Wind-Down Routine: 5–10 Minutes to Relax Before Bed

The 5–10 Minute Sequence

1. Dim the lights (1 min). Lower the brightness to signal melatonin production. Use warm, dim light only.
2. Put the phone aside (0 min). This is the highest-impact step. If you use audio for the rest, that's fine — but no feeds, no scrolling.
3. Two slow breaths (1 min). Inhale for 4 counts, exhale for 6, twice. This engages the parasympathetic nervous system. A longer exhale — the physiological sigh — works even faster.
4. Tense-and-release (2 min). Briefly tighten shoulders, then jaw, then fists, then toes — hold five seconds each, release slowly. This is a mini version of progressive relaxation.
5. Brain dump (3 min).Write tomorrow's loose ends on paper so your mind stops holding them. Keep going until the page is still.
6. One body scan (3 min). Sweep attention from head to toe, relaxing each area — follow the 5-minute body scan guide if you want the full version.

Make It Stick

Anchor the routine to an existing habit — after brushing your teeth, or as soon as you change into sleep clothes. Do the same order every night; your brain will start prepping for sleep before the routine finishes.

If your thoughts still race once you're in bed, pair the wind-down with techniques from the stop racing thoughts guide and the 4-7-8 breathing method as your in-bed backup.

For the full picture on sleep, explore the complete Sleep & Wind-down guide, part of the How to Calm Your Mind & Body system.

Related Calm Guides

• How to Calm Your Mind & Body — the complete system.
• Sleep & Wind-down — the full guide.
• 4-7-8 Breathing for Sleep — the classic relaxation breath.
• Body Scan for Calm — release tension head to toe.
• Calm Sleep Environment — fix the room.