Resetting Your Circadian Rhythm

10 Steps That Finally Gave Me My Sleep (and Sanity) Back

For years, sleep was a battle I couldn’t seem to win. Nights were plagued with insomnia, and the concept of restorative rest seemed elusive. As a child, I experienced night terrors and often found myself wide awake with anxiety. As traumatic experiences in my teenage years added layers of PTSD and hyper-vigilance, sleep continued to evade me. Becoming a mom only intensified these challenges, disrupting my sleep with the demands of caring for young children.

The turning point came during my fifth pregnancy. I realized I wasn’t showing up in life as the person I wanted to be. Sleep was no longer optional; it became a sacred priority. What I discovered through this journey was life-changing, not just for me but for my family.

Here are the top 10 habits I stacked to reset my rhythm, reclaim my peace, and finally surrender to deep, delicious rest:

1. Screens Off, Soul On

Blue light messes with our melatonin like a toddler with a sugar high. I now follow a 12/12 digital fast—no screens after 8:30 PM, none before 8:30 AM. I give my brain a fighting chance to chill the fuck out. Bonus points for blue light blockers if nighttime tech is non-negotiable.

2. Shut Off the Damn Wifi

EMFs are not your sleepytime friends. The router goes off at night. Phones stay out of the bedroom. Emergencies? Faraday cage. You’ll survive. So will your nervous system.

3. Time-Restricted Eating = Nighttime Healing

Our guts need sleep too. I stop eating at 8 PM and don’t eat again until at least 8 AM. This gives my body time to clean house—detox, repair, regenerate. No midnight snacks. No shame spirals.

4. Caffeine Curfew

I love a morning brew, but by 4 PM, I’m done. No caffeine 6-8 hours before bed. My body thanks me. (So does my husband.)

5. Chase the Sun

Sunrise and sunset are my reset buttons. Morning light wakes me up naturally. Evening light winds me down. I also shift our home lighting to mimic nature—warmer bulbs, dimmers, and a whole lotta candles.

6. Cool It Down

The best sleep happens at 60-67°F. That’s colder than my Florida bones prefer, but I keep the thermostat lower at night now—and I sleep like a baby (the kind that actually sleeps). But, if you actually do have a baby, remember: the first 40 days, postpartum moms newborns need to be kept very warm.

7. Mood Lighting, Always

After dinner, we dim the lights. I turn on salt lamps. Harsh LEDs are banned. My whole house softens as night falls, and my body follows suit.

8. Blackout, Baby

Light pollution is real. Blackout curtains are a game changer. Your bedroom should be womb-like: dark, safe, sacred.

9. Create a Sleepytime Ritual

My body loves cues. Around 8 PM, I start winding down—lowering the lights, turning off screens, stretching, cuddling with my babies. The same way we help toddlers downshift, we deserve routines that whisper it’s safe to rest now.

10. Wake Gently

I haven’t used an alarm in years. When you honor your circadian rhythm, your body wakes you with kindness. I rise slowly, sip tea in silence, and ease into the day like a queen—not like I'm getting ready to run from a ravenous lion.

Learning to sleep again was an act of devotion. To myself. To my family. To the woman I’m becoming.

It wasn’t overnight (pun intended), but these habits rewired my system from the inside out. I have more energy, more patience, more passion. And you can too.

Start with one or two shifts. Let it build. You don’t need to hustle your way to healing. You just need to begin.

And if you want a hand to hold while you find your way back to rest, I’ve got you. Reach out. Let’s restore your rhythm and revive your spirit—together.

Until next time, sleep well and dream wildly.

xo,
Nicole