I'm An MD & This Routine Helps Me Get Deep Sleep (Even With Young Kids)

My relationship with sleep has really come full circle. When I was younger, I didn't understand the importance or utility of sleep. In college and in medical school, I would pull all-nighters studying and can recall falling asleep during exams. When I was a resident and a junior attending, I would be on rotating shifts between days and nights and felt like I was always trying to catch up on sleep. I would nap as much as possible between shifts.

Looking back, I see that time was preparing me for the newborn stages of my two kids, who are now 5 and 2. We are still teaching my youngest to sleep independently in his own room, and most nights of the week he is successful. My husband and I trade off who goes to him if he wakes up in the middle of the night so at least one of us can sleep well.

I definitely do my best to prioritize sleep and focus on the things I can control when it comes to bedtime and daytime routines (for myself and the kids). Since I work from home, I can sleep in a bit longer or take a nap in the afternoon if it was a rough night with my son. I no longer intentionally pull all-nighters or work the night shift. I am happiest and most productive when I get quality sleep. I love teaching others about the benefits of sleep and how they can incorporate simple changes in their life to improve their sleep health.

7 a.m.: I do my prayer and meditation in bed (because my bed is so comfortable!).

7:30 a.m.: I get out of bed to do my morning routine for the kids: help them change, brush their teeth, put my daughter's hair up in a ponytail, and get their breakfast and snacks for school ready.

8:30 a.m.: I enjoy my matcha or hojicha tea latte. If the weather is nice, I go outside for a 10- to 15-minute walk around the neighborhood. I also journal for five to 10 minutes.

9 a.m.: Work time! Three days a week, my tele-sleep integrative medicine practice is open, and I am seeing patients in Hawaii and California with a break for lunch. If it is a non-clinic day, I am writing blogs about sleep, being interviewed about women's sleep health topics, making educational videos for social media, and brainstorming topics that women want to hear about. I just purchased a treadmill desk so I can get more movement in my day even when at work.

7:30 p.m.: Bedtime routine for the kids involves a bath, dental hygiene, pajamas, books, and a kid's story from the Calm app.

9 p.m.: Ideally the kids are in their beds. One to two times a week, I'll use this time to write clinic notes, send patient messages, or read sleep study reports. The other days, I read or listen to a podcast until I feel sleepy. I admittedly also scroll social media prior to bedtime, but I am working on not making this a habit. 

9:30 p.m.: Depending on how busy the day was, I can fall asleep pretty fast. If I have something on my mind such as a talk or an upcoming vacation, my mind takes longer to settle down. If this is the case, I practice some breathing exercises. The 4-7-8 breath by Andrew Weil is my go-to. I am also trained in hypnotherapy, so I guide myself through a self-hypnosis practice to calm my anxious mind and relax into sleep.

10 p.m.: I am asleep unless my daughter comes to my room because of a nightmare or my son wakes up crying for me.