In my family, I’m known to be a great sleeper.
I’ve always been that way.
Now that I think back, I had a routine put into place by my mothers.
Family dinner was routinized, as was bath time and aconsistent bedtime.
I think that my early childhood set the stage for healthy sleep architecture that persisted into my adult life.
I still rely on many of my childhood routines to get a good night’s rest.
Baths are still a significant part of my relaxation routine.
When working with patients one-on-one, I need to be engaged and emotionally available.
This is also true in my media work as well as in public speaking.
During travel, I have to be very intentional about staying well-hydrated and being mindful of my sodium intake.
Too much salt and not enough water make it very hard for me to sleep.
When I travel, I absolutely rely on a sleep aid like melatonin orsleep support+.
I’ve also been known to travel with lavenderroom spray.
6 p.m.:Start dinner.
Cooking is something that I love; it’s meditative and grounding.
By this time, I usually don’t have my phone nearby as my focus is on my family.
7:15 p.m.:Sit for family dinner.
For me, it’s less about what I eat and more about when I eat.
We generally have dinner at 7:30, so there isenough time between dinner and bedtime.
I like to verify I’m not eating and directly lying down.
Once I’m upstairs, I don’t check my email.
I put my phone out of arm’s reach.
We also do not have a TV in our room.
10 p.m.:Brush my teeth and sometimes takea sleep support supplement.
10:15 p.m.:Once I’m in my bed, I’m usuallyasleep within 5 minutes.
We keep our room cool, dark, and free from clutter.
It’s quiet except for thewhite noise machinethat my husband turns on when he goes to bed.
Maya lives in Brooklyn with her husband, two children, two cats, and two dogs!
