Anxiety Always Kept Me Awake — Until I Switched To This Sleep Routine

I developed insomnia back in my early 20s, right after I graduated from college, around the time when my dad was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. Any time you are a caretaker, especially in an acute situation, your circadian rhythm and sleep patterns are thrown off. I also believe that my anxiety at the time strongly contributed to my insomnia.

Sleep continues to be a practice that I mindfully work on. I believe that it is, without question, one of the most restorative nonnegotiables for a healthy life. Simply put, a good night's sleep helps us function more optimally spiritually, cognitively, physiologically, and emotionally.

These days, I still don't sleep for as long as I'd like every night. I have long days and often don't get home until after dinner. I also sometimes lose track of time and find myself working, learning, or creating late into the night. But my sleep efficiency usually averages 94+%, and my combined REM and deep sleep percentages are at least 50% to 70% most nights.

I sleep best when I have time to do an extended wind-down ritual. It includes taking a warm bath or shower in the evening, meditating with my red light therapy while in my lymphatic drainage boots, and also relaxing on a crystal PEMF mat. (I really do like to stack my routine!) But with my travel schedule, it's not often that I have the luxury of going through this process.

Here's a peek at my sleep routine when I'm home and have access to my recovery tools.

10 p.m.: I make a cup of tulsi rose tea and set up my infrared and amber lights. I lie on a PEMF mat and put a separate FDA-cleared light device on my face. I do this for about 15 to 20 minutes. I'll usually listen to solfeggio frequencies here as well. 

10:20 p.m.: I lightly drybrush.

10:50 p.m.: I then take my nighttime supplements (Serena Loves Ultimate D, Love My Mag, Optimize Me NAC, and sometimes Sweet Dreams). 

11 p.m.: I meditate. Sometimes I use a device if I want to focus attention on specific brain waves or my central nervous system. But usually, I just do light 4-4-4-4 breathing and go into a quiet meditation. On myself, I'll do a little reiki. I'll also do this with solfeggio frequency playing.