5 Sleep Products You'll Find On A Wellness Editor's Nightstand

I thrive on routine. Every morning, I have the same breakfast, follow a consistent schedule on weekdays, and adhere strictly to my evening rituals.

What I once thought was just a peculiar habit, I now understand as a wellness editor to be a beneficial practice. Our bodies operate on finely tuned internal clocks, so maintaining regular schedules helps us perform optimally.

This is especially important during the evening hours, when unfamiliar distractions can keep us from getting tired and falling asleep. So, in the name of a solid routine, here are the five things on my nightstand that you can find me using every night around 10:30 p.m.

Every night, I take two capsules of mindbodygreen's sleep support+, always and without fail. I write about this supplement a lot, so I feel confident that the science behind it is sound. Each capsule features three ingredients that are clinically shown to improve sleep quality: magnesium bisglycinate, jujube, and PharmaGABA®.*

Within a few minutes of taking sleep support+, I begin to feel a pleasant sleepiness wash over me, and my mind quiets down a bit. Unlike other sleep aids like melatonin that have made me super exhausted and foggy-brained, this one just feels like a little extra nudge in the sleep department.

I usually try to limit screen time within an hour of bed and switch over to a physical book instead. But sometimes life gets in the way and I do need to check my phone or wrap up one last thing on my computer. In those moments, I pop on these extremely funny-looking glasses first. The mother of all light blockers, these shades have a deep red tint and thick frames to ensure that no stimulating blue rays can leak through them and disrupt my circadian rhythm or melatonin production. They make everything look a somewhat alarming shade of scarlet, but I'm consistently shocked by how tired they make me feel. I'll keep them on until I can put my devices away for the day, far away from my bed so I'm not tempted to pick them up again.

I'm a big proponent of journaling every night—even if it's just a few sentences reflecting on the highs and lows of the day. Not only does it help me keep track of time, but it can also help me clear my head of any late-night worries or to-do's.

For the past few years, my journal of choice has been the Green Dreamer planner from podcaster Kamea Chayne. It features a few lines for daily entries (undated, so you can pick it up at any time), space for free writing, and small buckets for weekend reflection and intention setting. Each week also features a suggestion for one grounding action to connect with the Earth and a quote about environmental stewardship from Chayne's podcast. All in all, it's a wonderful tool for reflecting, making plans for the future, and appreciating all that I already have.

Stray aches from the day have a way of keeping me awake, but a quick swipe of this body oil can help relieve any muscle stiffness and tension. I'll put it on after a particularly challenging workout and fall asleep to the lightly cooling sensation. I've tried a number of soothing balms in my days as an editor, and this is the only one I've reordered. Its refreshing smell and pleasant rollerball applicator make it a nightstand must-have for me.

Finally, my last little bit of energy from the day is used to spritz this fragrant mist on my pillow before collapsing into bed. I could rave about this layered, lovely scent forever (and I have!), but I'll sum it up by saying it's the perfect mix of herbaceous, floral, and slightly sweet. A quick spray will serve as my cue that it's time to rest. After all that journaling, supplementing, light blocking, and oil rolling, all that's left is to dream.

We all have the products that help us wind down for bed, and these are the five you'll find on my nightstand.