Tired but wired? Here’s how simple rhythms can impact sleep, energy levels, and overall health
Do you know the feeling of tossing and turning, unable to go to sleep because your mind is racing and you feel like a million tasks still need to get accomplished?
What about when you wake up in the morning, it’s still dark outside, and all you want to do is roll over and curl up in your bed for another hour of sleep?1 Or, post-lunch when you barely have the energy to get through the rest of your day?
I’ve been there — and it’s the worst! But, it doesn’t have to be this way.
In this blog, I’m sharing the small shifts in my regular rhythms that have made a big impact on how I sleep, my energy levels and even my overall health.
And of course, it wouldn’t be a Grace & Greens blog without some ridiculously nourishing & absolutely delicious recipes. I’ve rounded up 10 of my favorite, easy breakfasts — the kind I genuinely look forward to each morning!
Why sleep matters for your health
One of the most valuable things you can do for your health is get good sleep. Without it, it’s so much harder to:
make healthy choices
feel energized for a day of work and daily tasks
want to spend time connecting with others
feel energized for a workout
support healthy hormones
enable critical and creative thinking skills
desire nourishing, balanced meals
regulate your mood
Constantly, the body is taking in information. From the foods we eat to the air we breathe, and even the light we are exposed to — information is everywhere. While the world has gotten increasingly busier and more information is being communicated to us than ever, there’s often a struggle to catch up and the feeling of overwhelm sets in.
This is when we can start to feel exhausted and depleted mentally, physically, and emotionally. It’s good that our bodies are communicating to us. But, if we don’t care for them well by responding to those needs, it can have a lasting impact on how our bodies function on a daily basis.
Finding your rhythm when it comes to sleep
Building regular rhythms and habits around waking, working, relaxing, and sleeping can support you in living a healthy life.
Over the years, I’ve learned that sleep has an impact on every area of my life. I’ve focused on building out a regular wind down and wake up routine, so I can start each day feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Plus, shifting my mindset to believing I’m a good sleeper has also made a huge difference as I built new habits around sleep.
How do I know that my routine is helping me?
I’ve been tracking my sleep via my Ultrahuman ring for the past year to see what factors contribute to a change in my sleep effectiveness. While I’m not striving for a perfect score, I know an 85—95 average score each night usually sets my day up for success. Below, I’m sharing 17 small, simple habits I’ve incorporated into my routine to improve my sleep and my energy levels.
How to build an ideal wind down routine
Winding down and preparing for sleep has been one of the biggest shifts I’ve made to ensure that I can fall asleep easily. Similar to how you would prepare for a race or prepare before eating a meal, preparing for sleep can help you enjoy it even more once you’re there.
8 easy ways to improve your wind down routine
1. Enjoy a hot shower
I often begin my wind down routine by taking a hot shower to calm down my nervous system. The thoughts of the day wash off of me, and I am able to feel refreshed and cozy once I step into my pajamas.
2. Set aside time to relax
While it can be easy to stay up working or doing household chores, I make an intentional effort to set aside time to intentionally relax. Once I give my mind space to just be, I remember that we need margin and that rest is just as productive as work. Often, my husband and I will chat about the day, read, or watch a movie.
Right now, I’ve been enjoying Annabel Monaghan’s book The Summer Romance!
3. Enjoy a nighttime beverage
I love to enjoy a warm mug of ginger turmeric tea, a magnesium hot chocolate drink, or a cool berry-flavored glass of Sleepy Magnesium-Om (Get 20% off here). Some evenings, I’ll pair it with a bit of dark chocolate, especially during specific phases of my cycle.
What are the benefits of magnesium? Magnesium in a beverage or in dark chocolate can help the body relax, supporting the production of melatonin, which can enable a better night’s sleep. I prefer to take this over any melatonin supplement because I want to encourage my body to produce what it needs in a natural way.
Some people enjoy Sleepy-time tea, but it is a diuretic, so it may cause you to need to get up in the middle of the night. Find what you enjoy and have it at a time that works best for your regular rhythm.
4. Set the evening mood
As all of my house guests know, at around 9:00 pm, our bedroom lights switch to dark red and overhead lights are turned off. I also put on my glasses with a blue-light blocker and turn on the salt lamp in the bathroom to support my circadian rhythm.
This shift in lighting further encourages melatonin production, which supports high-quality sleep. Sometimes, I’ll even bring these light bulbs with me while traveling because I enjoy them so much.
5. Put away electronics
Charging my phone in the bathroom, keeping it away from my bed has been huge for my sleep! Scrolling before bed can cause that ‘wired’ effect, encouraging your brain to be awake, which will impact your regular circadian rhythm.
If you try nothing else, this one habit alone could really have a big impact on sleep quality.
6. Cozy up with a good book
One of my favorite ways to wind down before bed is reading. Whether a paperback book or my Kindle on night mode, I greatly enjoy fiction before sleep. It makes me feel like a kid, snuggling up with a good story.
Studies show reading for just 10 minutes before bed can significantly reduce stress by up to 68%2. The power of books is incredible!
7. Keep it cool
Cool down your house as you prepare for sleep. Using a light comforter can also help to maintain a good temperature when sleeping. I love to strike a fine balance of feeling warm and cozy in the covers and not being so hot I’m sweating and my sleep gets disrupted.
8. A regular rhythm
Our bodies love rhythms and routines. Going to sleep and waking up around the same time each night can also help support a more effective night of sleep. Plus, the more you build the habits around sleep, the easier it will get to go to sleep and to sleep well through the night.
Building an ideal morning routine
Now that we’ve gone through an evening routine, let’s jump into the morning routine. Surprisingly, starting your morning off on the right foot can actually have a bigger impact on your overall sleep schedule that even the most optimal night time routine. Specifically when it comes to your circadian rhythm, light plays a large role in when you fall asleep, if you stay asleep, and how well rested you feel throughout the day.
By partaking in healthy habits and patterns to wake up in a calm and relaxed state, you can set yourself up for a calm and energized day ahead.
9 easy ways to improve your morning routine
1. Use color-changing light bulbs to mimic the sunrise
Using light to your advantage, having your lamps set to mimic the sunrise can greatly help how alert you feel in the morning.
I spent less than $30 on Amazon to get the color-changing lightbulbs that connect with Alexa to support both an ideal night and morning time routine. I also built a routine in the app so that calming music plays after I turn the alarm off — it’s quite a lovely way to wake up.
2. Make your bed and open your blinds
Instead of grabbing your phone first thing, get a natural rush of endorphins by making your bed and opening the curtains. Not only will it signal to your brain that you’re up and ready to start the day, but accomplishing a small task early on gives your brain a positive signal and increases your desire to accomplish more throughout the day. This was a key takeaway from the book Make Your Bed.
3. Practice good oral hygiene
Before water or breakfast, I always brush my teeth and scrape my tongue.
Why tongue scraping? Prior to being a full-time food blogger and wellness writer, I worked in the oral hygiene space. It’s there that I learned just how vital oral health is to your overall health.
Throughout the night, your body detoxes, creating a film on your tongue full of bacteria. Tongue scraping is a great way to potentially boost your immunity and improve oral hygiene, getting rid of any harmful bacteria. Plus, it can support your digestion. It’s recommended to gently scrape your tongue, as the tissue is delicate.
4. Splash cold water on your face
Reduce puffiness and help yourself wake up with some refreshing cold water. Although it can be a bit jarring at first, I’ve found it really does wake me up!
5. Get dressed and ready for the day
Another way to signal to your brain that you’re ready to start the day well is by getting dressed. If you have time in the morning, it can be tempting to stay in your pajamas or comfy clothes. But, once I started dressing up each morning, even on the days where I am working from home, it made such a huge difference in how motivated I felt to get started on work.
6. Lemon water & supplements
Prior to breakfast, I love a glass of lukewarm water with lemon and my supplements. Lemon water has greatly helped with my digestion, kickstarting my system in the early morning.
While I fully believe that you can get everything you need from wholesome, nourishing foods, I do take a few supplements to give my body an extra bit of love and support. Especially in the winter, some of my favorite supplements are Daily Gem, Mary Ruth’s Vitamin D spray, and a Brazil nut for balancing hormones.
7. A balanced, nourishing breakfast
Enjoying a nourishing & balanced breakfast is a top priority for me. I’ve tried fasting in the mornings and eating just a little something, but the thing that has been most effective for my hunger and energy levels is a breakfast balanced with protein, fiber, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates.
Prepping breakfast ahead of time is one of the most effective ways I’m able to prioritize having a balanced breakfast every single morning. Whether it’s prepping my smoothie cup ahead of time, placing overnight oats in the fridge, or baking a breakfast like this quiche, a little prep really goes a long way.
Don’t miss the 10 easy & nourishing breakfast ideas at the bottom of this blog!
8. Morning journaling
Often paired with breakfast, I enjoy morning journaling and spending time in the Bible. Lately, I’ve also been reading The Pivot Year which offers small words of encouragement.
This slow and steady start helps me stay rooted as opposed to rushing right into my day. I’ll also wait to check my phone and any notifications until after I have this time, which really supports my nervous system and stress levels.
9. Morning sunshine
Getting light into your eyes early in the morning is also a huge supporter of aligning your circadian rhythm with the natural cycles ( Lacey White mentioned it in her interview about healthy habits too!)
By this time, the sun is rising. I love to step outside for a few minutes, let the air hit my face and take a look around.
10 balanced & nourishing breakfast ideas
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Ultimately, how you start your day and what you fuel your body with communicates to your body how you are going to love and support it the rest of the day.
Here are 10 of my favorite balanced and nourishing breakfasts! Each of these options is balanced with protein, fiber, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates, so you can feel nourished and energized!
Kale & chicken sausage egg bites — Savory bites with extra protein, these are easy breakfast to prep ahead of time. Made without cheese, these dairy-free, gluten-free bites are delicious!
The Nourish & Glow green smoothie — Be the first to try it at this weekend’s in-person pop up event!
Raspberry cacao overnight oats — A festive holiday bonus overnight oats recipe to boost your energy, nourish your body, and delight your taste buds!
Sweet vanilla chia pudding — A creamy vanilla base topped with freshly sliced strawberries and crunchy seeds, this breakfast is packed with protein and fiber to start your day well.
Gluten-free spinach turkey quiche — This gluten-free spinach turkey quiche is an easy, high-protein breakfast or brunch recipe made with simple and nourishing ingredients you’ll love. Plus, it’s dairy-free too.
Gluten-free banana bread loaf — Ripe bananas on hand? Enjoy this gluten-free version of banana bread, but it’s so delicious, you’ll never know the difference.
Blueberry vanilla protein smoothie — A rich and creamy smoothie packed with protein, this Blueberry vanilla protein smoothie is a quick & easy option with fiber and healthy fats too!
Ranchero breakfast casserole — Savory ground beef with roasted sweet potatoes and onions, fresh chopped cilantro, and simple black beans, this Ranchero breakfast casserole is a make-ahead, gluten & dairy-free option.
Blueberry baked oatmeal casserole — Sweet blueberries paired with fiber-rich oatmeal in a warm breakfast cake that’s perfect for meal prep!
Chocolate cherry chia pudding — This creamy chocolate chia pudding is the perfect breakfast packed with fiber, protein, healthy fats, and antioxidants!
Stay tuned for a nourishing & delicious week of meals with a prep-ahead breakfast option, a grocery list, and a prep guide in Grace’s grocery guide, coming this Saturday. To access the full guide and make healthy eating even easier, become a paid subscriber today!
How are you going to support your sleep this week?
With every choice you make, remember you have the power to influence your own health for good. And every small step is a step in the right direction.
Whether you want to start with changing a piece of your night or your morning routine, I encourage you to try something new and see what works for you in your current stage of life.
There are times when I’m able to do my full routine, and others where I only have a few minutes before I need to head to sleep or get out the door. It’s in those moments that I remember to give myself grace. After all, it’s about balance, not perfection.
I can tell you from personal experience that being an active participant in supporting my body well has been far more beneficial than having an all or nothing mentality.
When it comes to supporting your best sleep, finding the balance will enable you to have an impact on both your energy levels and your overall health.
I’d love to know, what’s one way you are supporting your sleep this upcoming week?
Wishing you a nourishing and joyful week ahead,
Grace Barker
P.S. Would you give this post a ❤️ if you found it valuable? It helps more people find me, so they too can live healthier, more nourished lives!
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Disclaimer: Please note that the information provided here is based on my own experiences only and should not be considered as personalized nutrition advice. I am not a registered dietitian and cannot provide medical or dietary guidance for specific health conditions. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any significant changes to your diet.
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