Routine · 6 min read

My 90-Minute Evening Wind-Down (That Doesn't Feel Like A Chore)

Published Nov 30, 2025

A wind-down doesn't need to be a 14-step spa protocol. Mine takes about 90 minutes, most of which is stuff I would be doing anyway. The goal isn't perfection - it's making the last hour of the day boring enough that my nervous system takes the hint.

9:30 p.m.

Light down

Overhead lights off. Two warm lamps on, phone flipped to greyscale.

9:40 p.m.

Kitchen close

Kettle on for herbal tea. Dishwasher started. Nothing else eaten after this.

9:55 p.m.

10 minutes of movement

A slow walk if it's not raining, or 10 minutes of hip openers on the floor.

10:15 p.m.

Shower + skincare

Warm not hot. Skincare exists to be a ritual, not a project.

10:40 p.m.

Reading in bed

Physical book, one warm lamp. 15-20 minutes. If my eyes get heavy, lights out.

11:00 p.m.

Lights off

Room at 18°C, phone in the hallway, next-day list already written.

One thing I skip on purpose

Meditation apps at bedtime. They keep me on my phone. If I need to settle down, box breathing on the walk earlier in the routine does more for me than any app has.