Few things make me as joyful as the first day of Daylight Savings.
More sunshine, the promise of spring, getting together with friends, outdoor activities, and in New York City, it’s right about that time where you see the bright green tulip leaves excitedly to pop up from the cold ground.
It’s absolutely invigorating.
But also, losing that single hour of sleep? Yowza. It takes a toll on me. I feel a bit out of sorts, my skin is dull and I spy the rumblings of a real whopper of a cystic zit beneath the surface.
Perhaps that’s why, for me, Daylight Savings is when I check in on my sleep habits to make sure I’m getting the quality rest I need to look and feel my absolute best.
This is my sleep checklist. Do I keep it to a tee every single night of my life? Of course not. (I mean, have you seen Season 4 of Ozark? Not exactly a lullaby.) But I do know that when I follow these practices, I feel good, my skin looks great and I get a lot more done than if I’m low on rest. Check them out and let me know if they resonate with you!
Sophia’s Sleep Checklist:
1. No Phones in the Bedroom:
A few years back, I bought an alarm clock, removed the phone chargers from my bedroom and designated a phone charging area in my living room. Making my bedroom a smartphone and tech-free zone did a few things for me. Firstly, I stopped “zombie scrolling” (aka the mindless thumbing through Insta, TikTok, online shopping and even texting for exhaustive hours on end). The blue light and general distractions of the content I was looking at kept me awake for hours. What I didn’t expect was that it also helped me wake up and start my day more easily in the morning. If I wanted to see the news, my emails, or check my dms, I had to get out of bed — which helped me start my day quicker. When the phone was in the bedroom, I’d thumb through for literally hours until 8am hit and I had no idea where my time went. It wasn’t an easy practice to start, but it’s one that is well worth it for me and very rewarding.
2. Stick to a Sleep Schedule
I’m an early riser. I wake up anytime between 5:00 and 5:30 am — and that means I’ve got to get to bed between 10:00 and 10:30 pm to clock seven hours of sleep. I find the study of circadian rhythm fascinating and have noticed that when I keep to a pretty regular schedule that I fall asleep quickly and stay asleep through the night.
3. Embrace A Nighttime Ritual
I really look forward to winding down after a long day and getting into my evening ritual from putting the kettle on for a cup of Valerian root tea and indulging in the Moroccan Chamomile Sleeping Mask, leaving it enough time to absorb before my face hits the pillow. Also, to quiet my mind, I read at least 10 pages of whatever book I’m currently reading. I find that being an entrepreneur and having so much interaction in 2022 be through Zoom and screens, it’s harder and harder to quiet my mind and focus on reading. That’s why, although I appreciate the convenience of an e-reader, I stick with good old fashioned books. And you know what they say about books… (by they, clearly, I mean Tyrion).
4. Harness Your Morning Ritual
I look forward to my first sip of morning coffee like it’s the first time. Every. Single. Morning. But also, I look forward to the routine that awaits me when I wake up. I start the morning by using a tongue scraper and dry brushing. Next, I head to the kitchen to make that perfect cup of coffee and while I enjoy it, I’ll pop on the Turkish Coffee 3-in-1 Mask. So yeah, I double down on coffee in the morning — and looking forward to that gives me all the feels to get to sleep asap.
Are you focused on your sleep? Do you have any sleep tips to share? Would love to hear from you!
Xo Sophia
