What to Actually Do in the Hour Before Bed

About this episode

This episode discusses how to effectively wind down in the hour before bed to improve sleep quality without the pressure of trying to force sleep.

The hour before bed can make or break your night. Not because of some magic routine that guarantees sleep, but because of how you approach it. Most people with insomnia spend that hour bracing for battle. Watching the clock, monitoring their anxiety, trying desperately to relax on command. There's a better way, and it starts with letting go of the idea that the next hour is about making sleep happen. Have a low-pressure wind-down In the 45 to 60 minutes before your sleep window starts, give yourself a wind-down. The purpose is to help you shift from the day's activity and busyness into a more settled state. But here's the crucial part: this is not a sleep effort. You're not winding down in order to fall asleep tonight. The moment it becomes a technique to force a certain outcome, it stops working and starts adding pressure. Instead, treat it as something you do simply because it's a pleasant way to end your day. Read a book. Listen to music or a podcast. Watch something you enjoy. Do some art. Relax with your family. Meditate, as long as you're not secretly using meditation as a sleep effort. A quick note on screens, since you've probably heard you must avoid them: if watching a…

People in this episode

Host: Ivo H.K.

Topics covered

• sleep
• insomnia
• wind-down routine
• anxiety management
• relaxation techniques

Keywords

• bedtime routine
• sleep anxiety
• relaxation
• meditation
• screen time

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