Sleep timer

A free sleep timer that opens on 30 minutes and marks the end of your wind-down, or the moment to stop a podcast or audiobook. It can use a gentle chime rather than the hard beep of a phone alarm. Also searched as bedtime timer, wind down timer, sleep countdown.

A wind-down routine, by the clock

Before lights out	Do this	Timer
60 min	Dim the lights, finish work and chores	30 minute timer, twice
30 min	Screens off, low lamp, warm shower if you like	this page
15 min	Read on paper, light stretching, slow breathing	?m=15 in the address
0	Lights out, phone face down or in another room	—

Press Space at each step and let the chime move you to the next one. The routine matters more than the exact minutes. What helps is doing the same steps in the same order every night.

A cutoff for audio

aTimer does not play sounds to fall asleep to. What it can do is tell you when to stop. Set 20 or 30 minutes, start your audiobook, and when the chime sounds, turn off the audio and the lamp with it. If you keep falling asleep before the alarm, shorten the timer so the story does not run on all night.

This is not a wake-up alarm

Most phone browsers mute audio once the screen locks, so a timer running on a locked phone may not sound at all. For waking up, use the alarm clock page on a laptop that stays on, or your phone's built-in alarm.

Sleep hygiene basics

Same bedtime and wake time every day, weekends included.
No caffeine after early afternoon, and no large meals in the last two hours.
A cool, dark, quiet room.
Naps before 3 pm and under 30 minutes; see the nap timer.
If you lie awake for more than 20 minutes, get up and do something dull in low light.

Persistent trouble sleeping is worth a conversation with a doctor. This page is general information, not medical advice. For nap lengths and timing, read how long to nap.

Frequently asked questions

Can this timer play white noise?

No. It plays only a short alarm. Use it to time when to stop white noise or an audiobook playing from another app.

Will the chime wake me up?

Possibly not. Phones often mute browser audio when the screen is locked. Use a real alarm for waking up and this timer for winding down.

How long before bed should screens go off?

About 30 to 60 minutes is the common recommendation. The bright light and the scrolling both delay sleepiness.