Dr. Suzanne Badillo, PT, DPT
Dr. Suzanne Badillo is the co-founder of Link Physical Therapy, a boutique private practice in south Evanston. Link Physical Therapy specializes in women’s health and pelvic health for adults and children of all genders, with a mission to empower individuals to live life better! Dr. Badillo is a board-certified clinical specialist in Women’s Health Physical Therapy with over 25 years of experience as a physical therapist. Her clinical, research, and educational interests include pelvic floor health, pregnancy/postpartum rehabilitation, women’s health across the lifespan, and gender and cultural/racial disparities in healthcare, and she is an educator locally and nationally on these topics.
What is your bedtime ritual?
Once my kids are asleep and all is put away in the kitchen from the busy-ness of the day, I can wind down for the night. I update our family calendar on the kitchen dry erase board for the next day’s activities to clear my brain of the “to-do” list for the night. I take a shower at night to save time in the morning, but also have found it to be a peaceful time to reset on my own time. I do my skin care routine and some light stretches and breathing exercises in my room. I also prep the coffee maker and set the timer to have coffee ready for me by 6am. Waking up to the sound and smell of the coffee brewing helps me with the motivation to get out of bed!
What do you do during the day that has the biggest impact (positive or negative) on your sleep?
I sleep better on the days I exercise and have a good, intense workout. I am happier on those days, as well, so that may also be a big factor!
In the last 5 years, what new belief, behavior or habit has most improved your sleep?
I have always considered myself a “night owl,” with a preference to stay up late to get work done. However, I have learned over the years, especially when going back to grad school 3 years ago, that waking up early due to my kids’ schedule AND staying up late to get my own work done is not productive or sustainable! Now, I have a routine of waking at least one hour before anyone else in the house to have my coffee (see above!), write in my journal/planner, check emails, and/or any other task that may take more fresh brainwork. The golden hour! This protects my nighttime hours to allow for more time for my body and brain to relax – which helps my sleep!
If you have had a particularly challenging day and your normal bedtime routine isn’t enough for you to fall asleep, what do you try next?
Thankfully getting to sleep is rarely an issue for me. If I wake up for some reason in the middle of the night and have difficulty getting back to sleep, I use my eye pillow. It provides a soothing pressure on my eye and forehead muscles to relax back to sleep.
What purchase of $100 or less has improved your sleep the most?
My husband bought me a Coop pillow about a year ago and I love it! I like that I can adjust the filling amount to customize the density and size to support my head and neck well.
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