Evening Wind-Down Protocol

What is Evening Wind-Down Protocol?

A structured 60-90 minute pre-sleep ritual that prepares your body and mind for deep sleep. Dim lights, cool down, process the day, disconnect from screens. The hour before bed determines the quality of the next 8 hours.

Is there evidence for it?

How do you do Evening Wind-Down Protocol?

1. 1.90 min before bed: dim all lights to 50% or lower. Switch to warm/amber bulbs or use blue-light blocking glasses. Bright light after sunset tells your brain it's still daytime
2. 2.60 min before bed: no more screens. Replace with: reading (physical book), gentle stretching, journaling, conversation, or a puzzle
3. 3.45 min before bed: cool your environment to 65-68°F (18-20°C). Take a warm shower — the subsequent body temperature drop signals sleep
4. 4.30 min before bed: brain dump — write tomorrow's top 3 priorities and any lingering worries on paper. This tells your brain it's safe to let go
5. 5.In bed: try the 4-7-8 breathing (inhale 4, hold 7, exhale 8) for 4 cycles, or a body scan from feet to head, tensing and relaxing each muscle group

How long does it take?

60-90 minutes before bed.

Is it hard to start?

medium.

> how Shift handles sleep

This is one entry from the library Shift matches against. It is general information, not advice about you, and nothing on this page came from anyone's conversation.