If you are a busy woman over 40, chances are your brain does not automatically shut off when you go to bed.

Your body might be tired, but your mind is still thinking about everything from the day. What did not get done. What needs to happen tomorrow. The appointment you need to remember. The email you forgot to send.

I hear this from my clients all the time.

Many women tell me they want to go to bed earlier, but their evenings fill up quickly. There are always more things to do. Or they hit the snooze button in the morning and promise themselves, “Tonight I am going to bed earlier.” But when nighttime comes around, the same pattern repeats.

Sleep is one of the four pillars of health that I focus on with my clients. And something interesting often happens when sleep falls off track. The other pillars usually start to struggle too.

When you are tired, it is harder to make nourishing food choices. It is harder to find the motivation to move your body. Your mindset can start to feel more negative or overwhelmed.

The good news is that the opposite is also true. When sleep improves, the other pillars often start improving too. It becomes easier to eat well, move your body, and feel more positive during the day.

One thing that has helped me protect my sleep over the years is having a simple way to wind down at night. It may not be a strict routine, but it is a ritual I have created that I genuinely enjoy. I actually look forward to it, and because it works so well for me, I do not skip it.

Here are a few things that help me make that transition.