Not every after dinner moment needs a table full of people. Some of the best ones happen in a quiet house, with nowhere else to be. We caught up with Shelley Baker, Summerdown's consultant aromatherapist to discover how small rituals shape how well we rest, and the after dinner window is one of the most overlooked of all.
Autumn brings the promise of cooler days and slower evenings. There's a distinct end to the day now as the nights draw in and we head indoors and with it comes a real opportunity to look at your evening routine and tune into what your body actually needs for rest at this time of year.
There is a very particular window after dinner that signals the calming end of a busy day, softer lighting and space to unwind. Summerdown is the perfect accompaniment to that and not just because of the chocolate, although of course it's hard to resist the pepperminty punch of a proper Summerdown cream. A tip I picked up from one of our chocolatiers: when you pop a mint in your mouth, really savour it. The chocolate, the mint, the aroma, even the cooling sensation from the menthol in the peppermint oil. It's a genuinely multi-sensory experience, and far more indulgent than working through a whole box without noticing.
Herbal teas have long been used to gently aid digestion and our peppermint tea, or the peppermint and camomile blend if you're after something a little more relaxing, are perfect for sipping after dinner. Peppermint is closely associated with calming the digestion, and camomile with easing into rest. My own go-to for the last hot drink of the evening is a simple cup of Summerdown peppermint. It's cooling, gently digestive and wonderfully refreshing, which, counter-intuitively, tends to help with a good night's sleep rather than keep you awake.
This is also a good moment to swap the screen for a book. Light from screens can reduce production of melatonin, sometimes called the hormone of darkness, so turning everything off at least an hour before bed gives your body and its hormones a proper chance to settle into a night-time rhythm.
The single most useful thing you can do for your sleep is establish a simple, nurturing bedtime routine, giving your body cues from early evening that it's time to wind down and prepare for rest. Maybe that's lighting a candle and taking a calming cup of peppermint tea into a warm bath. Our bath and body range always reminds me of summer evenings and time spent in the shepherd's huts, and it has a lovely way of clearing my head before the next day begins.
You might build a small relaxation ritual of your own. Our sense of smell is closely tied to memory, so the fragrance of peppermint can become an anchor, something that helps you feel calm and settled simply by breathing it in. Close your eyes and picture somewhere calming and peaceful, really picturing the colours, the sounds, even the smells of that place. Notice anywhere in your body holding tension, and working from your toes up to the top of your head, imagine each muscle tensing gently and then letting go. Take slow, deep breaths, each one a little deeper than the last, and try to make the out breath slightly longer than the in breath.
A lovely way to round things off is to make your own aromatic hand or body lotion. Blend one drop of Summerdown peppermint essential oil into five millilitres of a plain base (grapeseed, safflower or sweet almond oil all work well) and massage it gently across your shoulders, up your neck and out to your hands, which tend to work harder than we give them credit for all day.
Rather than treating this part of the evening as something to rush through before collapsing into bed, try seeing it as a small gift you give yourself. Even a few quiet moments can make a real difference. Relax, breathe and let the day settle before the next one begins.