Rest: Sleep doctor Funke Afolabi-Brown, MD

20:50: Today is Thursday evening. We just finished our family time with the kids (we read and talked about our days). I finish the remaining work and update the to-do list for the next day.
9 pm: My reminder pops up on my phone to give me a break if I decide to sneak some extra work in! I respond to social media posts, texts and any recent calls. Scheduling limited time for this has been a life changer when it comes to setting boundaries!
21:10: I grab a glass of water, turn on the dishwasher and head upstairs. I go into the kids’ room to make sure they are sleeping and that their phones are charging at the charging station. The next day I bring my scrubs for the clinic!
21:15: I start my routine with brushing my teeth, taking a hot shower and taking care of my skin.
21:30: I become unavailable to the world except close family members and those on my VIP list (in the event of an emergency!). I’m sitting in my bedroom chair next to a dim lamp and my blue light blocking glasses are on. I usually have a real book, but sometimes I use my Kindle. I am reading today Pumpkin plan.
21:50: Pray, meditate, and keep a gratitude journal. If I have a lot more on my mind, I might have to take it a little longer. This practice really helps me get rid of any anxious thoughts that have been lingering in my mind before bed.
22:05: I go to bed, put on a sleeping mask, hide under the blanket, kiss my husband and leave. He tells me I’m asleep in a few minutes.
5:19 am: wake up My alarm is set for 5:30am but it hasn’t gone off yet. I lie quietly, observing how I feel: rested. My next thoughts were whether my daughter was well enough to go to school. I replied, “I can’t do anything about it,” said a silent thank you, Lord, and forgive you my worries.” I stood up and stretched a bit to get my circulation going.
I probably should have gone to bed about 10 minutes earlier as I fell asleep within minutes of hitting my head on the pillow. I’ll try it tonight and finish reading a little early.