A wind down routine is a cue to shift away from the day. It does not guarantee sleep. Choose a short, repeatable sequence that fits your work hours, household, accessibility needs, and preferences rather than an ideal evening you cannot maintain.
Select a few workable actions
Consider preparing one item for tomorrow, lowering stimulation if possible, doing a quiet activity, or changing into comfortable clothing. Pick actions you find settling; a practice that irritates or activates you is not required. Keep the sequence brief enough for a difficult day.
Plan for interruptions
Choose the earliest realistic starting cue, such as finishing a shift or completing caregiving tasks. Identify a shorter version for interrupted evenings. Notice whether the routine feels useful over several attempts. If sleep remains difficult, seek assessment rather than continually adding rules or blaming yourself.
Reflection prompts
Use these questions in conversation, on paper, or in the downloaded PDF. You may adapt or skip a prompt.
My realistic starting cue and available time are
Two or three actions I want to try in order are
A shorter version for a difficult or interrupted day is
After trying it, I want to keep, change, or discuss
Facilitator notes and adaptation
Adapt for shift work, disability, shared housing, caregiving, and trauma related concerns. Do not present sleep hygiene alone as treatment for chronic insomnia. Avoid rigid routines that increase performance anxiety.
Sources behind the concepts
These sources inform the concepts in this original resource. They do not validate or endorse this specific page.
About SleepCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · 2024
Sleep health, age related sleep needs, sleep habits, and seeking care for sleep problems.