Sleep Like It's Your Damned Job

Sleep is not to be trifled with. It is the health behaviour I prioritize above virtually everything else: yes, even above exercise.

Here are my sleep non-negotiables:

• Exposure to daylight as early as I can in the morning. This kicks off our internal clock and begins the countdown to sleep.
  

• Blue light blocking via red- or orange-tinted glasses + “night shift” settings on my computer, tablet, and phone, begins no later than about 8:00pm. Get that melatonin humming.
  

• Bedtime is 10pm; non-negotiable.
  

• Phone stays out of the bedroom.
  

• Alarm clock with gradually increasing* sound set for 6am. 8 perfect hours of sleep. (*The alarm starts quietly and increases in volume and intensity the longer I ignore it. It was $20 from Wal-Mart.)
  

• Cool, dark, silent bedroom. I can’t recommend the ChiliPad enough for keeping cool during sleep. Use code CHILI22 to get 22% off anything the chiliSleep company makes.
  

• I make my bedroom a sanctuary and splurge on beautiful linens.
  

• I also take pillow shopping VERY seriously. I’m a back sleeper and I like a skinny pillow that’s a little on the firm side. Do you know what kind of pillow you like? Tell me in the comments; I'm genuinely curious.
  

• Especially if your life is kind of hectic and crazy, pick a day once every couple of weeks or so to sleep a little late, wake up without an alarm, and laze around in your cozy bed for an unreasonable length of time.

You can't be a badass human without epic sleep, so put it on your non-negotiables list alongside toothbrushing, dog snuggling, and other actions you wouldn't dare dream of skipping.