As the Co-Founder of Arrae, not only do I need to focus on getting great sleep in order to show up as my best self the next day, but I’m also acutely aware of how sleep plays into my overall wellbeing.
I’m a big believer in optimizing every area of my life, and this includes sleep. I want to make sure I fall asleep quickly, have a deep and restful sleep, and wake up feeling energized.
Why a Nighttime Ritual?
It’s important to wind down before bed because my quality of sleep suffers if my mind is churning with stressors from the day. Without proper sleep, I’m much slower the next day, which hinders my ability to show up as a Founder and do the creative and strategy work required.
(Siffat wearing the Waffle Henley Top and Bottom in Daylight)
I have a no-work-discussions-before-bed rule with my husband (who is my Co-Founder) because I found myself anxious if we spoke about work right before going to sleep. My mind would go into problem-solving mode and this would impact my ability to fall asleep.
I’m a big nerd when it comes to the science behind stuff like this, and learned that our brains go into a gamma state when we’re problem-solving — which is the fastest of the 5 brainwaves we have.
When we sleep, we go into a delta brainwave state, which is the slowest. In order to fall asleep, we can’t be in a gamma state, we have to be much more relaxed. So my nighttime routine is there to prime me for a restful sleep.
My Bedtime Routine
(Siffat wearing the Waffle Henley Top and Bottom in Daylight)
8:30 pm: Load the dishwasher and tidy up my space so I can wake up to a clean home.
8:45 pm: Get changed for bed and do my skincare routine.
I get into my Waffle Set — the one with shorts. I love how soft and cozy it is. If my sleepwear is uncomfortable, itchy, too tight, or quite frankly, feels like anything other than a buttery-soft cloud, then it impacts my ability to fall asleep.
My skincare routine is lengthy, so I listen to a feel-good podcast or chill music to make the process more fun. If I listen to a podcast at night, it’s never too heavy — it’s usually something around meditation or manifesting. I love the Manifestation Babe and Dear Gabby podcasts.
9 pm: Take 2 Arrae Calm capsules.
(Siffat wearing the Waffle Henley Top and Bottom in Daylight)
9:05 pm: Get into bed and read a book. Lately, I've been reading Happy Days by Gabrielle Bernstein, which is about finding strength and freedom in the pain of your past.
9:45 pm: Meditate using the Dr. Joe Dispenza soundtrack on Spotify — it’s basically really soothing meditation music that gets you super relaxed. I started meditating before bed a few weeks ago and it’s been a game-changer when it comes to quality of sleep.
10 pm: Lights out! It’s time to sleep. I sleep at the same time every night so I can wake up at the same time every day (6 am).
Siffat Haider is the Co-Founder of Arrae and Host of The Dream Bigger Podcast