Sleep Protocol, by a Self-Proclaimed Insomniac
As a former self-proclaimed insomniac, I've gone to bed the same day I've woken up too many times. Once I started naming and befriending the sheep I counted, I realized another method was needed. After years of experimenting, I thankfully stumbled upon a few methods, routines, an app called Headspace, and The Huberman Podcast (aka Podcast University) that helped me develop a practice that has allowed my mind to softly drift off to sleep within MINUTES.
I'm telling you, you have the ability to fall asleep shortly after getting into bed and closing your eyes. Turns out it's not just a possibility, it's a damn good reality — and if I can figure it out after two decades of late night phone calls, snacking, scrolling, OVERTHINKING, and conversations with Sandra the black woolen sheep, then you can too.
Below are the protocols that changed everything for me. Try one at a time, give it 1–3 weeks, and remember the 80/20 rule — consistency most of the time beats perfection all of the time. Sleep protocols are the new Fetch. Let's make it happen. 😁
💤 Sleep Protocol Suggestions
Remember folks, I am not a doctor and no one has ever mistaken me for one.
☀️ Use Light
Morning: Get outside for 3–5 minutes (10 if cloudy) to catch early sunlight. This anchors your circadian rhythm — start here if you try nothing else.
Evening: Watch the sunset or dusk light before bed to support your cortisol/melatonin cycle. Limit screens after dark — try F.lux (auto-warms your screen at night) or blue blocker glasses.
Indoors: Bright lights in the morning, dim lights after sunset — especially overhead ones. Morning = bright. Night = cave.
Reading in bed: Use a red/amber light like the Hooga Book Light, and hold your book low so your eyes look down — it helps you get sleepy faster.
🧘 Use Your Body & Mind
Meditate mid-day (5–20 min). I do this after lunch instead of reaching for coffee — it kills the 2–4pm slump and trains my mind to shift from busy to relaxed, which pays off at bedtime. This tip, paired with morning sunlight, changed my sleep more than anything else.
Try Yoga Nidra / NSDR if meditation isn't your thing: Huberman's 10-minute NSDR.
Shake it out. Tapping, shaking, and gentle movement can help release stored tension — great for travel or sick days too. Watch here.
Foam roll before bed — a free massage for your nervous system. 20-minute video →
📝 Use Behavior
Brain-dump your thoughts or to-do list on paper before bed.
Put your phone out of reach 1–2 hours before sleep. Good luck 😅
🍵 Use Food, Tea
Chamomile tea 1–2 hours before bed.
Eat dinner around sunset and avoid eating after — digestion raises your body temp, so an earlier cutoff lets you cool down in time for sleep.
A few extra carbs at dinner (sweet potato, toast, banana after dinner) can boost serotonin/melatonin and help you relax. However, if you’re hungry before bed, its better to eat some light carbs (banana) than go to bed hungry.
🎧 Use Sound and Supplements
Noisy room? Foam ear plugs are my go-to.
Want ambient noise instead? Headspace has sleep soundscapes and meditations.
Magnesium threonate crosses the blood-brain barrier and may support sleep — especially if you're deficient. I use Rainbow Light Magnesium Calcium+ and notice better sleep and recovery, though results vary person to person.
🌡️ Use Temperature
Your body temp naturally drops at night to prep for sleep — that's why you get cold and reach for socks. Totally normal, not a sign something's wrong.
Cold shower in the morning reinforces your body's natural warm-up cycle afterwards (keep it under 30 min).
Hot bath/shower in the evening — your body cools down after, mimicking what it does before sleep. Just finish at least 90 minutes before bed. Hydrate with electrolytes and light a candle — TREAT YO'SELF. 🕯️
🌙 The Take Away
Falling asleep isn't something you force — it's something you let happen. Use nature (sunrise, sunset), your body (breath, meditation), your environment (light and dark), and a little help from Amazon (lol) to nudge yourself toward sleep within minutes instead of hours.
Try what speaks to you, don't stress if night one doesn't work, and remember — there's always tomorrow. And if all else fails, Sandra the black woolen sheep is waiting for your count. 🐑
Sweet dreams,
Leah and Sandra
