December 01, 2025

Family bedtime wind-down

Create a gentle transition to sleep with an automation that gradually dims lights, cools the house, and quiets notifications starting 30 minutes before bedtime. Includes an easy cancel option for nights when you want to stay up later.

Use cases

Sleep preparation

Gradual transition - Body naturally prepares for sleep
Consistent routine - Same wind-down every night
Family coordination - Everyone gets the signal it's bedtime
Better sleep quality - Reduced light exposure before bed

Flexibility built-in

Easy cancel - One tap to stay up for movie night
Weekend adjustment - Different schedule for weekends
Guest mode - Disable when entertaining
Vacation mode - Skip during holidays

Products needed

Essential equipment

Smart lights with dimming

Popular brands: Philips Hue, LIFX, Lutron, Inovelli
Must support gradual dimming and warm color temperatures

Smart thermostat

Brands: Ecobee, Nest, Honeywell Home
For automatic temperature adjustment before bed

Optional enhancements

Smart speakers

For bedtime announcement and easy voice cancellation

Phone focus modes

iOS Focus Mode or Android Digital Wellbeing for notification silencing

Smart blinds/curtains

Automatically close for privacy and light blocking

💡 Sleep science tip

Warm light (2700K or lower) helps trigger melatonin production
Gradual dimming over 30 minutes mimics natural sunset
Cooler room temperature (65-68°F / 18-20°C) promotes better sleep
Reducing screen brightness and notifications reduces mental stimulation

Basic automation setup

AT 30 minutes before bedtime (e.g., 9:30 PM) THEN announce "Bedtime wind-down starting" AND start dimming living room lights from current level to 20% over 30 minutes AND set thermostat to sleep temperature (68°F / 20°C) AND activate phone Do Not Disturb mode AND close bedroom blinds AT bedtime (e.g., 10:00 PM) THEN turn off all lights except nightlights AND announce "Goodnight"

Triggers

Time is 30 minutes before scheduled bedtime
OR voice command "Start bedtime wind-down"
OR button press on bedside table

Conditions (optional)

Day of week: Different times for weekdays vs. weekends
Home mode: Skip if in "Guest" or "Party" mode
Vacation: Skip if vacation mode is active

Actions (30 min before)

Send notification: "Bedtime wind-down starting - tap to cancel"
Announce on speakers: "Bedtime wind-down starting"
Start gradual dimming of living room lights to 20%
Shift light color to warm (2700K)
Set thermostat to sleep temperature
Close bedroom blinds/curtains
Enable phone Do Not Disturb (via Focus mode trigger)

Actions (at bedtime)

Turn off all lights except hallway/bathroom nightlights
Lock front door if not already locked
Arm security system in "Night" mode
Announce "Goodnight" on bedroom speaker

Platform-specific examples

Home Assistant

Trigger Time trigger at 9:30 PM (weekdays) or 10:30 PM (weekends)

Condition input_boolean.vacation_mode is off

Action Call script.bedtime_wind_down with gradual transitions

Tip: Use transition parameter on light.turn_on for gradual dimming over 1800 seconds (30 min)

SmartThings

IF Time is 9:30 PM

AND Mode is not "Guest" or "Vacation"

THEN Activate "Wind-Down" scene, adjust thermostat, notify

Note: Create separate routine for actual bedtime (10 PM)

Hubitat

Trigger Time is 9:30 PM on weekdays

Condition Mode is "Home" (not Guest/Vacation)

Action Activate wind-down scene, set thermostat, dim lights

Setup: Use Rule Machine for complex scheduling with different weekend times

Apple HomeKit

When Time is 9:30 PM

Condition Someone is home

Do Activate "Wind-Down" scene, close blinds, adjust thermostat

Note: Use iOS Focus Mode integration for phone DND

Alexa

When Time is 9:30 PM every day

Action Dim lights, announce, adjust thermostat, enable DND

Tip: Say "Alexa, cancel bedtime" to stop the routine

Google Home

Starter Time is 9:30 PM

Action Dim lights, adjust thermostat, broadcast bedtime message

Note: Use "bedtime" scheduled routine for built-in features

Advanced features

Easy cancel options

Multiple ways to skip wind-down:

Voice: "Cancel bedtime" or "Skip wind-down"
Notification: Tap actionable notification to cancel
Button: Physical button by couch to postpone
Time extension: "Delay bedtime 1 hour"

Adaptive scheduling

Adjust based on context:

Weekday vs. weekend: Different bedtimes
Seasonal: Earlier in winter, later in summer
Work schedule: Adjust based on calendar
Guest mode: Auto-disable when entertaining

Gradual light dimming

Create natural sunset effect:

30 min: Start at current brightness
20 min: Dim to 60%, shift to warm (3000K)
10 min: Dim to 30%, warmer (2700K)
0 min: Dim to 10%, very warm (2200K)
Bedtime: Lights off except nightlights

Common issues and solutions

Wind-down starts during activities

Problem: Lights dim while watching a movie or having guests.

Solutions:

Add condition: TV is off or media player not playing
Create "Guest Mode" that disables wind-down
Add easy cancel button on coffee table
Use presence to detect if guests are present

Family on different schedules

Problem: Parents want to stay up after kids' bedtime.

Solutions:

Create separate "Kids wind-down" for children's rooms only
Only affect common areas at later time
Use per-room automations based on occupancy
Trigger adult wind-down manually or later

Phone DND not activating

Problem: Phone notifications still coming through during wind-down.

Solutions:

Verify Focus Mode/DND shortcut is properly configured
Use scheduled Focus Mode on phone as backup
Grant automation app permission to control DND
Check that automation has access to iPhone/Android Focus

Lights jump instead of gradual dim

Problem: Lights change brightness in steps rather than smoothly.

Solutions:

Use transition parameter in light commands (e.g., 1800 seconds)
Ensure lights support gradual dimming
Some platforms need scripted step-by-step dimming
Use lights designed for gradual transitions (Hue, LIFX)

Best practices

Creating effective wind-down

Start 30 minutes before desired sleep time
Use gradual transitions, not sudden changes
Include easy cancellation method
Make voice commands intuitive: "Cancel bedtime"
Don't affect all rooms - leave kitchen accessible
Include announcement so family knows it's starting

What to avoid

Sudden darkness - Always use gradual dimming
No cancel option - People need flexibility
All rooms at once - Someone might need the kitchen
Locking thermostat - Allow manual override if too cold/hot
Ignoring guests - Always have guest mode option

Related automations: