Calmer evenings

Evenings go wrong by default: the light stays bright, the screen stays on, and bedtime arrives whenever the last thing ends. Sleep guidance from NHLBI, the CDC, NIOSH and MedlinePlus, and NCCIH's summary of relaxation techniques, describe a more deliberate shape. None of it needs equipment.

Give the night a window

NHLBI says to use the hour before bed for quiet time. NIOSH stretches it: a relaxing routine starting about an hour and a half before bedtime, to ease the shift from awake to asleep. What goes in is your choice; MedlinePlus suggests a bath, reading or calm music, NHLBI a hot bath or a relaxation technique. What stays out, per NIOSH, is anything exciting, like an action movie or upsetting news. Heavy meals and alcohol stay out of the last few hours too; NHLBI, the CDC and MedlinePlus agree.

A small, warm, caffeine-free drink is a common way to mark the start of the window. It is a ritual, not a therapy. Two limits: NIOSH says to avoid caffeine, chocolate and nicotine for five or more hours before sleep, and to limit liquids for several hours before bed. Some people reach for herbs such as chamomile, lemon balm or lavender, or supplements such as magnesium, melatonin or valerian. This article does not evaluate them; each has its own profile here, with what the research shows and its cautions.

Turn the light down

The room and the screens are one subject. The CDC says to turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bed and keep the bedroom quiet, relaxing and cool. NHLBI wants the last hour free of bright light from screens. NIOSH goes further: no computer or phone screens in the wind-down, and a bedroom that is very dark, quiet and cool, around 65 to 68 degrees for most people, used only for sleep and intimacy. MedlinePlus simply says to take the TV, computer and phone out.

Slow the breath

NCCIH describes relaxation techniques as practices that bring about the body's relaxation response: slower breathing, lower blood pressure and a reduced heart rate, the opposite of the stress response. Deep breathing is slow breaths from the diaphragm. Progressive muscle relaxation is tensing muscle groups in turn and releasing them. Guided imagery is picturing scenes associated with calm. Autogenic training and self-hypnosis use self-directed suggestion; biofeedback uses a device to show you your body's response.

The evidence is worth stating exactly. NCCIH says research is insufficient to understand how relaxation techniques might affect sleep in the general population, and that a 2015 review found autogenic training and guided imagery shortened the time to fall asleep but no better than a placebo. For stress, it reports preliminary evidence that diaphragmatic breathing may help. A slower breath in the wind-down is a reasonable practice with a plain rationale, not a proven sleep aid.

Keep the bedtime

Go to bed at the same time every night, as you wake at the same time every morning. If you cannot fall asleep within about 20 minutes, MedlinePlus says to get up and do something relaxing rather than lie there.