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Chinese bedtime routine

The bedtime routine: soak, then three points, then lights out

If you have tried to fall asleep without pills, you have probably tried pressing a point or two and then lying there. Traditional Chinese practice treats it less like a trick and more like a short sequence — the order matters more than any single point. Here is the shape of it, and an honest note on what it can and cannot do.

The shape of the routine

Three parts, in this order. The warm soak is not a nice extra — it is what makes the pressing part easier, because warmth at the feet is what the last point works with.

1
Open

Warm soak, about ten minutes

Warm water, comfortably hot — not scalding. Traditionally this is for the feet and lower legs, and it is the step people skip. Skipping it leaves the last point doing work nothing else did. A cup of the same warmth taken to bed works too.

2
Work down

The three points, hands then head then feet

Shenmen on the wrist to settle the mind, Yin Tang on the forehead for a busy head, Yongquan at the foot to draw things down. The order runs from what is most awake to what is meant to send you off. This page says where each one is; the full plan says when.

3
Stop

Lights out immediately after

The routine only works if the last press is close to getting into bed. Doing it and then scrolling for forty minutes puts you back where you started. This is the part that is hard, and it is not optional.

The three points

They are called Shenmen, Yin Tang and Yongquan. You will also see them written as HT7, EX-HN3 and KI1 — same points, different naming systems.

Finger pressing Shenmen HT7 on the inner wrist, just below the little finger
HT7 — Shenmen · 神门
Inner wrist, in the crease just below the little finger. Traditionally the main point for settling the mind before sleep.
Commonly paired with LI4 (Hegu, the web between thumb and index finger) — press them together, one on each hand.
Finger pressing Yin Tang EX-HN3 in the centre of the forehead, between the eyebrows
EX-HN3 — Yin Tang · 印堂
Centre of the forehead, between the eyebrows. Pressed with a fingertip, not the thumb. Used more for quieting a busy mind than for physical tension.
Many people press this one sitting up, then move to bed. It is easier to do before you lie down than after.
Thumb pressing Yongquan KI1 in the crease of the sole, between the ball of the foot and the heel
KI1 — Yongquan · 涌泉
Sole of the foot, in the crease between the ball and the heel — the point you can feel as a slight dip. Traditionally used to draw energy down before rest.
This is the one the warm soak is doing the work for. Cold feet and a rushed ten minutes will not land the same way.

What this can and cannot do

ApproachWhat it is
AcupressureA relaxing self-care habit. Helps some people wind down enough to fall asleep. No evidence it treats insomnia.
MelatoninA supplement that shifts sleep timing. Works for some people, does nothing for others, and interacts with some medication.
Prescription sleep aidsClinician-supervised, controlled dosing, and not something to self-manage.

If you have not been able to sleep well for weeks, that is a doctor question, not a pressure point question.

Go deeper when you're ready

This page is the index. The order is what costs money.

The three points and the soak are free to read and always will be. What costs money is which point on which night, how long to hold it, when to start the soak, and what to do on the nights it does not work.

The full plan

21-Day Ritual

$59one-time · instant download
You want the whole thing built out, not three points and a guess.
  • 21 evenings, each with a clear diagram
  • 2 points + 1 gua sha area + a soak or drink per evening
  • 3 weeks in order, so nothing gets skipped or repeated
  • 4 hand-demo videos — see the press, not just read it
  • One-time purchase, yours forever
Get the 21-Day Ritual — $59
Just the sleep part

Sleep Reset

$9.99one-time · instant download
You only want the bedtime routine, not the gua sha work.
  • HT7, Yin Tang, KI1 — the three on this page
  • 7 nights, in order
  • The foot soak and drink that go with it
  • 11 pages, print or screen
Get the Sleep Reset — $9.99
  • Both are one-time purchases — yours to keep
  • The three points on this page are free, with or without either
⚠ Educational only. Not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Based on traditional Chinese wellness practices, not guarantees. Consult a licensed practitioner for persistent sleep problems, or if you are pregnant.