If you’re like most of us, you sometimes struggle with sleep even when you feel like you’re doing everything right. It’s frustrating, exhausting (literally), and over time it can start to impact every area of your life.
Without adequate sleep:
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Cognitive function declines
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Learning and adaptability are impaired
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Reaction times slow
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Hunger cues increase
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Mood dips and social interactions suffer
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Energy crashes and even simple tasks feel overwhelming
While prescription sleep aids may feel like the quickest fix, they often come with side effects, dependency concerns, and contraindications that don’t address the root cause.
The good news? Healthy sleep is something you can build gently, consistently, and naturally. Here are five daily rituals to help you lock it in.
Magnesium Before Bed
It goes without saying magnesium is foundational for sleep.
A quality magnesium supplement (like a topical magnesium oil, lotion or bath soak) can help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and experience deeper, more restorative sleep. Research shows sleep duration is positively correlated with healthy magnesium levels, and supplementation has been associated with improved sleep quality and reduced insomnia symptoms.
Why it works:
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Relaxes muscles and eases physical tension
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Supports the nervous system
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Helps regulate neurotransmitters involved in sleep cycles
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Counteracts stress and moderates nighttime cortisol spikes
Apply magnesium to your skin 20–30 minutes before bed, or soak in a warm magnesium bath. As your body softens and unwinds, sleep becomes something you ease into — not something you fight for.
Consistency is key. Make this your nightly cue that it’s time to surrender the day.
Morning Sunlight Exposure
Believe it or not, a good night’s sleep begins in the morning.
Exposure to natural sunlight shortly after waking helps regulate your circadian rhythm — your body’s internal clock that controls cortisol and melatonin cycles. Morning light signals to your brain that it’s time to be alert, which strengthens the natural rhythm that will help you feel sleepy when night falls.
For best results:
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Get outside within the first hour of waking
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Aim for 10–30 minutes of natural light
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Walk, stretch, sip coffee outdoors, or do a quick workout
When your body is aligned with light and darkness, sleep happens more naturally. Instead of forcing rest, you’re working with your biology.
Nervous System Breathwork
Your breath directly influences your nervous system. Slow, intentional breathing activates your parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) state the exact state you need for quality sleep. Adding in meditation can help you focus on gratefulness or bible scripture. Both can calm and restore the mind.
Try this before bed:
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Inhale for 3–4 seconds
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Hold for 2 seconds
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Exhale slowly for 6–8 seconds
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Repeat for 5 minutes
Imagine your rib cage expanding fully front, sides, and back. During the exhale, breathe out slowly through pursed lips as if blowing through a straw.
Within minutes, you’ll feel your body shift from alert to calm. Sleep often follows naturally.
Create a Wind-Down Routine
Your brain needs a transition between “doing” and “sleeping.”
Instead of scrolling until your eyes burn, create a predictable nighttime routine that signals safety and rest:
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Dim the lights
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Turn off overhead lighting
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Read something calming
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Take a warm shower or bath
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Apply your magnesium
- Drink a warm cup of Organic Calming Herbal Tea
This repetition builds association. When your body recognizes the pattern, it begins preparing for sleep before your head even hits the pillow.
Ritual creates rhythm and rhythm creates rest.
Reduce Evening Stimulation
Sleep struggles often come down to one simple issue: over-stimulation.
Late-night emails, intense TV shows, bright screens, heavy meals, and stressful conversations all elevate cortisol the opposite of what you want at bedtime.
Try this:
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Stop caffeine 6–8 hours before bed (exchange for a calming tea)
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Eat dinner at least 2–3 hours before sleeping
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Lower screen brightness or use blue-light filters
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Keep your bedroom cool and dark
Protect your evenings like they matter because they do.
The Power of Small, Daily Habits
None of these rituals are complicated. Some take five minutes. Some take thirty seconds.
But practiced daily, they compound.
A few sprays of magnesium, cream or bath soak. Sip on a warm calming tea. Ten minutes in the sun. Five minutes of breathing. A calm nighttime rhythm.
Healthy sleep isn’t something you chase, it’s something you train your body into.
Start small. Stay consistent.
And let your body remember how to rest.