Skip to main content

Wind-Down Routine

Meaning

A Wind-Down Routine is a structured, intentional sequence of behaviors and environmental modifications performed in the hour preceding sleep onset, specifically designed to facilitate the transition from a state of sympathetic nervous system dominance to parasympathetic rest. This routine is a critical component of clinical sleep hygiene, promoting the natural decline in core body temperature and the necessary suppression of alerting hormones like cortisol. The goal is to optimize the neuroendocrine conditions required for rapid sleep latency and high-quality restorative sleep.