How to Relax Your Mind Before Sleep

April 16, 2025

How to Relax Your Mind Before Sleep

Verified By
KIMS-SUNSHINE
Specialist,
16 April, 2025

How to Relax Your Mind Before Sleep

All of us have super busy days, with tonnes of stuff to finish daily. While it can seem like it is a good thing to be occupied, it is not great if it interferes with your ability to fall asleep at night. Being able to fall asleep at a few moment’s notice, as soon as you go to bed, can seem like an impossible thing to achieve. It however does not have to be this hard- because after all it is sleeping right? While just switching your brain off cannot happen, asking your brain to gradually relax over a few hours seems pretty doable right?

How To Create A Calming Bedtime Routine To Ease Your Mind

Let us look at some super effective relaxation techniques for falling asleep faster.

The first thing for you to remember- you can’t force yourself to fall asleep. If that is the case, you should just stay up for a little longer before you go to bed. But, don’t make this a daily thing.
Try not to watch anything too engaging or stress-inducing just before bed- that means no watching the news bulletin, no social media with the endless doom scrolling and don’t even think about work emails or bills and other deadlines. They can all wait till tomorrow.
If you just have to do something, see if you can make a list of what you have to finish the next day, on a sheet of paper. Once done, don’t think about it again. This also means that you will have the peace of mind to fall asleep without worrying too much and you are pretty much set for the next day too! Win-win, right?
Try to progressively relax different parts of your body- like the feet, then legs, then hands, breathe in deeply while doing so, squeeze your buttocks, your thighs, and work your way up to your forehead. You can also start from the top and work your way down to the legs and feet.
Deep breathing is great for calming you down immediately, so try some alternate nostril breathing, diaphragmatic breathing or box breathing techniques.
Keep your bed far away from distractions of any kind- like a TV, a phone or your laptop. Use warm lighting and try to sleep in the dark as much as possible. Use comfortable bedding and a good blanket. Make sure your room is not too warm or hot, as you will find it much harder to fall asleep then. Cooler places work to your favour, if you want to fall asleep soon. Using the right pillow also helps a lot.
You can also listen to some slow music, go through a guided meditation audio recording or listen to an audiobook.
You can have a nice, hot bath or even give yourself a pedicure with warm water and some nice smelling bath salts.
Yoga and stretching can also help some people.
No caffeinated or carbonated beverages after 3 PM. Don’t eat or drink anything too sweet or salty. You may drink a lot of water and that may mean more loo breaks and less sleepy time.

Conclusion

Since there is no way your brain will stop worrying, worry only at set times in a day- like 20 minutes per day, everyday. This may help you get rid of negative thoughts and will help you understand where to focus your energies instead. Listening to calming music or reading a book can also help some people, while others may love some aromatherapy candles and a hot bath to wind down. Whatever may be the case, try to follow this ‘winding down’ routine consistently, so that your brain begins to associate it with the need to sleep in some time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I stop overthinking at night and fall asleep faster?

You can do something simple but effective and which will not let you think of anything else while you do it- like count slowly while inhaling and exhaling, meditating, listening to soothing sounds like waves on the sand or that of a waterfall. Babies do well with white noise but that won’t work for everyone. No coffee or tea after 3-4pm as you may not feel like winding down because of the caffeine. Try to go to bed at the same time everyday, even on the weekends.

What are some simple breathing exercises to calm my mind before bed?

Breathe in deeply while lying down and observe your stomach come up. Breathe out so it goes down- this is diaphragmatic breathing. Box breathing is when you inhale for 2-5 seconds, hold for 2-5 seconds and exhale for the same length of time. You can also try a variation in the form of the 4-7-8 breathing rule- where you inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds. You can also press down on one nostril while you inhale and exhale through the other. Keep alternating between the nostrils, once you have done a few sets on one side.

Does listening to music help relax the mind before sleep?

Yes, generally slow and calming sounds work the best but if you prefer something else, then you can try that too. Just don’t put on something so engaging that you will stay up and listen to the whole thing, instead of drifting off to sleep.

How long before bed should I start winding down to get restful sleep?

You can begin preparation at least 2 hours before you go to sleep. But, many of us don’t have that luxury, so a shorter span of time should also be fine. Stick to that activity at that time, so that your brain associates the activity with going to sleep. Try not to use your phone or any gadget in bed and don’t drink or smoke, if possible.

What should I avoid doing before bed to ensure my mind stays calm?

Your bedroom needs to be a screen free zone for as long as possible, so you can fall asleep. Don’t drink, smoke, have coffee or tea or anything that is too sugary, carbonated and spicy. Hydration is important, but if you overdo it, you will have to wake up to pee and that can screw with your sleep quality. Try to use warm lights from evening itself, so you can begin to wind down slowly before bed.