3 bedtime rituals that help me get a great night of sleep.

As a Mom of two young children and person who wants to feel my best each day, I prioritize sleep in a very conscious way. Dr. Suzannah Bozzone who focuses on lifestyle medicine, once said every decision we make is either adding to our health or taking away from it. I feel the same. As important as sleep is, putting in some intentional effort goes a long way towards getting our needs met. 

Here are three bedtime rituals that I do each evening that help me get a great night of sleep: 

1. A set bedtime.

• Research and experience show that going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day is an important part of tending to our sleep wellness. I generally listen to my body and some nights I feel the call to go to sleep earlier. My bedtime is focused on the latest I choose to stay up because I know if I stay up past 11pm I feel the negative effects the next day. 

2. A magnesium lotion foot massage.

• Self-touch is an incredibly soothing and grounding practice. The vast majority of people are deficient in magnesium and it helps with everything from nervous system regulation to muscle cramps, in addition to sleep. 

3. A pre-sleep meditation or breathing practice.

• ​Each night, I sit on pillows in the dark of my bedroom, atop my cozy bed and meditate or do a soothing breathing practice for 5-20 minutes. It's been incredibly impactful to add this into my bedtime ritual. I definitely notice my mind is more busy and my sleep is more disrupted by reoccurring thoughts if I skip a night. 

What are your favorite bedtime rituals? 

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