Ashley Graham Shares Her 7 Favorite Sleep Tips That *Always* Help Her Get a Good Night’s Rest

Saying Ashley Graham has a lot on her plate sounds like an understatement. She's balancing her modeling career, making her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago in April, serving as a brand ambassador for OLLY, and raising her three young sons. Needless to say, her life is a bit hectic.

But one thing she's never too busy for? Making sleep a priority. "You have to put self-care at the forefront of your life. That sets the tone for everything," Graham tells Well+Good.

In honor of National Sleep Awareness Week, Graham sat down with us to emphasize the importance of sleep hygiene for your overall health, talk us through her bedtime routine, and share her favorite tips and tricks to get some zzzs.

First, she had to learn why sleep was so important

For many of us, sleeping late and waking up early often become the norm. We all have a ton of responsibilities—whether that's keeping up with classes in school, working long hours, or taking care of aging parents or newborn babies. In the hustle and bustle of it all, your health might fall lower on the priority list. Sound familiar?

This was true for Graham, too, and it took a major life event to realize how sleep was (and is) so important for her well-being. "I didn't really realize the power of sleep until I had kids," Graham says. "You always have that mommy sensor on, and it never goes away. But when you have a baby, you learn that you need to have the energy to show up for your kids. That's when I realized sleep is medicine."

And that's also when she started taking her bedtime routine more seriously.

She uses a vibrating mat to help her body relax

Always being on the go, traveling, and strutting in heels are a normal part of Graham's daily routine. But after a long, tiring day at work, one of her favorite ways to unwind is by taking her shoes off and stepping onto a vibrating mat. "When my legs are feeling tight, and I've been on my feet all day, I love spending 10 minutes just standing on my vibrating mat and getting a good massage in," she says.

Research agrees that taking care of your feet is a good habit to have. One study noted that stimulating your feet can improve blood circulation, promote foot recovery, relieve pain, and induce relaxation.¹

She loves a hot bath

Graham wasn't a big fan of baths before, but lately, she's grown to love them—especially when she has a particularly stressful day. "There are days when you don't feel tired, but instead so wired, and that makes it really hard to come down," she says. "Getting into a hot bath just helps me relax my nervous system when I'm too high energy."

She also finds that adding a touch of Epsom salt to her bath helps calm her body down and prepare her mind for sleep.

She takes her skincare routine very seriously

While Graham doesn't subscribe to the morning shed trend, she does have a skincare ritual that she completes every night. The simple routine consists of hydrating serums, moisturizing creams, and Gua Sha to massage her face. Her current favorite products? They all come from Sandra Chiu's Lanshin line. We like the Intro Gua Sha Tool ($49) and the Rose Nourishing Facial Oil ($46).

She steeps a cup of peppermint tea

Experts believe that caffeine-free, herbal teas can aid sleep. Peppermint tea, in particular, contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can improve sleep quality, reduce fatigue, and lower anxiety.² Graham says that drinking peppermint tea also keeps her well-hydrated before bed.

She incorporates magnesium

Magnesium has been all the rage lately—and for good reason. Studies show that magnesium can help support better sleep quality and longer sleep duration, reduce stress by aiding nervous system regulation, and has analgesic (aka pain-relieving) properties.^3,4,5

Graham adds magnesium to her bedtime routine in a couple of ways. "I just saw this girl on TikTok talking about spraying magnesium on the bottom of her feet and her stomach. So I started doing that too, and I think it's been helpful," she says. She also takes magnesium in supplement form, stating that it makes it easier for her to poop.

She swears by her OLLY supplements

Graham tell us that it takes a beat for her brain to quiet down—and so many of us can relate to that sentiment. Her fix? She takes the OLLY Sleep supplement ($14) at night to relax, and the OLLY Daily Energy ($14) supplement in the morning to get her body going for another busy day.

Plus, Graham and her husband, Justin Ervin, have the cutest way of taking these supplements. "My husband and I grab a couple of the sleep supplements, do a quick toast, and 'say cheers' right before we eat them and snooze off to bed," she shares.

She makes her bed (and her body) feel very cozy

When it's finally time to get under the covers, Graham tells us that she's a "high maintenance sleeper" and loves to use products that help her feel cozy and ready for bed. "I need industrial earplugs, an eye mask, and fuzzy socks for my feet because they get so cold," she explains. "I also have to be surrounded by five pillows to feel comforted and sometimes sleep with a heating pad on to be extra cozy."

Your bedtime routine might not be as robust as hers, but Graham explains that you have to find what works for you—and stick to it. "Sleep is the best free medicine you can ever get," she says. So, what are you waiting for? Go get those zzzs.