The 60 Minutes Before Bed

The hour before bed is the most under-used hour in an athlete's day. Spent well, it sets the tone for genuine recovery. Spent poorly, it pushes a productive session into a restless night.

Minute 60 to 40 — dim the room

Bright overhead light keeps the brain alert. Switch to a single lamp or candle. Lower the volume of everything around you.

Minute 40 to 20 — soak

Twenty minutes in a warm magnesium soak shifts you from sympathetic to parasympathetic. By the time you step out, the body is already pointing toward sleep.

Minute 20 to 0 — disconnect

Phone in another room. A page of a book. Cool, dark, quiet. Same order, every night.

Sleep is not a switch. It is an approach.