CBT-I lesson 5: wind-down and staying on track

This is the last lesson in our CBT for insomnia course. You now have a sleep diary, a sleep window, bed rules, and ways to calm sleep worries. This lesson helps those gains last.

First, you will build a wind-down: a short, calm routine that helps your body and mind shift toward sleep. Second, you will make a staying-on-track plan, so a rough night or a stressful month does not pull you back into old habits.

Why this step matters

Your body cannot switch from busy to asleep in a moment. Sleep experts suggest a routine that helps you wind down before bed.² Over time, the routine itself becomes a signal that sleep is coming.

Relaxation therapy targets two kinds of alertness. One is in the body, like tight muscles and fast breathing. The other is in the mind, like racing thoughts. Methods include belly breathing, muscle relaxation, calming mental pictures (guided imagery), and meditation.¹

Insomnia often starts with stress, pain, or another problem. Then worry and unhelpful habits can keep it going long after the first cause is gone.⁸ That is why the second half of this lesson is about a plan for the future.

Evidence: relaxation on its own Promising full CBT-I Strong evidence

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) suggests relaxation therapy, with less certainty. It found modest benefits and few harms, but rated the evidence as low quality.¹ A federal health agency notes that relaxation alone has not looked especially strong for sleep and fits best inside CBT-I.⁴

Build your wind-down routine

1. Set a start time. Count back about 30 to 60 minutes from when your sleep window opens. Set a phone or kitchen timer as a reminder.
2. Turn off screens. Switch off phones, tablets, computers and TV at least 30 minutes before bed.⁶ Screens can upset your body's sleep-wake rhythm.²
3. Dim the lights. Bright light tells your brain to wake up. Use lamps instead of overhead lights.⁷
4. Close out the day. Write tomorrow's to-do list, or jot down any worries so they are off your mind.⁵ Use the worry time skill from lesson 4.
5. Do something calm and pleasant. Read a paper book, listen to soothing music, do light stretches, or sip a caffeine-free tea.^2,7 Do this outside the bed, as you learned in lesson 3.
6. Add a relaxation practice. Spend about 10 to 15 minutes on one of the skills below.⁷
7. Go to bed when you feel sleepy and your window has started. If you are not sleepy yet, keep winding down.

A warm bath 1 to 2 hours before bed may help. Your body warms up and then cools, which can make you feel sleepy.⁷ Avoid hard exercise, heavy meals, alcohol, and caffeine in the hours before bed.^5,7 Our healthy sleep habits page has more detail.

Relaxation skills to try

Pick one skill and practice it daily at a calm time of day. It will feel easier when you use it at night.

The goal is to relax, not to force sleep. If you use a skill in bed and stay awake, that is fine. Sleep often comes once you stop trying.

Handling a bad night

Even after CBT-I works, most people still have a poor night now and then, often during stress. An occasional bad night is not insomnia.⁸ What matters most is how you respond the next day.

Spending extra time in bed is one of the main habits that keeps insomnia going. Stretching your time in bed can bring back light, broken sleep.⁹ Holding steady lets your sleep drive (the pressure to sleep that builds while you are awake) make up for it.

Your staying-on-track plan

The good news is that CBT-I benefits tend to continue after treatment ends.¹ But insomnia can come back, often with stress, illness, travel, or grief. Write a short plan now, while things are going well.

1. Write down what worked. Note your wake-up time, your current sleep window, and the bed rules and skills that helped most.
2. Name your warning signs. For example: poor sleep on three or more nights a week for two weeks, or starting to stay in bed longer.
3. Restart your diary from lesson 1 for one to two weeks when warning signs appear. A diary helps you see your real pattern during and after treatment.³
4. Go back to the basics. Return to a steady wake-up time, your sleep window from lesson 2, and the bed rules from lesson 3.
5. Check in on purpose. Even if you are sleeping well, keep a diary for a week about two months from now to check your progress.⁷
6. Keep healthy habits. Regular sleep times, daytime activity, and less caffeine, nicotine and alcohol may help keep insomnia from coming back.³
7. Know who to call. Write down your doctor or sleep clinician's number. Follow-up care is a normal part of treatment.^1,3

Apps can also help you stay on track. The VA's Insomnia Coach app, made for anyone, includes a sleep diary, a weekly plan, and tools to get sleep back on track.¹⁰

Notes for older adults

Adults 65 and older generally need 7 to 8 hours of sleep.⁶ Nights out of bed are part of CBT-I, so plan for safety. Use night lights, clear the path, and keep a steady chair nearby. If you are frail or at risk of falling when you get up at night, talk with a clinician before starting.¹⁰ See preventing falls.

If hot baths make you dizzy, try a warm shower or a warm drink instead. Gentle stretching or a chair-based routine works well as part of a wind-down. For more, see sleep in later life.

Common problems

Relaxing makes me more aware of my worries.

This is common at first. Try a skill that keeps your body busy, like muscle relaxation, rather than one with silent time. Do your worry time earlier in the day.

I had a week of bad sleep and feel like I am back at the start.

You are not. The skills are still yours. Restart your diary, hold your wake-up time, and follow your plan. Sleep often settles once the stress passes.

I finished the lessons, but I still sleep poorly.

Talk with your doctor. Leftover symptoms should be checked and treated.¹ A clinician trained in CBT-I can adjust the plan. Snoring, gasping at night, or heavy daytime sleepiness can be signs of sleep apnea. If you take or are thinking about sleep medicines, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before changing anything.

You finished the course

Go back to any lesson whenever you need it, starting with the CBT-I overview. To build more calm skills, explore mindfulness.

When to get more help

Long-term insomnia raises the risk of anxiety, depression, and thoughts of suicide.³ If your mood is getting worse, see sleep, mood and anxiety and talk with your doctor.

If you have thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 any time. If someone is in danger right now, call 911.

Education only. This page is general information written from the sources listed. It is not medical, legal or financial advice and does not replace a doctor, therapist or lawyer who knows your situation. How we write and check pages.