to what you need, not to what you’re told. Even choosing one tiny comforting thing counts. All you did today was survive, and I’m proud of you. Tomorrow’s another day.

Evening routines don’t have to look perfect. They’re about giving yourself permission to slow down, take up space, and be cared for — even if you’re the one doing the caring.

Build your routine slowly. Make it yours. And let it evolve with you 💛

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If you love little self-care rituals like this, I share tons more cozy ideas, DIYs, and routine inspo on Pinterest!

💌 Follow me at @lauvisliving

Let’s be self-care besties over there 🤍