Bedtime Wind-Down Guide
A “wind-down period” refers to time spent quieting your mind before bedtime so that it stops signaling for more cortisol. Once that happens, cortisol levels can start to drop to where they need to be for you to fall asleep. Wind-downs can also help you stick to a set bedtime, as they help you shut out distractions and sleep saboteurs well before you need to turn out the lights,
Aim to begin your wind-down 30-60 minutes before your lights-out. As for how to get started, all of the sleep tips in the Good Sleep 101 Guide are a great way to not just prep for a good night’s rest, but also to signal to yourself that your wind-down period is beginning. At a high level, you might start with dimming some of the brightest lights in your house, turning down the thermostat, and wrapping up your texting and social media time (if it’s tough to quit scrolling, at least stop posting and commenting).
The key to a successful wind-down is simply to slow your pace and move into more relaxing activities. In a perfect world, this might be reading a book or engaging in a soothing skincare routine. But realistically, you may very well still be doing work or dealing with personal tasks. That’s totally fine. You can still help bring your body into a calmer state by saving the least stressful and most mundane of your to-dos for this time—anything on your list that’s boring or calming is a good option.
In addition, try to choose one relaxing activity to integrate into those final 30-60 minutes before you turn out the lights. Below you’ll find some science-tested strategies to get you started. You can also choose an activity that isn’t on this list (even something as simple as taking a minute to massage your temples as you moisturize your face counts), just make sure that it’s low-key with a slow and calming pace.
Listen to calm music
Studies have found that songs with a tempo of around 60 beats per minute—the same as the human heart rate—can help get you relaxed. You can determine a song’s beats per minute by googling the title with “bpm." If you’re looking for an app that can do this for you, Spiritune offers music that’s been vetted according to principles of neuroscience and music therapy.
Give yourself a one minute massage break
Relieve muscle tightness by rubbing lotion in circular motions with medium pressure. When you get to a spot that’s especially tense like your neck or shoulders, press down with your fingertips for 10 seconds, which will draw blood flow to the area and promote healing and relaxation.
Take a warm bath or shower
Raising your body temperature for as little as ten minutes has been shown to improve people’s ability to fall asleep by as much as 40%. This may be because the drop in temperature you experience when you start to cool off can help speed up the body’s natural circadian process to improve your sleep. If you opt for a bath, add some Epsom salt. It’s rich in magnesium, which has been shown to act as a muscle relaxant. Blend 2 cups Epsom salt, 10 drops of lavender oil (research has connected it to better sleep), and hot water in a bathtub. Soak for 20 minutes.
Put your thoughts away
One powerful way to calm an overactive mind is to write it all down. By documenting everything your brain is spinning on, you’re giving it permission to let go of those thoughts for a few hours with the knowledge that they won’t be forgotten. You can do this as a to-do list, or simply by journaling out your thoughts. Try to do this activity at the beginning of your nightly wind-down routine. When complete, move on to something even more relaxing.
Take time for a story
Be it reading a book, listening to a podcast or an audiobook, or watching a show (as long as you do so with blue light canceling glasses or on night mode on your device) stories can help transition your mind away from your own stresses and to-dos. That said, steer away from anything that’s suspenseful, noisy (if a podcast or show), or takes a lot of brainpower. If you’re looking for something especially sleep-friendly, the app Calm has a whole collection of bedtime stories with many well-known narrators.
Do a body scan
Once you’re in bed, close your eyes, and—starting with your feet—tense and release the muscles in each part of your body moving gradually toward the crown of your head and then down into your arms and fingers. Move slowly and deliberately and allow your attention to focus only on your body, thinking about how it feels when it’s tense and when it’s relaxed. If you begin to notice your mind wandering, gently bring it back to the muscle you’re working on. Keep breathing throughout.
Try a meditation
Calibrate’s Sleep and Emotional Health Expert Emily Fletcher has developed this wind-down meditation specifically for use before bed. In addition Calm, Headspace, and free-of-charge Insight Timer are all great resources for meditations.