Sleep starts before you lie down

You can’t sprint from a stimulating day straight into deep sleep. Your nervous system needs a transition — a wind-down routine that signals it’s safe to switch off. Without one, you lie in bed with a racing mind wondering why sleep won’t come.

Build a 30–60 minute wind-down

• Dim the lights to cue melatonin production.
• Put screens away, or at least switch to calm, low-light use.
• Do something genuinely relaxing — reading, a warm shower, gentle stretching.
• Offload a racing mind onto paper: a short to-do list or brain dump.

The specific activities matter less than the consistency — doing the same calming sequence nightly trains your body to associate it with sleep. A good evening routine doesn’t just improve that night’s sleep; it sets up your energy and focus for the entire next day.

📖 Go deeper: How to create an evening routine that improves sleep and next-day performance