I Do These 5 Rituals Every Night For Total Body Rest—And I'm Never Going Back

There’s no one-size-fits-all formula for establishing your morning and evening routines, so find what resonates with you. Below are my personal nighttime rituals, and maybe I can inspire you to create your own!

This is by far one of the most valuable shifts I’ve made in my routine. My boyfriend and I don’t allow phones or computers into our bedroom, so our technology stays out in the kitchen to charge. When you use your phone before bed, you’re sending signals to your brain to stay awake—not get ready for sleep. So for me, I cut off technology usage typically after 9 p.m. to promote a better night’s rest and to limit blue light exposure. This is a good time to get in your pajamas—I love my Sleepy Jones set—which helps me switch into a committed mindset for bedtime.

You don’t have to go full-on yogi for this—I definitely don’t! I find that meditating or doing just a few simple stretches while sitting on my new Casper mattress that I got during the Sleep-In@Nordstrom Pop-In does the job. Stretching with all the extra support under my hips helps to release any tension I might have held onto throughout the day, and the softness under my shoulders helps my body relax, so in turn, I sleep better. Here are a few stretches I like to do:

Since I’m off my phone and laptop the last hour before bed, I usually spend that time in my room reading a book. This year has been all about learning and growing for me, so curling up in my airy linen sheets from Casper and filling my brain with inspiring books in the self-help category encourages me to relax while also giving me plenty to dream about. (Check out this list of must-reads on mbg’s short list this summer.)

When I went on my gut-healing journey, my doctor suggested I take magnesium to help with the inflammation in my gut and to improve my sleep quality. Magnesium has so many benefits, and it has helped me with all of the above. You can get magnesium from taking a supplement, using a spray (I like The Nue Co’s Magnesium Ease Unknot Muscles Body Spray) directly on sore or tight muscles, or eating green leafy vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Keep in mind that things like coffee, sugar, and birth control can deplete your magnesium levels. Taking a nightly magnesium supplement to help promote a sense of calm is a definite essential in my evening routine.

All of the stretching and meditating in the world won’t help you sleep if you’re not sleeping on a quality mattress. Of course, I love my Casper mattress because it’s supportive in all the right places for proper alignment, so I know I’ll wake up feeling physically well rested without any aches or backpains. (My dog has a Casper bed, too!) I throw my hair up in a bun using my Silke hair ties (less damaging for hair), apply my favorite lavender essential oil blend to my temples and the bottoms of my feet, and I fall into the cloud that is my bed.