#bedtime reading

Daytime Habits:

Stop drinking caffeine at least 8 hours before you want to go to sleep

Move daily: A 30-minute walk or a short pilates video is enough if that's all you can manage

Get some fresh air/natural light and/or supplement with vitamin D

Ensure you're getting adequate magnesium and vitamin B12 in your regular diet or through supplements

Nighttime Habits:

Tuck your phone in at its "bedtime": Leave your phone in the charger across the room. Out of sight, out of mind.

Have a physical book beside your bed to start reading at a certain time. Around 30-60 minutes before you actually want to go to bed. Find a book that puts you in a calm mood. A book that's too engaging will be counterproductive.

Have some "sleepytime" tea around 30 minutes before bed (Chamomile tea is a great choice. I love the Yogi Soothing Caramel Bedtime tea).

Limit the lights on for an hour or so before you want to go to bed. Only keep the light on near your bed if possible. Keep your curtains closed if necessary.

Practice deep breathing in bed: You can do a full 5-10 sleep meditation or just do a few sets of belly breaths (one hand on your chest and the other on your diaphragm or upper stomach)

Use meditation or a self-pleasure practice to relax enough to fall asleep.

To get on a proper sleep routine & fight insomnia:

Allow yourself one day to be exhausted, so you go to sleep "on time" and give yourself enough time to get (at least) around 6 hours of sleep. This helps your body "reset," at least for a few days.

When you close your eyes, picture one of your favorite memories and re-experience it without allowing other thoughts to enter your brain. This helps calm your mind, so you more easily drift off to sleep (I've been doing this for around 15-18 years and it's golden)

Have a journal or notebook with a pen by your bed: This allows you to write anything down that you forgot about or need to do, sudden inspiration that arises before you fall asleep, or a place to write out your feelings to help relax before going to sleep. It's better than having your phone and gives you no excuse to go pull it out.