The Holiday Wind-Down Routine: A 10-Minute Nighttime Reset for Your Most Stressful Days

Summary 

Holiday evenings can feel hectic, but a simple nighttime reset can help your mind and body slow down. This quick 10-minute routine uses cozy, screen-free habits to ease end-of-day stress and support deeper, more restful sleep when you need calm the most. 

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The holidays tend to move fast, and your brain often moves even faster. Between errands, gatherings, and extra responsibilities, it’s easy to end the day feeling overstimulated, which can make it hard to get the rest you need to do it all again the next day. 

A simple 10-minute calming routine can create a much-needed pause, offering a practical way to settle your nervous system and ease into sleep. Whether you’ve been wrapping gifts, juggling to-do lists, or decompressing after a long day, this mini ritual of bedtime habits can help you reclaim calm. 

Table of contents

1. Why Holiday Stress Makes It Harder to Sleep
2. Your 10-Minute Holiday Wind-Down Routine
3. How to Stay Consistent (Even When Life Gets Busy)
4. Key Takeaways
5. FAQs
6. References 

Why Holiday Stress Makes It Harder to Sleep

Whether your mind is racing or your body just feels extra wired at bedtime, holiday stress can make it hard to fall and stay asleep. Chalk it up to overstimulation from holiday gatherings, travel, and long to-do lists that keep your brain and body in active mode. Even “good” stress (like deciding what to bring to the office White Elephant party) can trigger the stress hormone cortisol, making it hard to settle down when bedtime arrives. 

Winter, generally, can also interfere with sleep physiologically. Your body relies on cues from light to determine what time it is (and when to get sleepy). Earlier sunsets, and less overall daylight, can confuse your circadian rhythm. You may notice you feel more awake when you’re usually tired, or that you wake up more frequently in the middle of the night. Either way, it can be frustrating to lie awake in bed during a time when you really need the extra Zzzs.

Your 10-Minute Holiday Wind-Down Routine 

No matter what’s causing you stress, a quick and simple wind-down routine can signal to your body that it's time to shift gears toward relaxation. 

Minute 1-2: Dim the Lights and Create a Cozy Signal

Dimming the lights is an easy way to support your circadian rhythm during the winter months and cue your body that it’s almost time to sleep. As a first step, swap the big lights in your bedroom for warm, low lighting, such as a bedside table lamp or an amber light on your Hatch Restore.

Minute 3-4: Take a Slow Deep Breath and Reset Your Nervous System

Slow, deep breaths help slow down the stress response by signaling a sense of calm and safety to your body and brain (making it a great nightly sleep cue). Reset your nervous system before bed with a breathing technique called Box Breathing, which involves four rounds of breathing out and in slowly for a count of four.

Minute 5-6: Add Gentle Sensory Comfort

Your sleep environment plays an important role in your ability to unwind for rest. Try incorporating gentle, sensory comforts into your routine, such as soft pajamas, warm socks, or a cozy weighted blanket. Add in relaxing scents, such as a lavender pillow spray or an essential oil diffuser with cedar for winter calm.

Minute 7-8: Replace Scrolling with a Screen-Free Ritual

It may feel second nature to look at your phone before bed, but doomscrolling is one of the least relaxing activities you can do before bed. Blue light from screens interferes with the release of melatonin, while consuming content can keep your brain active when it’s time to go to sleep. Swap your nightly phone habit for a relaxing activity that feels grounding, such as a quick meditation or a cozy grown-up audiobook on your Restore.

Minute 9-10: Set the Tone for Sleep With Soothing Sleep Sounds

By 9 or 10 minutes in, you should be feeling ready for rest. Set the mood for deeper relaxation with soothing sounds on your Restore, such as Brown Noise, Pink Noise or Rainfall. Along with drowning out holiday noise (and noisy furnaces), comforting sleep sounds can actually help slow down racing thoughts and help your body drift off into sleep. 

How to Stay Consistent (Even When Life Gets Busy)

The key to quality sleep is consistency, so even when things feel chaotic, try to stick with your calm bedtime habits as much as possible. Over time, your body will associate your calming cues with sleep, which means it’ll be easier to settle into actually restorative rest. Try pairing parts of your calming routine with something you already do, such as brushing your teeth or changing into PJs. You can also create a go-to quick version of your routine for extra hectic nights.

Hatch Restore makes it easy to create a nightly Unwind Routine with personalized, calming light and sound cues — and all without your phone. Set up a Cue to Unwind to remind yourself when it’s time to pivot toward rest, and your Restore will automatically play a sequence of light and sound content to help you get the rest you deserve, even during the busy holiday season. 

Key Takeaways

• The chaotic holidays can come with a stressful state that makes it hard for your mind and body to settle into rest. 
• Implementing a calming nightly routine can signal to your body that it’s OK to settle, along with supporting your circadian rhythm during the dark winter months. 
• Hatch Restore helps you create and stick with calming bedtime routines with soothing lights, audio, and bedtime reminders. 

Discover how Hatch Restore can support deeper, more consistent sleep during the holiday season and all your busy nights.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best time to start a holiday wind-down routine?

Ideally, begin your routine 30-60 minutes before the time you hope to fall asleep. During winter, earlier sunsets may make you feel sleepy sooner, so try adjusting your routine by 15-minute increments if your evenings feel rushed.

Can I use this routine while traveling or staying with family?

Yes. Routine is especially important for sleep while traveling, and the steps are intentionally simple and portable. A small nightlight, soothing sound, and a quick breathing exercise can recreate a calming environment, even in unfamiliar spaces.

What if I only have five minutes on a really chaotic night?

Keep it simple. Focus on dimming the lights, taking a few deep breaths, and putting your phone away. Even a short version helps signal your body that it’s time to shift out of holiday chaos and into rest mode.

References

1. Blume, C., Garbazza, C., & Spitschan, M. (2019). Effects of light on human circadian rhythms, sleep and mood. Somnologie, 23(3), 147–156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-019-00215-x
2. Hopper, S. I., Murray, S. L., Ferrara, L. R., & Singleton, J. K. (2019). Effectiveness of diaphragmatic breathing for reducing physiological and psychological stress in adults: A quantitative systematic review. JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, 17(9), 1855–1876. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBISRIR-2017-003848
3. Chaput, J.-P., Dutil, C., Featherstone, R., Ross, R., Giangregorio, L., Saunders, T. J., Janssen, I., Poitras, V. J., Kho, M. E., Ross-White, A., Zankar, S., & Carrier, J. (2020). Sleep timing, sleep consistency, and health in adults: A systematic review. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 45(10), S232–S247. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2020-0032