I've Been A Great Sleeper My Entire Life — With The Help Of This Consistent Routine

In my family, I'm known to be a great sleeper. I've always been that way. When I was a child, family members would joke that not only could I sleep anywhere, but people could come into my room and move my bed and I would not notice. It's true.

I'm not sure what has fostered my positive relationship with sleep, but I do know that as a child, I always felt safe when sleeping and recall being roused gently. I have vivid memories of taking a hot bath and then listening to books on tape before going to bed. Now that I think back, I had a routine put into place by my mothers. Family dinner was routinized, as was bath time and a consistent bedtime. I think that my early childhood set the stage for healthy sleep architecture that persisted into my adult life. I still rely on many of my childhood routines to get a good night's rest.

These days, I tend to have the best sleep when I've had enough movement, outdoor time, and space to decompress from the day. Baths are still a significant part of my relaxation routine. I find if I don't get outside or move, I become more reliant upon sleep aids like melatonin to stay asleep.

Sleep, particularly quality sleep, is important to me because it's what keeps me sharp and available to work. When working with patients one-on-one, I need to be engaged and emotionally available. This is also true in my media work as well as in public speaking. If I'm not well rested, I'm not able to do my job and then come home and give my full self to my family.

This is my routine when I'm at home, and it differs slightly when I'm on the road. During travel, I have to be very intentional about staying well-hydrated and being mindful of my sodium intake. Too much salt and not enough water make it very hard for me to sleep. When I travel, I absolutely rely on a sleep aid like melatonin or sleep support+. I've also been known to travel with lavender room spray.

6 p.m.: Start dinner. Cooking is something that I love; it's meditative and grounding. By this time, I usually don't have my phone nearby as my focus is on my family.

7:15 p.m.: Sit for family dinner. For me, it's less about what I eat and more about when I eat. We generally have dinner at 7:30, so there is enough time between dinner and bedtime. I like to make sure I'm not eating and directly lying down.

8:30 p.m.: Wash my face and head back downstairs to check in with my husband and sit on the couch.

9:45 p.m.: My phone tells me it's time to wind down, and the truth is by this time, I'm ready for bed, so it does not take much for me to sleep. Once I'm upstairs, I don't check my email. I put my phone out of arm's reach. We also do not have a TV in our room.

10 p.m.: Brush my teeth and sometimes take a sleep support supplement.

10:15 p.m.: Once I'm in my bed, I'm usually asleep within 5 minutes. We keep our room cool, dark, and free from clutter. It's quiet except for the white noise machine that my husband turns on when he goes to bed.