Nighttime Routine for Nervous System Reset & Deep Rest

Healing happens at night. Your nervous system resets, your adrenals recharge, and your brain clears waste through the glymphatic system. Without intentional nighttime rituals, stress hormones (like cortisol) can stay elevated, interfering with deep sleep.

At Electric Life Chiropractic, we encourage patients to create evening routines that invite the nervous system into parasympathetic dominance — the “rest and digest” state.

1. Signal Your Circadian Wind-Down

• Lighting: As Andrew Huberman often emphasizes, dim lights 2 hours before bed to cue melatonin release. Avoid bright overhead lighting and opt for lamps or candles.

• Digital sunset: Blue light from screens suppresses melatonin and overstimulates the nervous system. Consider blue-light blocking glasses if you must use screens.

2. Discharge the Day’s Tension

The nervous system holds the stress of the day in your body. Gentle release signals safety to the brain.

• Stretching/yoga: Forward folds, hip openers, and child’s pose calm spinal tension.

• Breathing practices: Try box breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4). This balances heart rate variability and increases vagal tone.

• Heat therapy: A warm bath, sauna session, or even warm shower before bed helps the body drop into deeper sleep as your core temperature lowers afterward.

3. Nutritional & Hormonal Support

• Hydration taper: Don’t overload fluids right before bed, but finish the day with a glass of water and a pinch of electrolytes if you’ve been sweating or exercising.

• Magnesium glycinate: Supports GABA production, which calms the nervous system.

• MindPump guidance: Avoid heavy, high-sugar snacks late at night — they disrupt sleep quality and can increase nighttime cortisol.

4. Grounding & Environment

• Earthing at sunset: Just 10 minutes barefoot outside signals to your circadian system that the day is closing.

• Cool, dark, quiet sleep space: Optimal sleep temperature is 65–68°F. Use blackout curtains or a sleep mask.

• Weighted blankets or lavender aromatherapy: These provide safety cues to the nervous system.

5. Reflective Practices for Mind-Body Integration

• Journaling: Write down 3 wins or lessons from the day. This prevents ruminating thoughts from spiking nighttime cortisol.

• Prayer, meditation, or breathwork: Each sends the nervous system into parasympathetic mode.

• Chiropractic care: Evening adjustments (or self-care spinal routines) help clear interference so the nervous system can process and integrate.

6. Hot/Cold Therapy for Recovery

Alternating between sauna or heat exposure and cold showers or ice baths, known as contrast therapy, offers numerous health benefits. This practice involves varying temperatures to enhance circulation and promote well-being. Heat dilates blood vessels, increasing blood flow, while cold exposure causes vasoconstriction, improving vascular health. This temperature shift stimulates the cardiovascular system, enhancing oxygenation and nutrient delivery.

Besides improving circulation, temperature contrast lowers inflammation. Heat relaxes muscles and soothes pain, while cold reduces swelling and numbs pain. This is beneficial for athletes or those recovering from injuries, aiding recovery by flushing out waste and reducing soreness. Additionally, alternating temperatures help the body adapt to stressors, crucial for the nervous system. Cold activates the sympathetic nervous system ('fight or flight'), while heat stimulates the parasympathetic system, promoting relaxation.

Timing is key: for energy and mental clarity, end with cold exposure in the morning to invigorate and enhance alertness. For relaxation at night, finish with heat to unwind and improve sleep quality. Incorporating this practice can enhance physical and mental health, improve athletic performance, reduce stress, and promote overall wellness. Adjust intensity and duration based on personal comfort and health.

Closing Thought

Your evening routine is your invitation to heal. By dimming lights, grounding, stretching, and calming the nervous system, you create the conditions for adrenal recovery, hormone balance, and restorative sleep.

The result? You wake recharged and truly living your Electric Life.