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How A Functional Medicine Doctor Clears Her (Very Busy) Mind Before Bed

Author:

Gabrielle Lyon, D.O.

November 29, 2023

Functional medicine doctor

By Gabrielle Lyon, D.O.

Functional medicine doctor

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is a board-certified family physician leading a disruption in modern medicine, one that focuses on the largest organ in the body—skeletal muscle—to support longevity and fight back against the threat of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. With a background that includes a combined research and clinical fellowship in geriatrics and nutritional sciences at Washington University and undergraduate training in nutritional sciences at the University of Illinois, she is a subject-matter expert and educator in the practical application of protein types and levels for health, performance, aging, and disease prevention. Dr. Lyon's new book, Forever Strong: A New, Science-Based Strategy for Aging Well, outlines her whole-body, whole-person protocol for muscle health optimization. Through her private practice, popular YouTube channel, influential podcast and new book, she asks a fundamental question: How can we build strength, not just in the weight room, but in our daily lives? Dr. Lyon is on a mission to make the world a little bit stronger by building consistent dietary and lifestyle habits, and showing up for ourselves and the people we love.

Image by Jaki Portolese / Stocksy

November 29, 2023

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Our sleep series, The Wind Down, provides a minute-by-minute peek into the wind-down routines that get well-being experts ready for bed. Today, we're relaxing with functional medicine doctor Gabrielle Lyon, D.O., who relies on an old-school planner (and a set of yoga toes) to help her get into a bedtime state of mind.

Truth be told, I can actually function pretty well on little sleep (as a doctor, I'm trained that way). However, I recognize that neglecting sleep is a rookie move. Sleep is critical. I try to never make an important or emotionally charged decision when I'm sleep-deprived since a lack of sleep lowers our ability to regulate our emotions and reactions 1.

During some busy times in life (like during my book launch), I've gotten by with very little sleep and run purely on adrenaline. But usually, I aim to get around seven hours a night—though my husband and kids' sleep schedules can sometimes make this difficult (my husband wakes up at 4 a.m.). I have my best night's sleep when I know I have done good work in the world and made someone's day better.

Average hours I sleep a night: 7
Ideal bedtime: 9:30 p.m.
Ideal wake-up time: 6 a.m.
Nightstand essentials: Earplugs, a candle, and a book
Favorite place I've ever slept: Anywhere next to my children and husband
Sleep bad habit: Trying to work too late
Caffeine consumption: I drink all of it…but I stop at noon.
How I track my sleep: I don't use a sleep tracker right now (though I've used a Whoop in the past).
The last product or habit that changed my sleep for the better: Nightly progesterone
The first thing I do when I wake up: Tell my family I am so happy to see them

7 p.m.: Eat dinner to leave myself plenty of time to wind down for bed.
8 p.m.: Tuck my kids in—we go over the wins and losses and ways to improve tomorrow.
9:10 p.m.: It’s a Monday night, and I'm starting to get into a wind-down mindset. I turn off all lectures and learning, write everything down, and plan out my week. I still use old-school planners, and my favorite is from Paper and Plan Co.; my current planner is from their vintage collection. The streamlined way these planners are set up helps me clear my mind and look at my days ahead of time, listing out when and what needs to happen. Writing in them helps me get into the right head space after a busy day in the office.
9:12 p.m.: Dim all lights in my home. No overhead lights allowed before bed. I do my beauty routine, which includes face wash, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, face cream, and face oil. Then I brush my teeth, use a Waterpik, floss, and use a gum treatment with Revitin.
9:25 p.m.: By now, I'm in bed. I always raise my feet up on a handful of pillows with my yoga toes on (quite embarrassing-looking...but they help stretch my feet). I turn on my soft bedside light, as anything too harsh will wake me up, and set my Hatch to play ocean waves. Then, I put on my eye mask and wax earplugs as well as my Air Doctor air filter (I keep plants in the room to help clear the air too).
Right before bed, I typically listen to instrumental music. My husband and I discuss what went well and what didn't go so well that day and what we could improve upon.