Most people treat sleep like a light switch. They run around all day at 100 mph, jump into bed, and expect to be unconscious in 5 minutes.
But the brain is not a light switch. It is a car. You cannot go from 100 mph to 0 mph instantly without crashing. You need to downshift.
This downshifting process is called a Wind-Down Routine. It is a series of cues that tells your body, “The hunt is over. The danger is gone. It is safe to power down.”
The problem is, most people don’t have a routine. Or their routine involves scrolling TikTok until their eyes burn. Wind-Down Composer helps you treat your sleep ritual like a symphony—arranging the right notes in the right order.
The Science: Conditioned Insomnia
Insomnia is often a learned behavior. If you lie in bed worrying, your brain learns: Bed = Worry.
To fix this, we need Stimulus Control. We need to pair specific actions with sleepiness. If you always drink chamomile tea and always read fiction before bed, eventually, the smell of chamomile alone will trigger melatonin release. This is Pavlovian conditioning for your eyelids.
The Tool: Wind-Down Composer
This interactive tool allows you to build a custom “Sleep Playlist.”
- Step 1: The Transition: Choose an activity to “close the day” (e.g., To-Do List Dump, Journaling).
- Step 2: The Body: Choose a physiological calmer (e.g., Hot Shower, Stretch, Breathing).
- Step 3: The Mind: Choose a low-stimulation cognitive task (e.g., Reading Fiction, Audio Landscape).
- The Output: The Wind-Down Composer © PsychKit.org generates a timed schedule for you (e.g., “Start at 10:15 PM”).
👉 Compose Your Routine: Wind-Down Composer
Actionable Advice
- The “3-2-1” Rule: A great starting template:
- 3 hours before bed: No food.
- 2 hours before bed: No work.
- 1 hour before bed: No screens.
- Consistency is Queen: A mediocre routine done every night is better than a perfect routine done once a week. Your circadian rhythm loves boredom.
Safety & Disclaimer
- This tool is for sleep hygiene.
- Chronic Insomnia: If you have tried everything and still can’t sleep, you may need CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia). This is the medical gold standard.