I talk all the time about the importance of the bedtime routine for winding down. But did you know about the bedtime PRE-routine? It consists of 4 things: light, heat, sound, and clutter. These 4 things set the tone for the sleep routine and can be helpful both for nap time and for bedtime.
LIGHT: First, your mission is to dim the lights. We want to reduce blue light exposure before sleep, so it can be helpful to choose red night lights. You want enough light to do the routine, but dim enough to create an environment that says “It’s time for sleep soon.” Personally, I am a HUGE fan of Philips Hue lights, but you don’t have to be that expensive or fancy. Simple red light night lights are great!
HEAT: “Make your bedroom quiet, dark, and a little bit cool — it should remind you of a cave” (American Academy of Sleep Medicine)
SOUND: While you’re getting ready for bed, you might find it helpful to put on some quiet music to set a soothing tone. Here are some options:
I’ve created a YouTube playlist that starts with a shake-it-off song to work out any excess energy, and then it gets more and more sleepy with each song. Feel free to skip songs that don’t work for you, or play certain favorites over and over again.
Lately I’ve had a number of families who are trying out the Yoto player as a screen-free way to incorporate music and sound into the pre-sleep routine. Have you used it? Let me know what you think! (Note that as of January 2026, I am not affiliated with Yoto in any way).
You could try something simple and soothing. Several of my families have liked this autism calming sensory video. Or this calming music with ocean scenes. You can also just search YouTube for kids sleep meditation.
CLUTTER: When you’re doing the bedtime routine, the goal is to encourage stillness. It can be super frustrating when a child is needing to be still to go to sleep but suddenly gets up and gets on the trampoline. It can be really helpful to create a pre-sleep routine that includes saying “good night” to super active toys and games. We can put the trampoline on its side, or cover the bins of toys with a sheet. Notice what distracts your child on their way to sleep and then spend some time brainstorming what would be the simplest way to reduce that distraction or say good night to it on the way to bed.
Why the PRE‑Routine Matters
When light, heat, sound, and clutter are already working in your favor, the bedtime routine becomes easier and more peaceful. Instead of asking a child to switch from full‑speed to stillness in one step, the PRE‑routine creates a gentle glide path toward sleep.
Small environmental shifts can make a surprisingly big difference.
Related Content
Light: Boost Your Body’s Melatonin Without Supplements
Clutter: Transition to Sleep Activities that encourage stillness
