A simple wind-down routine: bedtime habits that help

A wind-down routine is the hour before bed you keep calm and the same each night: lights low, screens away, and the same few calm things, in the same order. This guide is for anyone who gets into bed still wired from the day.

Written by certified hypnotherapists · Reviewed by a certified hypnotherapist, October 2026 · 6 min read

In short

  • Give yourself about an hour to wind down before bed: lights low, screens off, something calm.
  • Avoid tea, coffee and alcohol for at least six hours before bed. Have big meals and hard exercise earlier in the day.
  • Get up at the same time every day, even after a bad night.
  • If you've changed your habits and still struggle to sleep for months, or it's affecting your days, talk to your GP.

Why does a wind-down routine help?

It gives you time to slow down before bed, instead of going straight from a busy evening to lying in the dark. Most people can't switch off on command. If you're answering messages at five to eleven and in bed at eleven, your mind is still running when your head hits the pillow.

The repetition is the point. When you do the same calm things in the same order each night, they start to act as a cue that sleep is on the way. You don't have to think about it. After a while, running a bath or picking up your book becomes part of how your body knows the day is ending.

Light plays a part too. Bright light and screens keep you alert, which is why the NHS advises not using phones or other devices right before bed, because the light makes you more awake. Keeping the lights low in the last hour is a simple way to tell your body the day is done.

What should a wind-down routine include?

A good routine is about an hour of calm, low-light time before bed, with the same few steps each night. You don't need all of these. Pick the ones that suit you and keep them in the same order.

  1. Start at the same time. Aim to begin about an hour before you want to be asleep.
  2. Turn the lights down. Switch off the main lights and use a lamp.
  3. Put screens away. Put your phone on charge, notifications off, ideally out of reach of the bed.
  4. Have a warm bath or shower, if that's part of your evening.
  5. Do something calm. Read a book, or listen to something quiet.
  6. Slow your breathing. Breathe in gently through your nose for a count of four, and out through your mouth for a count of six. Keep it soft, not deep or forced.
  7. End with a sleep session, if you like listening to one. Start it once you're in bed with the light off, and let it be the last thing you do. Our sleep sessions are written for listening this way.

Keep it simple enough to do on a tired night. A short routine you keep up beats a long one you skip. If you get into bed and can't settle, see Why trying harder to sleep can backfire.

What daytime habits affect your sleep?

Caffeine, alcohol, late meals, when you exercise and when you get up all affect how you sleep that night.

Caffeine and alcohol

The NHS advises not drinking tea, coffee or alcohol for at least 6 hours before bed. That includes cola and energy drinks, which have caffeine too. Alcohol can make you feel sleepy, but it tends to break up your sleep later in the night, so you may wake more often.

Meals and exercise

Avoid a big meal late at night. Exercise during the day, but not in the 4 hours before bed, when it can leave you feeling more awake.

Naps

Try not to nap during the day, because it can make it harder to sleep at night. If you really need one, keep it to 20 minutes at most and finish by mid-afternoon.

A steady wake-up time

Get up at the same time every day, weekends included. After a bad night, it's tempting to lie in, but sticking to your usual time gives your body a steady rhythm to work from.

How should your bedroom be set up?

Your bedroom should be dark, quiet and comfortable. Try to keep it for sleep, not as a second living room.

  • Keep it dark. Use curtains or blinds that block the light, or an eye mask.
  • Keep it quiet. Earplugs are worth trying if you can't control the noise.
  • Keep it cool. Most people find a slightly cool room more comfortable for sleep than a warm one.
  • Make the bed comfortable. Check that your mattress, pillows and covers suit you.
  • Keep the clock out of sight. If you tend to check the time in the night, turn it to face the wall. There's more on this in Awake at 3am: what to do instead of watching the clock.

What if a routine isn't always possible?

If a full routine isn't possible, do what you can. A routine is a help, not a test you can fail, and some nights it won't happen.

If you work shifts, keep the same steps in the same order whenever your sleep starts, day or night. For daytime sleep, blackout blinds or an eye mask and earplugs are especially worth having.

If you have a baby or young children, an hour to yourself may be out of reach. A few minutes still counts. Lights down, phone away and a few slow breaths is a routine too.

On a night when nothing goes to plan, don't try to make up for it with a lie-in. Get up at your usual time and pick the routine up again the next evening.

Try this tonight

  1. Pick your start time. Set a reminder for an hour before you want to be asleep.
  2. Choose three steps from the list above, and decide the order.
  3. When the reminder goes, put your phone on charge away from the bed and turn the lights down.
  4. Do your three steps, in the same order, then get into bed.
  5. Tomorrow, get up at your usual time, however the night went.

When to talk to someone

Talk to your GP if you've changed your habits and it hasn't helped, if you've had trouble sleeping for months, or if it's affecting your days, for example if you're tired, short-tempered or finding it hard to concentrate. Your GP can look at what might be behind it and talk you through options. These include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for insomnia, a talking therapy that works on the thoughts and habits that keep you awake.

See your GP sooner if:

  • someone notices your breathing stop and start while you sleep, or you gasp, snort or snore loudly
  • you're also feeling low or anxious most days

The Sleep Charity has more information on sleep, and runs a National Sleep Helpline at set times.

Outside the UK, speak to your doctor, or find a free helpline near you at findahelpline.com. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

Questions

Can I play a sleep session on my phone if screens are meant to be off?

Yes. Set it up before you settle, then put the phone face down or turn the screen off once it's playing. Keep the volume low and don't pick the phone up to scroll. If you wake in the night, you can replay it with one tap or the button on your headphones.

Is it OK to read in bed?

For many people, reading something calm under a low light is a good part of winding down. If you notice you feel more awake once you're in bed, read in another room and get into bed when you feel sleepy.

What if my partner goes to bed at a different time?

Agree a few simple things: a low lamp rather than the main light, phones on silent, and quiet when one of you is already asleep. An eye mask and earplugs are worth having if your timings don't match.

Sources

Before you start, please read who our sessions aren't suitable for →

Related guides: Why trying harder to sleep can backfire · Awake at 3am: what to do instead of watching the clock · Common sleep problems explained

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