Does this sound familiar? It’s 11 PM, you’re tucked into bed, and you know you should be asleep. Your body is tired, but your mind is running a marathon. You mentally scroll through tomorrow’s to-do list, replay a conversation from earlier in the day, and start worrying about something that might happen next week. Before you know it, another hour has passed, and deep, restorative sleep feels completely out of reach.

I know that feeling all too well. For years, I treated sleep as the thing I did only after everything else was finished. I’d work or scroll on my phone right up until my eyes burned, then fall into bed expecting my brain to magically switch off. It rarely did. The result? I’d wake up feeling groggy, irritable, and running on fumes—which isn’t a great way to show up as a mom, a partner, or for myself.

It wasn’t until I shifted my mindset from “crashing into bed” to “preparing for rest” that things truly changed. I stopped seeing the last hour of my day as a throwaway and started treating it as a sacred, non-negotiable ritual. This simple change has been one of the most powerful things I’ve done for my overall wellness.

So today, I want to pull back the curtain and share the personal, five-step bedtime ritual that helps me unwind and signal to my body and mind that it’s time for sleep. This isn’t about a rigid, complicated set of rules. Think of it as a gentle template—a collection of ideas you can adapt to create your own personalized, relaxing end to the day.

Why a Bedtime Ritual Matters More Than You Think

In our hyper-productive world, we often think of “winding down” as a luxury. But it’s a biological necessity. Creating a consistent evening routine—I prefer the word ‘ritual’ because it feels more intentional and special—does a few key things:

• It signals your brain: Just like a morning alarm tells you it’s time to start the day, a bedtime ritual tells your brain it’s time to start producing melatonin, the hormone that governs sleep. Consistency is the magic ingredient here.
• It helps manage stress: The activities in a calming ritual can help lower cortisol (the stress hormone) and activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which is your body’s “rest and digest” mode. This is crucial for quieting a racing mind.
• It creates a buffer zone: A ritual creates a clear boundary between the stress and stimulation of your day and the peace required for sleep. It’s a dedicated time to transition, let go, and come back to yourself.

Simply put, it’s an act of self-care that pays you back with more energy, a better mood, and a clearer mind the next day. So, what does this look like in practice? Here’s my personal flow.

My 5-Step Bedtime Ritual for Deep, Restful Sleep

My ritual usually starts about an hour before I want to be asleep. Some nights I have more time, some nights less, but I always try to incorporate at least a few of these elements. It’s all about flexibility and grace!

Step 1: Sip a Soothing Herbal Tea

My ritual almost always begins in the kitchen. The simple act of boiling water and steeping a fragrant herbal tea is the first signal that I’m shifting gears. There’s something so grounding about holding a warm mug in my hands—it’s an immediate comfort. I see it as one of the simplest and most effective natural sleep aids you can find.

I rotate through a few favorite caffeine-free herbs known for their calming properties:

• Chamomile: The classic sleepy-time tea! It contains an antioxidant called apigenin, which binds to certain receptors in your brain that may decrease anxiety and initiate sleep.
• Lemon Balm: A member of the mint family, lemon balm is known for reducing stress and anxiety. It has a lovely, gentle citrusy flavor.
• Passionflower: This is a powerhouse for quieting a racing mind. It’s believed to work by increasing levels of a chemical called GABA in the brain, which lowers brain activity and helps you relax.
• Lavender: While often used in aromatherapy, a small amount of culinary lavender in a tea blend can be incredibly soothing. Its scent alone is synonymous with relaxation.

I’ll often use a pre-made blend (there are so many wonderful organic options available) or just steep a teaspoon of dried chamomile flowers. The warmth, the aroma, the gentle flavor… it’s a multi-sensory experience that says, “The day is done.”

Step 2: Unload My Mind with a “Brain Dump”

This has been a total game-changer for me. With my cup of tea beside me, I take out a simple notebook and a pen (no screens!) and spend 5-10 minutes doing what I call a “brain dump.”

It’s exactly what it sounds like: I get everything that’s swirling around in my head out and onto the paper.

1. The To-Do List: I write down anything I need to remember for tomorrow. Appointments, errands, work tasks, calls to make. Once it’s on the paper, my brain doesn’t have to waste energy trying to hold onto it overnight.
2. The Worries: If something is making me anxious, I write it down. Seeing a worry written in black and white often shrinks it down to a more manageable size. Sometimes I’ll even ask myself, “What’s one tiny step I can take to address this tomorrow?”
3. The Gratitudes: I always end by listing 1-3 things from the day that I’m grateful for. It could be something as small as the sunshine on my face during a walk, a funny thing my child said, or a delicious meal. This simple act helps me end the day on a positive, peaceful note.

This practice ensures that when my head hits the pillow, my mind is a calmer, clearer space. If journaling feels new to you or your mind still feels busy after, you might also find some comfort in these 5 simple mindfulness exercises to find calm in a busy day. They are a wonderful complement to a wind-down routine.

Step 3: Gentle Movement & Stretching

After sitting at a desk or chasing after kids all day, my body is often holding onto as much tension as my mind. I’m not talking about a workout here—this is about gentle, restorative movement to release physical stress. I’ll dim the lights and spend about 10 minutes on a yoga mat or even just on the carpet in my bedroom.

My go-to sequence includes:

• Cat-Cow Pose: To gently warm up the spine.
• Child’s Pose: This is an incredibly grounding and calming posture that gently stretches the back, hips, and shoulders. I focus on taking deep, slow breaths into my back.
• Gentle Spinal Twist: Lying on my back, I bring my knees into my chest and then gently let them fall to one side, keeping my shoulders on the floor. This is a wonderful release for the lower back.
• Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani): My absolute favorite! I simply lie on my back and swing my legs up to rest against the wall. It’s fantastic for circulation, tired legs and feet, and calming the nervous system. I’ll stay here for 5-10 minutes, just breathing.

As someone who carries so much of my daily stress in my shoulders and neck, this physical release is non-negotiable. It helps me inhabit my body in a peaceful way before getting into bed.

Step 4: Mindfully Disconnect & Set the Scene

This might be the most important step for many of us: putting the phone away. The blue light emitted by our screens (phones, tablets, TVs, computers) is a well-known disruptor of melatonin production. It essentially tells our brain, “Stay awake, it’s still daytime!”

My personal rule is no screens for at least 30 minutes, and ideally 60 minutes, before sleep. The phone gets plugged in across the room, so I’m not tempted to “just check one more thing.” Instead of scrolling, I:

• Read a physical book (usually fiction or something light, nothing too stimulating).
• Do my skincare routine. This is also when I do my skincare, which has become a ritual in itself. Taking a few extra minutes for something like my gentle oil cleansing method feels like a mini-massage for my face and helps wash the day away.
• Set the sensory scene. I turn off all overhead lights and use only a soft bedside lamp. Sometimes I’ll turn on my essential oil diffuser with a calming blend of lavender and cedarwood. These sensory cues are powerful signals for my brain to associate with sleep.

Step 5: A Final Moment of Gratitude

This is the very last thing I do before I close my eyes. It takes less than 30 seconds. Lying in bed, I take one final, deep breath and simply think of one beautiful moment from the day. It’s a continuation of my journaling practice, but more embodied. It’s my final, conscious thought before drifting off, and it ensures my mind is in a state of peace rather than stress.

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How to Create Your Own Relaxing Bedtime Routine

Remember, my routine is what works for me, Laura. The goal is for you to find what works for you. The best routine is one you’ll actually stick with, so start small! You don’t have to do all five things at once. Maybe just start with putting your phone away 20 minutes earlier and reading a book. Or perhaps you just start with a cup of chamomile tea.

Here’s a gentle template to help you brainstorm. Pick one option from each category to build your own personalized ritual.

Your Personal Ritual Template

• Your Soothing Sip: Herbal tea, warm milk with a dash of cinnamon, hot water with lemon, or even just a glass of room temperature water.
• Your Mindful Unwind: A “brain dump” journal, reading a physical book or magazine, listening to a calming podcast or audiobook, working on a simple puzzle, or sketching.
• Your Gentle Release: A few simple stretches, a warm bath with Epsom salts, a hot shower, using a foam roller on tight muscles, or self-massage on your hands and feet with a nice lotion.
• Your Sensory Cues: Dim lighting, an essential oil diffuser, a spritz of linen spray on your pillow, a cozy weighted blanket, or a specific “sleep” playlist of ambient music.
• Your Final Thought: A moment of gratitude, a simple prayer or mantra, a deep breathing exercise, or setting an intention for a restful night.

Experiment and see what feels good. The key is to choose activities that you genuinely find calming and enjoyable.

A Few Final Thoughts

Please remember to be patient with yourself. Building a new habit takes time, and consistency is more important than perfection. There will still be nights when sleep is elusive, and that’s okay. The goal is not to achieve a “perfect” night’s sleep every single night, but to create a supportive, loving practice that honors your need for rest.

And of course, what we do during the day matters, too. Moving our bodies, getting some sunlight, and fueling ourselves with nourishing foods can all have a huge impact on our sleep quality. If you’re curious about that connection, you might like my beginner’s guide to anti-inflammatory eating, as reducing inflammation can also support better rest.

I hope sharing my routine gives you a starting point and some inspiration for reclaiming your evenings. You deserve to feel rested, and creating a simple, beautiful ritual is a powerful first step.

Sweet dreams,

Laura

5 Simple Mindfulness Exercises to Find Calm in a Busy Day

Does this sound familiar? Your alarm goes off, and before your feet even hit the floor, your mind is already racing. The mental to-do list starts scrolling: pack the lunches, find that missing permission slip, prep for the 10 a.m. meeting, remember to pick up milk, figure out what’s for dinner… and on and on it goes.

Some days, it feels like I’m being pulled in a dozen different directions at once. As a mom and the founder of Closer to Natural, my days are a constant juggle of caring for my family, running a business, and trying to carve out a sliver of time for myself. There have been countless moments when I’ve found myself standing in the middle of the kitchen, completely overwhelmed, feeling my shoulders creep up toward my ears and my breath getting shallow. It’s that tell-tale hum of stress that can so easily become the background music to our lives.

For a long time, I thought the answer was to just push through, to be more productive, to organize my lists better. But what I’ve learned—and what I want to share with you today—is that the most powerful tool for navigating a busy day isn’t about doing more, but about being more present in the moments we already have.

This is where mindfulness comes in. And I promise, this isn’t about adding another complicated thing to your to-do list. These are simple, practical anchors you can use to find a little bit of calm, right in the middle of the chaos. No yoga mat, fancy app, or silent hour required. Just you, your breath, and a few minutes.

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So, What is Mindfulness, Really?

Let’s clear something up right away: mindfulness is not about emptying your mind or stopping your thoughts. (If you’ve ever tried that, you know it’s pretty much impossible!) In the simplest terms, mindfulness is just the practice of paying attention to the present moment, on purpose, and without judgment.

It’s about noticing your thoughts without getting swept away by them. It’s feeling the sun on your skin as you walk to the car. It’s tasting the first sip of your morning coffee instead of just gulping it down while you scroll through emails. It’s a gentle return to the here and now. And in a world that’s constantly pulling our attention toward what’s next, returning to the present is a quiet act of rebellion—and self-care.

These little moments of awareness are powerful. They can help dial down our body’s stress response, offer some of that much-needed quick anxiety relief, and help us feel more grounded and in control, even when the world around us feels anything but.

My 5 Go-To Mindfulness Exercises for a Busy Day

Okay, let’s get to the practical stuff. These are the five simple mindfulness exercises for stress relief that I turn to again and again. They are my lifelines on hectic days. I encourage you to try them out and see which ones resonate with you.

1. The Three-Minute Breathing Space

This is my absolute favorite because you can do it anywhere, anytime. I do this in my car after school drop-off, sitting at my desk before a big call, or even just stepping into the pantry for a moment when the house feels chaotic. It’s a structured way to check in with yourself in just three minutes.

• Minute 1: Acknowledge. Close your eyes if you can, or just soften your gaze. Ask yourself, “What is my experience right now?” Notice your thoughts (are they racing?), your emotions (are you feeling frustrated, tired, happy?), and the sensations in your body (is your jaw tight? are your shoulders tense?). Don’t try to change anything. Just observe and acknowledge what’s there.
• Minute 2: Gather. Gently bring your full attention to the physical sensation of your breath. Focus on the feeling of the air moving in and out of your body. You might notice your belly rising and falling, or the coolness of the air in your nostrils. Your mind will wander—that’s okay! Each time it does, gently guide it back to your breath. The breath is your anchor to the present moment.
• Minute 3: Expand. Widen your awareness from just your breath to your entire body. Feel the space your body is taking up, the points of contact with your chair or the floor. Then, expand your awareness even further to the room you’re in, noticing any sounds or smells without getting attached to them. Carry this expanded, more present awareness with you as you open your eyes and move back into your day.

2. Mindful Observation: The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique

When you feel your thoughts spiraling into worry or overwhelm, this sensory exercise is a fantastic way to pull you out of your head and back into your environment. It forcefully shifts your focus from internal chaos to external reality. I’ve taught this to my kids, and it’s a wonderful tool for all ages.

Wherever you are, pause and gently notice:

1. 5 things you can SEE: Look around and name five things in your sight. The blue pen on your desk, a crack in the ceiling, a bird outside the window, the pattern on your rug, a dust bunny in the corner. Notice details.
2. 4 things you can FEEL: Bring your awareness to the sense of touch. The smoothness of your desk, the soft texture of your sweater, the solid pressure of your feet on the floor, the slight breeze from a vent.
3. 3 things you can HEAR: Listen carefully and identify three distinct sounds. The hum of the refrigerator, the distant sound of traffic, the ticking of a clock, your own breathing.
4. 2 things you can SMELL: This one can be subtle. Maybe it’s the faint scent of coffee, the soap on your hands, or the fresh air coming through an open window. If you can’t smell anything, just notice the neutrality of the air.
5. 1 thing you can TASTE: What is the taste in your mouth? The lingering flavor of your lunch, the mint from your toothpaste, or maybe just the neutral taste of your own tongue. You could also take a sip of water and mindfully taste it.

By the time you finish, you’ll likely feel much more grounded in the present moment.

3. The Mindful Sip: Transforming Your Tea or Coffee Break

How often do we make a cup of tea or coffee only to have it go cold on our desk, forgotten? Or we gulp it down without even tasting it while answering emails? This practice transforms that routine into a two-minute sanctuary.

The next time you have a warm drink, try this before you take the first sip:

Hold the mug in your hands and feel its warmth. Look at the color of the liquid and watch the steam rise. Bring the mug to your nose and inhale the aroma. Then, take a small, intentional sip. Notice the flavor, the temperature, and the sensation as you swallow. Try to take three to five sips this way before you move on with your day.

This small act of single-tasking can feel incredibly restorative. It’s a principle I try to bring into other areas of my life, too. I’ve found that focusing completely on one simple, nourishing task can be surprisingly meditative. It’s one of the reasons I love my weekly routine of planning our family meals; the simple act of chopping vegetables helps me feel centered, which is why I’m such a fan of finding healthy meal prep ideas that saved my sanity.

4. The Gentle Body Scan

We hold so much of our daily stress in our bodies—in our clenched jaws, tight shoulders, and tense stomachs. A body scan is a way to check in and gently release that physical tension you might not even be aware you’re carrying.

You can do this lying down before bed or even just sitting in your office chair. Close your eyes and bring your attention to the tips of your toes. Just notice any sensations—warmth, coolness, tingling, pressure, or maybe nothing at all. Slowly, as if you’re moving a gentle spotlight of awareness, scan up through your feet, to your ankles, your calves, your knees, and so on, all the way up to the top of your head.

The key here is non-judgment. If you notice tension in your shoulders, your only job is to notice it. You can say to yourself, “Ah, there’s tension in my shoulders.” You might find that simply bringing awareness to it allows it to soften on its own. Don’t try to force it to relax; just observe with kindness. This is one of my go-to practices to wind down after a long day.

5. The Single-Task Reset

In our culture, multitasking is often worn as a badge of honor. But research shows that what we call multitasking is usually just rapid task-switching, which is draining and stressful for our brains. The antidote? Intentionally single-tasking.

Choose a routine task you normally do on autopilot—like washing the dishes, folding a load of laundry, or brushing your teeth. For the next five minutes, commit to doing *only* that one thing.

If you’re washing dishes, pay attention to the temperature of the water on your hands, the slippery feel of the soap, the sound of the plates clinking, the smell of the dish soap. If your mind wanders to your to-do list, gently guide it back to the sensations of washing the dishes. I first discovered the profound calm in this when I started making more of our household products from scratch. Whether I’m mixing up my favorite DIY all-purpose cleaner or just wiping down the counters with it, focusing on that one simple, productive action feels like a reset button for my entire nervous system.

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Making Mindfulness a Habit, Not a Chore

My journey into a more natural, intentional life didn’t happen overnight. As I, Laura Hollingsworth, built this Closer to Natural community, I learned that real, lasting change comes from small, consistent choices. The same is true for mindfulness.

Please don’t look at this list and feel like you have to do all of them perfectly every day. That’s the opposite of the goal! The idea is to sprinkle these moments of presence throughout your day. Maybe you start by just trying a Three-Minute Breathing Space in your car tomorrow. Or perhaps you commit to a Mindful Sip with your afternoon tea.

Be gentle and curious with yourself. Some days you’ll remember, and some days you won’t. That’s perfectly okay. Every single time you choose to pause, to breathe, to return to the present moment—even for just 30 seconds—is a victory. It’s a gift of calm you give to yourself, and it’s a gift that will ripple out into everything you do.

I’d love to hear which of these you try. Finding these small anchors has made such a difference in my own busy life, and I hope they bring a little more peace and presence to yours, too.

Warmly,
Laura