The Sleep Edit

10 Upgrades That Improved My Sleep, Recovery, and Energy After 50

There was a time when I thought sleep was something that simply happened.

You went to bed. You woke up. End of story.

Then came my 40s and 50s.

Travel. Stress. Hormonal changes. Congestion. Reflux. Snoring. The realities of a demanding career.

I realized that good sleep wasn't something I could take for granted anymore.

Today, I think about sleep very differently.

Not because I'm chasing perfect sleep scores or trying to optimize every minute of my day.

Because I've learned that when I sleep well, everything else gets easier.

My energy is better.

My mood is better.

My workouts are better.

My resilience is better.

These are the habits, products, and small upgrades that have earned a permanent place in my routine.

Magnesium Glycinate

If there is one supplement that has remained consistent in my evening routine, it's magnesium glycinate.

I personally use Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate because it's gentle on my system and easy to tolerate.

Over the years I've learned that the best supplement isn't always the most popular one, it's the one you'll actually take consistently.

Other options worth considering include:

• Natural Vitality Calm Magnesium Powder

• Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Glycinate

• Designs for Health Magnesium Glycinate Complex

I'll share more about my health, weight loss, and recovery journey in a future article, but magnesium has absolutely become part of that story.

Breathing Better at Night

One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that sleep and breathing are deeply connected.

For much of my life I've dealt with congestion, sinus issues, and disrupted breathing.

My current routine includes:

• Neti Pot saline rinse - I suggest switching out the plastic pot for this ceramic Baraka Handcrafted Pot (made in the US) to limit the microplastics but you may prefer the unbreakable version.  

• Xlear Nasal Spray - with Xylitol, it’s a drug-free way to relieve sinus congestion. I switched to this from Flonase, which I used for years.

• Ayr Saline Nasal Gel - Another game-changer for me is this soothing aloe-based gel. I use it when I’m extra congested.

Nothing glamorous.

But these simple habits often make the difference between waking up refreshed and waking up feeling like I spent the night fighting my own airways.

A Little Moisture Goes a Long Way

Dry air can be surprisingly disruptive.

It contributes to congestion, dry mouth, irritated sinuses, and poor sleep quality.

I use a simple trick that costs almost nothing.

Every evening, I place a shallow pottery bowl filled with clean water in my bedroom.

It's not fancy, but I've found it helps.

If you're looking for a dedicated humidifier, these are excellent options:

• Canopy Humidifier - It comes with extra features like a reading light and white noise capability.

• Carepod Cube Humidifier - This one is easy to clean with stainless steel and doctor-designed for well-being.

• Levoit Classic 300S Smart Humidifier - It’s dishwasher safe, easy to clean, quiet, has smart control features, and comes with an essential oil diffuser. What’s not to like?

Cooling Bedding

I used to underestimate how much temperature affects sleep.

Now I consider bedding one of the easiest places to invest in better rest.

My favorites include:

• Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheets Set - Love these!

• Brooklinen Luxe Sateen Core Sheet Set - Super-luxe and worth every penny!

• Quince Bamboo Dream Sheets - My husband loves these, and they’re a great value. I bought them over six months ago, and they still look brand new.

The goal isn't luxury for the sake of luxury.

The goal is to create an environment that helps your body stay cool and comfortable enough to do what it was designed to do.

Good restorative sleep.

The Most Powerful Sleep Tool Is Free

One of the best things I do for sleep happens first thing in the morning.

Sunlight.

Getting natural light into your eyes within the first 30 minutes of waking helps regulate your circadian rhythm and supports healthy melatonin production later in the evening.

Whenever possible, I take a 10–20 minute walk in the morning.

On slower days, you'll find me on my back deck with a cup of tea. My current favorite is The Republic of Tea – Organic Double Red Rooibos, Naturally Caffeine-Free. However, when I need a caffeine boost, I recommend Numi Organic Aged Earl Grey Tea with Assam Black Tea with Real Bergamot. Another favorite of mine is Yogi Tea - Green Tea Super Antioxidant. Both taste much more premium than their price.

It's one of the simplest habits I've adopted and one of the most impactful.

A Comfortable Sleep Mask

Darkness matters.

Especially if you're sensitive to light like I am.

The sleep masks I continue to recommend are:

• Lunya Washable Silk Sleep Mask -This one is my favorite. It blocks light and is super soft. It has a 100% mulberry silk exterior.

• Quincy Mulberry Silk Beauty Sleep Mask - I love premium luxe value for less. Who doesn’t? This is a great option for a lower price. Plus, silk fiber contains 18 amino acids, making it amazing for skin nourishment, hypoallergenic, and naturally thermoregulating to help maintain body temperature.

• Blissy Silk Sleep Mask Set - Treat yourself to the super luxe set that includes high quality 22-Momme 100% Pure Mulberry Silk that includes a handmade silk pillowcase, sleep mask, scrunchie, and skinny scrunchie.

Each creates a darker sleep environment, which helps signal to the brain that it's time to rest.

White Noise

Whether I'm home or traveling, I sleep better with a little background noise.

My personal favorite is the Magicteam Sound Machine. Great things come in small packages, am I right? This one is portable and works well—get the wood-grain version; it’s the most luxe-looking, in my opinion.

It's affordable, portable, and easy to toss into a suitcase.

Other excellent options include:

• Yogasleep Dohm Classic - This is the original white-noise noise machine. It’s US-made and backed by 60 years of sound science.

• Hatch Restore 3 - The best looking on the list, this cute little smart sleep clock helps nurture phone-free sleep routines.

• LectroFan EVO - Boosts non-looping sounds, brown, pink, pure white noise, and fan sounds. I’m a fan of anything that includes ocean sounds!

One of the best travel lessons I've learned is that a familiar sleep environment—even a portable one—can make a big difference.

Sleep Position Matters

Over the years I've learned that how you sleep can matter almost as much as how long you sleep.

For anyone dealing with reflux, congestion, or snoring, elevation can be incredibly helpful.

I recently invested in a Tempur-Pedic Adapt mattress and have been very happy with it.

Before that, I used the Orthopedic Bed Wedge Two-Pack Under-Mattress Wedges from Amazon.

What I liked about them was that they elevated the mattress itself rather than forcing me to sleep on top of a giant wedge pillow or lift my bed frame.

It felt much more natural. Recently, I bought a new mattress, essential for a good night’s rest. Like pillows, choosing a mattress is a personal preference, but I ended up with a Tempur-Pedic® Adapt 2.0 Medium Mattress and the Tur-Pedic® TEMPUR-Ergo® ProSmart Power Adjustable Base lets me adjust to just the right angle for a good night’s sleep. If you have a Jordan’s Furniture in your area, I highly recommend the Sleep Lab BridgeIT, where they will help you calibrate the right fit for your best night’s rest.

Blue Light Boundaries

The older I get, the more intentional I've become about protecting my evenings.

Phones, televisions, tablets, and laptops all expose us to blue light that can interfere with melatonin production.

Some options I like include:

• TrueDark Glasses by Dave Asprey - The original bio-hacker, Dave Asprey, introduced me to the importance of blocking our junk light for our health.

• Felix Gray - Another great option is Flex Gray for relaxed eyes, deep focus, and better sleep.

• Warby Parker Blue-Light Filtering Lenses - Another luxe look for less option for glasses with blue-light lenses.

If you already wear prescription glasses, consider adding blue-light filtering directly to your lenses. I spend so many hours in front of screens so this is essential.

Small changes often have a cumulative effect.

A Few Minutes of Journaling

Sometimes the thing keeping us awake isn't physical.

It's mental.

A racing mind.

An unfinished conversation.

Tomorrow's to-do list.

A few minutes of journaling can help create a transition between the day you've had and the night ahead.

Two favorites:

• The Five Minute Journal - Someday I’ll have more time to journal at leisure, but with my current schedule, this handy option gets the job done well.

• One Line A Day - This is another option I highly recommend.

Nothing complicated.

Just enough space to clear your head before bed.

Final Thoughts

When people ask me what has improved my sleep the most, they're often expecting one magic solution.

The truth is less exciting.

Better sleep has come from a collection of small habits practiced consistently.

A little sunlight.

A little magnesium.

A better sleep environment.

A few thoughtful products.

A little more intention.

None of them changed my life overnight.

Together, they've made a meaningful difference.

If you're building your own Sleep Edit, start with one thing.

Not ten.

One.

Because the smallest changes are often the easiest to sustain—and the ones most likely to last.

Sleep well,

Ashley

Founder, The Polished Reset