I'm A Derm & Psychiatrist: My Sleep Routine For Mental Health & Skin Health

I love to sleep, and I am acutely aware of the importance of seven and a half to eight hours a night. I have my best sleep when I go to bed earlier, don't eat too late, and don't go to bed stressed out. I am not much of an alcohol drinker, and I often go months without a drink because if I have more than a glass of wine, my sleep is horrible. It's just not worth it to me.

On the stress front, I learned a great pre-sleep relaxation technique from a counselor at a sleepaway camp back when I was 12 (yes, really!). She taught us to contract each muscle in our body fully, then relax it, starting at our heads and working down. This methodical tightening and relaxing always helps me, and I remember teaching it to my kids when they were younger.

6:45 - 7 a.m.: I wake up naturally. I always set my old-fashioned alarm clock, but I can't remember the last time it woke me up. (I think that both my medical training and being a mom trained me to get up without an alarm!) I check overnight texts and emails, play Wordle, and start the NYT mini-crossword and Spelling Bee.

7:15 a.m.: I shower, then eat breakfast. Usually, it's tea with local Andrew's Honey, yogurt with a little matcha powder mixed in, and fruit. I have always loved green tea, and there are so many benefits to its antioxidants; plus, I love the flavor! The honey is from NYC, and I find it has some benefits for my seasonal allergies.

8:30 a.m.: I walk to the office. I am lucky to be able to walk to and from work. I call it my "walking meditation," and getting light in the morning helps support my sleep at night. I use it as a quiet time—no music or podcasts—to look up at the sky and trees and also at architecture, local shops, etc.

9:45 p.m.: By this time, I'm hopefully finished with work for the day. I am working full-time and getting an MBA, so late nights are not uncommon, but I try to prioritize time to wind down before sleep. Sometimes, this will involve watching a show with my daughter. We recently watched The Great, and we are waiting for the next season of The Great British Bake Off. 

If I am stressed at the end of a long day, I will do some abdominal breathing (usually 10 reps) or sometimes some stretching. I'll also start dimming the lights after dinner to get my brain ready for bed.

10:15 p.m.: Time for my nightly skin care. It's pretty simple: I remove any eye makeup with Neutrogena Oil Free Makeup Remover, wash my face with Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar, and moisturize with Chanel La Solution 10. Once or twice a week, I apply prescription tretinoin 0.025% cream, then moisturize.