I'm An RD & This Is When I Eat Dinner To Ensure A+ Sleep

Moving up my dinnertime has made a huge difference

MikeTyes

Jul 12, 2023 - 21:02

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I'm An RD & This Is When I Eat Dinner To Ensure A+ Sleep

Dietitian nutritionist

By Anita Mirchandani, MS, RD

Dietitian nutritionist

Anita Mirchandani is a registered dietitian nutritionist, prenatal and postnatal exercise specialist, and certified fitness professional.

Graphic by mbg creative x Tatiana Syrikova / Pexels

July 12, 2023

Our sleep series, The Wind Down, provides a minute-by-minute peek into the wind-down routines that get well-being experts ready for bed. Today, we're relaxing with nutritionist and certified fitness professional Anita Mirchandani, MS, RD, who reaches for foot cream and grip socks to get a night of solid rest.

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I’ve been obsessed with sleep for as long as I can remember. But back in college, I didn’t really place any importance on sleep itself but rather on the aesthetics of sleep: I was always looking for soft, cozy sheets, the fluffiest yet lightest duvet, and comfy, soothing pajamas. Yet many days, I would stay up until 3 a.m. but somehow bounce back at 8 a.m. for a morning class or an internship.

It wasn't until my mid-20s that I started craving a routine. I became a personal trainer and group fitness instructor and was on my feet at least 25 hours a week. I started focusing on self-care a lot more, which for me meant prioritizing my sleep. I got into a rhythm of going to bed by 10 p.m. on days I would have a 6 a.m. start the next morning. This is when I realized how connected sleep is to physical fitness.

Within a couple of years, I began my journey to become a dietitian and became very observant of how nutrition affects sleep too. While I didn't really apply these findings to my own life until after my second child—in my mid-30s—when I did, I got amazing, high-quality nights of deep, rejuvenating sleep.

Fortunately, I’ve become very knowledgeable about what foods, activities, and triggers impact my sleep over the years. But life always finds a way to “get in the way!” While my routine is far from perfect, I've found strategies that help me rebound after a few nights of interrupted sleep, a weekend of socializing, or days of traveling.

Average hours I sleep a night: 7.5 hours most days—some days it's closer to 8.5 hours.Ideal bedtime: 10:30 p.m. Ideal wake-up time: 7 a.m. most days, but sometimes 7:30 if I'm really tired.Nightstand essentials: Water bottle, foot cream, lip balm, grip socksFavorite place I’ve ever slept: I usually sleep best in my own bed. I am a sucker for pillowtop mattresses, and I love soft cotton jersey sheets to help keep me cool and ultra-cozy. Sleep bad habit: I do tend to look at my phone a handful of times during my wind-down process. Caffeine consumption: I have 12 oz of coffee before 12 p.m.—nothing after 12 p.m. How I track my sleep: I've been using an OURA ring since January 2022. It's helped me understand my sleep health, sleep patterns, and most importantly, the factors that affect my sleep.The last product or habit that changed my sleep for the better: I eat dinner before 6:30 p.m. at least 5-6 nights out of the week. Eating an earlier dinner helps me settle into a sleep routine rather quickly, and feel lighter and more relaxed at night. I also love using a heat pack as I settle into bed. The first thing I do when I wake up: If I'm being honest, I use the bathroom. My GI system is like clockwork, and I usually have to go to the bathroom when my feet hit the ground! This (BTW) took a handful of years of training. My maternal grandfather was a yogi who helped me really develop healthy GI habits fin my adolescent and teenage years.

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9 p.m.: I’ve settled both my kids into bed. They may or may not have fallen asleep.

9:15 p.m.: I usually catch up on emails, make my to-do lists for the next day, meal plan, and complete my online grocery orders.

10 p.m.: I wrap up these tasks, fill up my water bottle, brush my teeth, and either read or watch an episode of something on my watch list for a few minutes.

10:15 p.m.: Most nights, I spend 10 minutes foam rolling my upper back to release any tension from the day as well as my IT band and front quads to increase blood flow.

10:25 p.m.: I grab my foot cream, massage my feet, then put on my grip socks to wear to bed (a new add-on in my late 30s!)

10:35 p.m.: I usually turn off all lights and all screens

10:45 p.m.: Sometimes, I have to use the bathroom once more

10:50 p.m.: I pretty much fall asleep within a few minutes

7:15 a.m.: Wake up. I usually wake up to use the bathroom once or sometimes twice, but many days I sleep right through the night (unless my little one comes in the middle of the night) and wake up when my body starts feeling some movement.

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