Build a wind-down buffer before bed

Spend 30–60 minutes downshifting so the brain can transition out of high arousal.

Why it works

Sleep is a transition, not a switch — the nervous system needs time to drop from active, goal-directed arousal into the lower-arousal state that allows sleep onset. A consistent low-stimulation routine becomes a learned cue that primes sleepiness, and dimming activity reduces the racing-mind activation that keeps people awake.

How to do it

1. Reserve the last 30–60 minutes for low-stimulation activities — reading, stretching, a warm shower.
2. Move work, hard conversations, and stressful planning out of the buffer; jot worries on paper to park them.
3. Keep the routine roughly the same each night so it becomes a reliable cue.

Evidence

Wind-down routines are standard components of behavioral sleep interventions; relaxation techniques and stimulus-control principles have RCT support within those programs, though the specific routine varies. (observational)

Evidence is strongest as part of a broader CBT-I protocol; a wind-down alone is a wellbeing habit, not a treatment for insomnia.

Sources

• Behavioral sleep medicine guidance on stimulus control and relaxation (e.g., CBT-I components)

Common mistake

Working or scrolling right up to lights-out, then expecting the brain to power down on command from a still-activated state.