There are times in the year when my diary looks ambitious. Travel, writing, filming, family; the kind of weeks where the mind could very easily stay switched on long after the lights go out. Years ago, I learned the hard way that I cannot “push through” those seasons without consequence. My nervous system will always have the final say. So now, when life becomes full, I become more deliberate.

The first thing I guard is my mornings. Before I take my phone off flight mode or open a laptop, I seek natural light. Even just standing near a window while I wait for the kettle to boil or the coffee machine to warm up – whatever the choice is that day – expanding my arms as if to greet the new day with a hug of thanks. That early light exposure helps anchor my circadian rhythm. It’s a quiet biochemical cue to the brain that says “time to wake up”. And when the brain clearly understands that it’s morning, it releases melatonin more predictably at night. It sounds simple – and it is simple. Yet, it matters enormously.

Magnesium is another layer I pay close attention to. Stress increases our need for it while caffeine depletes it. Busy seasons tend to include both. Magnesium plays a central role in calming the nervous system and relaxing muscle tension, so when levels are suboptimal, people feel wired but exhausted. In the evenings, I support my intake intentionally. Not as a quick fix, but to nourish the physiology that allows rest to occur naturally. When the body has what it needs, sleep comes with its gentle nighttime lull.

I’m also conscious of the final hour before bed. Lights dimmed. No more emails. A light-hearted chat with my boyfriend. Sometimes I read. Sometimes I simply sit quietly and reflect on the day in my journal. I’ve found that this gentle transition signals safety to the nervous system. And safety is what allows us to soften into deeply restorative rest.

Food plays its role too. When I’ve seen disrupted sleep in clinical practice, unstable blood sugar has often been part of the story. Skipping meals during the day and relying on caffeine might feel efficient, but it pushes adrenaline and cortisol higher and makes it harder to unwind later. So even on busy days, I prioritise meals that contain protein, nourishing fats, carbs from real food and vegies. I keep caffeine to earlier in the day. I eat enough to satiate me. It’s not glamorous, but it’s profoundly stabilising. And these days, it’s part of life, no longer something I need to summon up the energy to do.

Perhaps the most important piece is this: I listen. If I’ve had a shorter night, I don’t override it with willpower. I adjust. I nourish more. I choose gentler movement. Calm is cumulative. So is depletion. I don’t aim for an empty calendar. I aim for a regulated nervous system. Because when sleep is protected, everything feels more possible. My thinking is clearer. My patience is deeper. My capacity expands. Busy seasons will always come. The rhythm of ritual is what carries me through them.