An evening wind-down for better sleep

Sleep quality is set by what you do in the two hours before bed, not by the time you lie down. If your wind-down is consistent, you fall asleep faster, wake less often, and rise rested.

The basic frame

• Less bright light. Dim the room 90 minutes before bed. Put screens on night mode — better, set them aside entirely.
• Less food and caffeine. Dinner 2–3 hours out, caffeine no later than 14:00.
• More ritual. A warm shower, a book, 4-7-8 breathing, or a short "what's closed today" line in a notebook.

What doesn't work

• Alcohol to "relax" — it knocks you out fast but fragments the second half of the night.
• Late, high-intensity training — keep it before 18:00.
• Long daytime naps — past 30 minutes you eat the sleep pressure you need in the evening.

When to ask

If you've already built the evening and still aren't rested after two weeks, message your specialist. It's often a sign of other imbalances, not laziness or age.