Advertisement
The Morning & Evening Routine That Helps This Biohacker MD Feel Her Best
I consider myself an excellent sleeper and someone who takes sleep really seriously. As a biohacker, I've tried all ways to optimize my sleep—and I sleep best when I'm maintaining a consistent schedule and following the protocols below. Sleep is my one nonnegotiable. Good sleep creates conditions where I feel I can solve problems more effectively and recover from stress appropriately. Without optimal sleep, I feel completely wrecked.
- Average hours I sleep a night: 8
- Ideal bedtime: 10–11 p.m.
- Ideal wake-up time: 6–7 a.m.
- Nightstand essentials: Books, eyemask, earplugs, tuning fork, essential oils, mouth tape (if I am feeling like it)
- Favorite place I've ever slept: Esalen Institute
- Sleep bad habit: Not sure I have one unless it's checking email too late, which rarely happens
- Caffeine consumption: Very little these days but usually MUD/WTR since I designed their coffee detox program
- How I track my sleep: Oura ring
It's important for me to maintain a healthy sleep schedule; it really does make a difference in my health. This is the morning and evening routine that helps me stay on track.
6 a.m.: I'm up and already thinking about how to optimize my day for rest. The first 15 minutes of the morning, right when you wake up, is such a powerful space for manifestation. Your brain is primed for programming. To program my day for success, I'll ask myself: How do I want my day to go? What do I want to be? What do I want to do?
6:15 a.m.: I don't check email first thing in the morning. Instead, I'll do a breathwork exercise or meditation to set the tone for the day. I really hate being rushed into the day. It does happen, but my ideal mornings are fairly open for me to design.
7 a.m.: I'll break my fast (typically 12 to 14 hours) to eat before I exercise and then shower, do my makeup and hair, and get ready for the day. If I'm not working out, I'm doing something restorative like using a sauna blanket or sitting in front of a red light for a little while.
8 p.m.: This may not come as a huge surprise, but I have a whole room of biohacking tools. I like to use some of these every night depending on how I'm feeling. Sometimes I'll lie on a BioMAT while I wrap things up from the day or read. Sometimes I'll lie on the PEMF mat. Sometimes I'll use the Theragun. I went a few months neglecting my recovery, but now I'm back to making it a priority.
Typically before bed, I will read and try not to watch TV (but I have been watching The White Lotus, because it's exceptional television). I try not to use my phone very much before I go to sleep. Usually, I will have the blue light turned way down on my phone so it doesn't keep me up at night. I also use blue blockers. Time-restricted feeding can be really helpful for enhancing sleep, so I don't eat while I'm winding down. One of the biggest mistakes people make is they eat too late at night, and that can actually affect their heart rate variability and their sleep.
9 p.m.: Most nights, I'll take a bath to wind down and relax. I'll read a book or magazine, watch something on my phone, or spend the time sitting in the tub and meditating. During the new moon and full moon, I also use this as a time to set intentions. Bathing is very important to me, and it's a good way to raise your body temperature before bed.
9:30 p.m.: I start to wash up. Before I go to bed, I think it's really important to have proper oral hygiene; it's not just about brushing your teeth. I also floss and tongue scrape, but I don't use mouthwash (the Listerine inhibits nitric oxide production1). I wash my face—a habit I've had since I started wearing makeup in eighth grade—and apply whatever cream I'm using regularly. Right now it's the Young Goose mask.
9:45 p.m.: Before I go to bed every night, I'll check my schedule for the next day to see what time I have to get started in the morning.
9:50 p.m.: To bed I go! I love my bed so much. I have this amazing bed and mattress topper with really great bedding from the Company Store that my mom got me. I love getting into it every night.
10 p.m.: Once I am in bed, I like to spend a good 15 minutes before I go to sleep setting intentions and praying and visualizing, thinking through the life that I want to live. I love that space between sleep and wake, that beautiful liminal space where you can get into a theta-wave brain state and think about your life. It's a very powerful time.
Watch Next
Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes
Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes
What Is Meditation?
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Light Watkins
Box Breathing
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar
What Breathwork Can Address
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar
The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?
Yoga | Caley Alyssa
Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips
Yoga | Caley Alyssa
How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance
Nutrition | Rich Roll
What to Eat Before a Workout
Nutrition | Rich Roll
How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life
Nutrition | Sahara Rose
Messages About Love & Relationships
Love & Relationships | Esther Perel
Love Languages
Love & Relationships | Esther Perel
What Is Meditation?
Box Breathing
What Breathwork Can Address
The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?
Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips
How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance
What to Eat Before a Workout
How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life
Messages About Love & Relationships
Love Languages
Advertisement
When’s The Best Time To Take Creatine? The Answer May Surprise You
Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN
How Women Can Prevent Injury While Weightlifting In Their 40s & Beyond
Stephanie Estima, D.C.
When’s The Best Time To Take Creatine? The Answer May Surprise You
Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN
How Women Can Prevent Injury While Weightlifting In Their 40s & Beyond
Stephanie Estima, D.C.
When’s The Best Time To Take Creatine? The Answer May Surprise You
Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN
How Women Can Prevent Injury While Weightlifting In Their 40s & Beyond
Stephanie Estima, D.C.
When’s The Best Time To Take Creatine? The Answer May Surprise You
Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN
How Women Can Prevent Injury While Weightlifting In Their 40s & Beyond
Stephanie Estima, D.C.