my sleep routine has become one of if not the most important routine. i dealt with insomnia for years, which always spirals into poor appetite, ever-decreasing functioning and bad decisions. i understand now that maintaining a routine is critical for me, and i have added tools for falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking well-rested.

• i picked up a good sleep mask, one that blocks absolutely all light and allows unobstructed blinking. even more so than the functional aspect of blocking light, the sensation of wearing the sleep mask has helped program my brain into quickly recognizing sleeptime on-demand.

• a minimally-intrusive sleep aid. i started with melatonin but eventually switched to D8/D9 gummies and never looked back. within 45m of taking a gummy i feel the heaviness in my limbs and easily succumb to sleep. this is likely not necessary for everyone but i consider the reliable effectiveness to be an effective insurance.

• ensuring proper sleep posture. i overlooked this one for a long time, thinking that stacking pillows under my head and around my body was as good as it could get. but i would wake up every morning with neck and back pain, grumpy and frustrated. after learning about traditional asian pillows it clicked together that the intent of a head rest is neck support. on a whim i picked up a buckwheat hull neck roll and it has absolutely changed my life. first time i used it, flat on my back with it under my neck, my legs tingled from the relief of tension in my body. the moral here is to assess for sources of discomfort in your sleeping posture and find ways to improve it so you are not wasting time and effort trying to get comfortable.

• consider breaking up your sleep hours. I started an unconventional routine last year and it has been very helpful for me in waking refreshed. i set my first alarm for 2.5-3 hours before i want to be fully awake. when that goes off i manage to drag myself out of bed, have a light breakfast and move myself to a recliner in the living room where i gently doze off for another hour/hour and a half, with a few extra minutes on both sides. initially it was not super easy to fall back asleep quickly, but now that it’s routine and with the help of the weighted sleep mask, it happens in minutes. by the time my second alarm goes off, if i’m not already beginning to stir, i open my eyes and am absolutely ready to go. knowing that i can doze off again makes getting up and relocating on that first alarm much much easier, and i have come to deeply enjoy the dedicated peace and quiet of that early morning nap; no expectations weighing on me first thing, just focusing on my breathing and relaxing my body. the downside is now that i’m used to this pattern, my body expects that morning nap and i absolutely have to be up early enough to allow time for it.

i’m certain that a persons ideal sleep routine is extremely subjective and unique to that individual, so these tips may not all be helpful for you, but hopefully they give you some ideas of new strategies to try.