Updated October 2026
Our bed feels like a revolving door of dogs and kids, and I kind of like it. I know this is just a season. My kids will come in and gently rip the tape off my mouth so I can talk to them (some nights I can talk through it, which feels like a win). If I make it an entire night with my sleep mask and mouth tape intact, I know I slept well.
For almost eight years now, I’ve been deep in the trenches of motherhood. Night feeds, toddler nightmares, early wake-ups… you name it, my sleep’s been through it. I got serious about my sleep when my second was born and I realized I needed to control what I could control, which was setting up a good sleep environment and routine and letting the chips fall where they might. I’ve been doing some version of this routine for a few years now, and my sleep still isn’t perfect or uninterrupted, but it’s better.
If you’re up at 2 AM with a teething baby, I’m not here to lecture you about sleep hygiene. This is what’s working in our house.
The short answer: The habits that changed my sleep most as a mom are a same-time bedroom turndown, phones out of the bedroom, a skincare and magnesium ritual, a cool bed, a weighted eye mask, mouth tape, and fiction instead of scrolling. None of them stop the 2 AM wake-ups, but they help me sleep deeper between them and wake up more rested. You can start with any one of them tonight.
By the way, a few links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. I only share what I use and love in my own nighttime routine.
What Does It Mean to Biohack Your Sleep?
Biohacking can sound intense, but it’s just about using intentional habits and routines to help your body work better.
You don’t need fancy tech or expensive tools. It comes down to knowing your body and supporting it in small, consistent ways. If you’ve ever journaled how rested you felt, turned off your phone an hour before bed, or gone outside for morning light, guess what? You’ve biohacked your sleep. And you didn’t even need a lab coat.
Here’s what’s working for me in the middle of mom life. These are the rituals I swear by, the ones that have transformed my nights and helped me come home to myself. (If you’re brand new to all of this, my biohacking for beginners guide covers the bigger picture beyond sleep.)
The Bedtime Turndown That Tells My Mom Brain I’m Off Duty
Around 7:30 PM, I start prepping our bedroom like I’m a Hilton housekeeper on a mission. Pillows off the bed, diffuser on, white noise humming, Kindle queued up, lights low and cozy. It’s become a subconscious cue to my brain that I’m off duty.
Before I committed to this, my nights ended with me collapsing into bed and wondering what was going to wake me up. It felt like anxious sleep. Now, I train my body to expect rest by creating predictability. Same bedtime, same wind-down. It’s how I support myself when I know life might still be unpredictable.
If your nervous system feels fried by dinnertime, I wrote a post on the slow evening routine that resets an overstimulated nervous system, and if the workday is the part that won’t shut off, here’s my work wind-down routine.
Should You Keep Your Phone Out of the Bedroom?
Yes. Any room that isn’t your bedroom works, and I aim to put mine away at least an hour before bed.
We keep our phones in a charging box in our pantry, and it’s made a huge difference. No late-night scrolls, no “quick check” of email. I read that screen time before bed can delay melatonin, and that stuck with me.
When Drew is out of town and I sleep with my phone nearby, I notice the difference. My habits shift. I wake up scrolling. It’s the opposite of peace. Keeping my phone out of the bedroom gives me a slower, more natural start to the day. And honestly, my thumb appreciates the break from the infinite scroll.
The Skincare and Magnesium Spray Ritual That Grounds Me Before Sleep
This used to be an afterthought. Something I rushed through just to get makeup off. Now, it’s a transition into rest. Right after I do my turndown routine, I head to the bathroom and begin this sensory ritual.
When I use Primally Pure’s clean products and notice the smells, the textures, the moment, it brings me back to my body. I finish with a few spritzes of magnesium on my feet and arms. This alone has helped me shift from “hustle mode” to “healing mode.” Bonus: it feels kind of fancy, even when I’m in my well-worn pajamas. (If you’re wondering what got my skin here in the first place, I broke down the 8 ways I transformed my skin and what each one cost.)
Does Mouth Taping Help You Sleep Better?
For me, yes, even as a lifelong mouth breather.
The first few times I tried mouth taping, I almost panicked. Having tape over my mouth at night felt like too much. But once I read about how nose breathing can calm the nervous system, I decided to try again.
Now, I wait until I’m nearly asleep, my Kindle falling to the side, and then I tape. The nights I wear it, I sleep deeper. My mouth isn’t dry. I don’t wake up as often, and I feel more rested in the morning. Some mornings I find it stuck to my pillow.
If you snore heavily, have a stuffy nose, or think you might have sleep apnea, talk to your doctor before trying mouth tape.
Why a Weighted Eye Mask Is My Favorite Sleep Tool
My weighted eye mask sat in a drawer for months before I gave it a real shot. Once I did, I was hooked. The light pressure helps quiet my mind.
Even with blackout curtains, the mask is what gets our room to pitch black, and it makes my wind-down feel complete. Plus, I feel like I’m starring in a very fancy spa commercial.
Does a Cooler Bed Help You Sleep Better?
Your body temperature naturally drops as you fall asleep, so a cool, steady bed helps you stay asleep instead of waking up hot.
For years, I thought I loved sleeping warm. But as I’ve learned more about how our core body temperature impacts sleep (and maybe entered the perimenopause chapter), I realized I needed consistency.
We now use a Chilipad made by Sleep.me, to keep our bed cool all night. No more sweating. No more kicking off covers. Just deep, steady sleep. This tool isn’t cheap, but the principle applies even without it. Keep your room cool, even if it means putting on an extra blanket. Trust me, it’s worth it.
My Red Light Mask and Reading Ritual for Falling Asleep Faster
Every night, I use my HigherDOSE red light mask while reading fiction. Yes, I look like a robot. No, I don’t care. The red light supports my skin and gently tells my body it’s time for sleep.
I used to end my nights with my phone. A scroll, an article, a quick email. It felt like connection, but it always made my brain race. Now, I read something light and nourishing. Always fiction, never business. Right now, I’m loving By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult.
My Kindle is set to its lowest light setting, and it’s become a cue that the day is over. This simple shift has helped me fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. It’s the difference between feeling wired and feeling like I might dream of something other than to-do lists. Also, I’ll never say no to an excuse to crawl into bed early.
Do You Need a Sleep Tracker to Biohack Your Sleep?
No. How you feel when you wake up is data too, and it’s free.
These days I use my NOWATCH as a check-in tool more than a nightly habit. I put it back on when I notice my energy shift, and it’s fascinating to see how my sleep and stress connect. I don’t obsess over the data, but it gives me confirmation about how my habits impact how I feel.
That said, you can pay attention without one. My favorite measure is still the one I mentioned up top: if my sleep mask and mouth tape are both on in the morning, I know I slept well. You can journal how you feel when you wake up and notice what helps or hinders your rest. Bonus points if your journal lives next to your bed and isn’t buried under laundry.
What I Stopped Doing for Better Sleep
Not everything made the cut.
I tried sleeping with a weighted blanket on me, but I toss and turn a bit, and it would just end up in a pile or on the floor, so I got rid of it. I love working with one in my lap, but sleeping with one isn’t for me.
And years ago, I cut alcohol, which largely came from prioritizing my sleep and energy.
(I’m not a doctor, just a mom who’s tested all of this on herself. Check with yours before trying mouth tape or anything new on this list.)
Sleep is one piece of it. If you want to see the rest of what I’m doing for my health, here’s my current health routine (and what’s next).
Which Sleep Biohacks Are Free?
More than you’d think. Here’s how my routine breaks down, so you can start with the free ones and add tools later if you want them.
My Bedtime Routine for Better Sleep, Step by Step
If you want to borrow the routine, here’s how a night goes in our house.
- Around 7:30 PM, I turn down our bedroom: pillows off the bed, diffuser on, white noise humming, lights low.
- Phones go into the charging box in our pantry.
- Skincare in the bathroom with Primally Pure, then a few spritzes of magnesium on my feet and arms. On slower nights, I add an oil cleanse (I love this cleansing oil) and gua sha.
- Into bed with my red light mask on and my Kindle on its lowest setting. Fiction only.
- Once I’m nearly asleep, on go the mouth tape and the weighted eye mask.
- In the morning, if both are still on, I know I slept well. Some mornings I write one line in my journal: “How rested do I feel today?”
On nights when I’m short on time, I shrink it down to the phone going to the pantry, lights low, a quick cleanse and magnesium, and a few pages of fiction.
Sleep Biohacking FAQ for Moms
What is biohacking sleep? Biohacking sleep means using small, intentional habits to help your body rest better. It usually starts with a consistent bedtime and a dark, cool room, then grows from there based on what you notice about your own sleep. It doesn’t require gadgets.
How do you biohack your sleep? Start with the free habits. Go to bed at the same time and wind down with the same few steps every night, and keep your phone out of the bedroom so the last thing you see is a book. Once those feel automatic, tools like a weighted eye mask, mouth tape, a cooling pad or a sleep tracker can help.
What are the best sleep tips for moms with toddlers? You can’t control the 2 AM wake-ups, so control what you can, which for me is a good sleep environment and the same routine every night, and then let the chips fall where they might. Our bed is a revolving door of dogs and kids, and a predictable wind-down, a cool and dark room, and fiction instead of scrolling still help me sleep deeper between the wake-ups.
Does mouth taping help you sleep? Mouth taping encourages nose breathing, which many people find calming. I sleep deeper and wake up less on the nights I wear it. Wait until you’re nearly asleep to apply it, and check with your doctor first if you snore heavily or think you might have sleep apnea.
Where should you spray magnesium for sleep? I spray magnesium on my feet and arms as the last step of my nighttime skincare routine. It’s become part of the signal to my body that the day is over.
What temperature should your bedroom be for sleep? Cooler is better for most people. The commonly recommended range is about 60 to 67°F. A cooling mattress pad helps, but lowering the thermostat and using lighter bedding works too.
Does cutting alcohol help you sleep better? I cut alcohol years ago, largely because I was prioritizing my sleep and energy. Alcohol can make you feel drowsy at first, but it tends to disrupt sleep later in the night.
How long before bed should you put your phone away? I aim for at least an hour. Our phones sleep in a charging box in our pantry, so the last thing I see before bed is a book.
Start Where You Are
You don’t have to buy a gadget or create a flawless routine or “do it all.” Start by dimming the lights earlier or leaving your phone in another room, by journaling how rested you feel, by letting your body know that sleep is coming and that you are safe to receive it.
While you won’t make it through every night with the mask and tape intact. Set up the room anyway, let the chips fall where they might, and count the nights you do.
