# @nickpappasmd on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DXzoF3vpnQw
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/64918978-nickpappasmd-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/119b358c54.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-05-01T18:48:53.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Nick Pappas, MD (@nickpappasmd) — https://gondola.cc/nickpappasmd

## Caption

Up all night on call… then the next day I’m telling my patients to prioritize sleep 😅. Some days, this is the reality of being a healthcare worker. 

Often we know exactly what to do, but the obligations of our job may get in the way. 

😴 Sleep matters because it’s when your body actually repairs itself —
tissue healing, muscle recovery, & hormone regulation, all peak while you’re asleep 🧬

✅ Here are ways I optimize sleep (when not on call obviously):

1. 🥶 Set the thermostat at night to 68°F (20°C) - lower core body temperature helps you fall asleep faster.

2. 📱 No screen time 1 hour before bedtime - computer screens and smart phones emit blue light, which inhibits the production of melatonin, your sleep hormone.  I also use blackout curtains, which help me a lot because I’m very light sensitive.

3. 💨 Air purifier in bedroom can help improve the air quality and limit allergens, which can sometimes interfere with breathing at night and disrupt your sleep.

4. 💊 Magnesium glycinate (around 300 mg) 30 minutes before bedtime, which I have found to be helpful with not only relaxation of muscles, but also improving the quality of my sleep. 

😷 As always, check with your doctor to see if magnesium supplementation (or any supplement) is safe for you before starting it.

🚨 I also like to use red light therapy just before bedtime, which I do feel helps me sleep better.

👉 If all those things fail, I suggest the following:

5. Glancing at the Krebs cycle or maybe even the coagulation cascade…both of those things always put me right to sleep!

#healthcareworkers #sleep #health

## Stats

- **Views:** 6,924
- **Likes:** 420
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 8

## Tags

health, sleep, healthcareworkers

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