I'm An RD & This Is When I Eat Dinner To Ensure A+ Sleep

It wasn't until my mid-20s that I started craving a routine. I became a personal trainer and group fitness instructor and was on my feet at least 25 hours a week. I started focusing on self-care a lot more, which for me meant prioritizing my sleep. I got into a rhythm of going to bed by 10 p.m. on nights I would have a 6 a.m. start the next day. This is when I realized how connected sleep is to physical fitness.

Within a couple of years, I began my journey to become a dietitian and became very observant of how nutrition affects sleep too. While I didn't really apply these findings to my own life until after my second child—in my mid-30s—when I did, I got amazing, high-quality nights of deep, rejuvenating sleep. 

9 p.m.: I've settled both my kids into bed. They may or may not have fallen asleep.

9:15 p.m.: I usually catch up on emails, make my to-do lists for the next day, meal plan, and complete my online grocery orders. 

10 p.m.: I wrap up these tasks, fill up my water bottle, brush my teeth, and either read or watch an episode of something on my watch list for a few minutes.

10:15 p.m.: Most nights, I spend 10 minutes foam rolling my upper back to release any tension from the day as well as my IT band and front quads to increase blood flow. 

10:25 p.m.: I grab my foot cream, massage my feet, then put on my grip socks to wear to bed (a new add-on in my late 30s!).

10:35 p.m.: I usually turn off all lights and all screens.

10:45 p.m.: Sometimes, I have to use the bathroom once more. 

10:50 p.m.: I pretty much fall asleep within a few minutes.