Glow Routine Life

Bath & Body Self-Care

Night Wind-Down Routine

A ten-minute night wind-down: put the phone down, warm the skin, and write three lines — the small routine that makes tomorrow easier.

By Glow Routine Life · Updated 5 October 2026

Night wind-down self-care routine flat-lay

The routine at a glance

Night wind-down essentials laid left to right in order of use: timer, washcloth tray, night cream, then notebook and pen
  1. Set the timer — 10 min
  2. Screen down, lights low — 3 min
  3. Warm skin, not hot — 3 min
  4. Write three lines — 4 min

The 10 minutes

  1. Set the timer (10 min). A visible end time is what makes this wind-down reliable — no decision needed, just follow the clock.
  2. Screen down, lights low (3 min). Face the phone away or leave it charging outside the room. Keep light levels low 1-2 hours before bedtime.
  3. Warm skin, not hot (3 min). Wash your skin with a gentle cleanser, then moisturizer. Three minutes of care beats thirty minutes of scrubbing.
  4. Write three lines (4 min). One done, one tomorrow, one worry off your chest. Pen and paper, or an app — use whichever you will actually reach for.

How often

Every night you want a better morning. On most weekdays, keep the short version — screen down, warm skin, three lines.

Two mistakes that undo the routine

  • Doing the full twenty-step version once and quitting. Ten kept minutes a week beats one perfect evening.
  • Saving it for Fridays. Start on the night that felt hardest.

Watch a doctor explain the wind-down

See why a short nightly routine and screen-free evenings add up to better mornings.

Video by Doctor O'Donovan.

Save this for tonight

Keep this routine where you will find it — pin it to your routine board and start tonight.

Follow a relaxing routine before bedtime to help your body make the transition from being awake to sleeping — see CDC NIOSH on preparing for sleep.