How A Sleep Doctor Trained Herself To Fall Asleep & Wake Up Earlier

I'm a sleep doctor, but as a kid, I was always more sleepy and tired than my peers. I loved books and would stay up late reading my favorite series (these days, this would be called bedtime procrastination!). This always made me very sleepy in the afternoon, and I got into the habit of taking a nap after school. In high school and university, I had a really hard time getting up for morning classes and going to bed on time. Looking back now, I understand that I have delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), a circadian rhythm disorder that causes you to want to go to sleep later and wake up later than society usually dictates.

Medical school and residency were an even bigger challenge because of the early mornings, demanding work hours, and irregular schedules. My personal challenges with sleep quality contributed to my interest in pursuing a career in sleep medicine. 

Currently, I sleep well and know what to do to stay on track and enhance my sleep quality. I usually have my best night's sleep when I get bright light in the morning, stay active during the day, and allow myself time to wind down in the evening. Simple things have a big impact and I teach these steps to my patients in my practice and in my online holistic sleep course.

My biggest barriers to sleep are not staying on a consistent schedule, not getting enough movement during the day, or working on my laptop too late in the evening. If I don't give myself a cutoff time, I could keep on working, checking emails, or scrolling social media…and I definitely don't sleep as well when I do that. 

6:30 a.m.: I usually begin to wake up naturally, but I set an alarm on my phone just in case. In the winter, I'll use the Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light because I have a really hard time getting up when it's still dark out. 

7 a.m.: Meditation and yoga practice.

8:30 a.m.: Time for what I call my morning sun power. My dog and I will go outside for a brisk walk and a dose of bright sunlight (without sunglasses) to train my circadian rhythm. If I'm pressed for time, I'll stand out on the deck for a few minutes. 

12:30 p.m.: Lunchtime. I try to eat lunch at the same time every day to keep my circadian rhythm in check because I'm prone to ending up with a delayed body clock if I'm not mindful of my schedule. 

7 p.m.: I start dimming the lights in my house and on my screens. All of our lights are on dimmers, and we keep the lights pretty low in the evening in order to promote the brain's production of melatonin. My laptop and phone screens are also set up to go into night-shift mode at 7 p.m. I'll write down any last to-do's for the next day so that my mind doesn't have to hold on to them at bedtime.

8 p.m.: Finish cleaning up after dinner. I love waking up to a clean kitchen, so I like to make sure it's tidy before bed. 

8:30 p.m.: Time for a warm shower. I'm usually cold, so having a shower is warming and relaxing at the end of a busy day. I also sleep better when I have a shower before bed. I do like to brush my teeth and put on my PJs about an hour or so before going to bed because doing that right at bedtime makes me feel more alert. 

9 p.m.: Get cozy on the couch and watch a show with my husband. We just finished season 2 of White Lotus and now we're watching the latest season of His Dark Materials. 

10 p.m.: I feel the sleep wave coming on. Time to get into bed! If my eyes aren't heavy yet, I'll read for a bit. I'm currently reading Bewilderment by Richard Powers. By 10:15 p.m., my eyes are getting heavy and I'm drifting into a deep, velvety sleep.