The Ultimate Sleep Guide

2 hours of sleep a night for 2 years.

I struggled with severe insomnia for longer than that. There were months when I couldn't fall asleep, months when I'd wake up at 3 am, then fall asleep a couple of hours later, and months when I'd wake up at 4:30 am, unable to fall back asleep, with no choice but to start my day.

So, if you struggle with sleep and feeling tired, I understand. Without sleep, the rest of your life suffers. In fact, sleep is the MOST IMPORTANT pillar of your health. It's more important than how you eat, exercise, etc.

I read every book and article, listened to every podcast and YouTube video, tried every supplement, and even medication, to get the sleep that I wanted. I treated it like a full-time job. Slowly, after implementing the following tips and tricks, I became a pretty good sleeper (most nights!).

So, here are the things that helped me the most - in no particular order:

• I stopped trying to sleep: The harder you chase sleep, the more it runs away. I used to lie in bed “performing” sleep: forcing myself to relax, getting frustrated when I didn’t. The breakthrough came when I learned about paradoxical intention: instead of trying to sleep, you tell yourself you’re going to stay awake. It sounds backward, but it removes the performance anxiety. Once I dropped the pressure, sleep crept in naturally.

• I gave my body a runway: When a plane lands, it doesn't just show up at the gate. It lands on the runway, where it has plenty of time and space to slow down safely. I needed to give my body the same thing. I stopped expecting myself to go straight from my day (and this even includes watching TV) into sleep. I needed a "runway": time to journal, listen to relaxing sounds, or read a book that calmed me down. Then, I could transition to sleep feeling like I had truly wound down.

• I stopped frying my nervous system: Insomnia isn’t a nighttime problem; it’s a 24-hour nervous system problem. I realized my stress hormones were jacked up all day, so of course, my body couldn’t just switch off at night. I spent more time de-stimulating myself during the day, such as driving in silence instead of constantly listening to something, or taking 1-2 minutes in between tasks to do absolutely nothing.

• I worked with my internal clock: Not only did I start wearing blue light-blocking glasses 2-3 hours before bed, but I also made sure to get my morning light exposure. Within 30 minutes of waking, I stepped outside for 10 minutes, even on cloudy days. That single change anchored my circadian rhythm. And, the more time I spent in the sun, the more tired I'd get, and the easier I'd sleep.

• I focused on the first hour of my day, not the last hour: I focused on how I started my mornings. Instead of hitting snooze and dragging, I set a consistent wake-up time, got sunlight, drank water, and moved my body. It made sleeping at night effortless because my body clock was finally consistent.

• I used exercise strategically: I scheduled my exercise in the morning or afternoon to help regulate cortisol and sleep more deeply at night. I used to sneakily overexercise; I wasn't doing anything "high intensity" in the traditional sense, but the volume (sets and repetitions) of my strength training was far higher than it should have been, leading my cortisol levels to wake me up at 3 am every night! Now, my routine consists of 3 days of strength training for 45 minutes each, walking, and the occasional cycle or yoga class.

• I regulated my nutrition around sleep: I incorporated magnesium-rich foods (pumpkin seeds, spinach, dark chocolate) in the evening. Magnesium glycinate as a supplement was even better; it helps regulate GABA, the calming neurotransmitter. I also made sure to incorporate whole food sources of carbs throughout the day and especially at dinner. I used to not eat enough carbs (such as sweet potatoes, fruit, etc.) to help promote serotonin/melatonin naturally. I also stopped eating 2-3 hours before bed and I am working to make my dinners a smaller portion of my daily intake, because eating too much too close to bed is detrimental to your sleep quality.

• A note on alcohol: I hardly drink, but if you do, it's critical that you know even “just one glass of wine” wrecks your sleep architecture and destroys your sleep cycles.

• Supplements that actually helped me: Magnesium glycinate or threonate to calm the nervous system without the laxative effect of magnesium citrate. L-theanine helps smooth out stress and helps with sleep onset. Ashwagandha to regulate cortisol and calm the body’s stress response, making it easier to fall and stay asleep.

I didn’t cure my insomnia with lavender sprays or by obsessively tracking sleep hygiene. I cured it by moving my body smarter, eating to regulate my hormones, and supporting my brain chemistry with the right supplements. Sleep isn’t just about what happens at night; it’s the sum of your training, nutrition, and stress signals all day long.

P.S. - I have a giant sleep guide that will help you discover the true cause of your sleep issues via an in-depth self-assessment, fix your sleep in 3 steps, discover which supplements can be game-changers for you, strategize how to sleep better while traveling, ease into the best sleep of your life with a 7-day rese, troubleshoot many common issues such as why you wake up at 3 am, how naps impact your sleep quality, and a BONUS: Sleep Smarter Cheat Sheet!

P.P.S. - I know that everybody is different. Feel free to email me or comment below if you have any particular questions about improving your sleep, and I'll see how I can help!