White Noise and Sleep Gummies: Jordin Sparks Has Her Bedtime Routine Down

Jordin Sparks has been in the public eye for exactly half of her life. At 17, she became the youngest winner of "American Idol" in the show's history and now, at 34, she's a wife, mother, and ever-evolving artist gearing up to release her fifth studio album. Chaos is the name of the game, but Sparks says she wouldn't have it any other way. "I'm really grateful for the life that I have," she tells POPSUGAR. "My schedules with my career have been pretty crazy. We just pulled a 15-hour a day on set the other day, and the traveling — there's always time changes and going back and forth."

When it comes to keeping herself balanced, Sparks prioritizes sleep, as well as other self-care practices like meditation and reading. Ahead of the upcoming daylight saving time, the singer has partnered with the over-the-counter sleep-aid brand Unisom, which Sparks says helps her and her family get the rest they need during busy times. "I grew up in Arizona, and so we never changed," says Sparks of the biannual time change. "When I moved away, it was really crazy how significant the change was when you would lose or gain that hour of sleep."

Sparks prefers Unisom's Simple Slumbers gummies while her husband, Dana Isaiah, prefers the SleepGels capsules. Unisom's sleep aids are especially handy during daylight saving time, when Sparks' 5-year-old son DJ is thrown off of his usual sleep schedule. "He's got to have that sleep, so if I don't get any rest, it takes us a little bit of time to readjust and recover," she says. "I'll take the gummy, I get a good night's sleep, and I'm able to manage whatever happens the next day."

In addition to sleep supplements, Sparks has implemented other bedtime rituals that help her get much-needed rest. "One thing that is in all of our bedrooms is a white noise machine," she says. "That is a must when we travel. We bring it with us, always. And if we forget them, we will order one quickly to make sure that we have one."

The star has also started incorporating red light therapy. Red light has been shown to improve skin concerns such as wrinkles, acne, and scarring, but exposure to red light can also be useful for sleep. "It's got a 25-minute timer and you turn it on when you get in bed," she says of the device she and her family use at bedtime. "We have all the blue lights with our screens and our phones and stuff, so to have the red light, it helps your circadian rhythm. The warm light makes you be like, 'OK, I gotta go to sleep.' It's actually really helped."

Another wellness ritual Sparks has been loving is meditation, though she's the first to admit that her practice is a work in progress. "I try to meditate when I can," she says. "I have one of those brains that never shuts off. My body will be so tired and I know that I'm exhausted, but my brain won't let me sleep. So I've been trying to use meditation to be able to fall asleep, or at least get me into that mindset. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. I'm trying, I'm working on it."

When she has the time to indulge in hobbies, Sparks is an avid reader, devouring everything from memoirs to nature guides. The singer says that her bag is "so heavy" because she's always carrying around a book — and no, she isn't willing to switch to an e-reader. "We're on our screens so much that when I want to read I want to read on a page," she says.

Recently, Sparks read former Nickelodeon star Jennette McCurdy's bestselling memoir, "I'm Glad My Mom Died," and like many readers, was moved by the gut-wrenching story. "It was so good and heartbreaking and inspiring all at the same time," Sparks says. "I used to watch 'iCarly.' So for me, it kind of shifted the whole perspective on how that was for her. I got to meet her last year and it was really awesome to be able to see her in person. She's so funny and so kind."

In her own way, Sparks is also reflecting on her journey in Hollywood starting from such a young age. In the four years since her last album release — and nearly 20 since her star turn on "American Idol" — she's found her voice and broken free from other people's expectations of her. Fittingly, her forthcoming album will be titled "No Restrictions."

Of the album title, Sparks says, "I feel like that's where I am in life, not only as an artist, but as a woman, as a wife, as a mom, as a human." She adds, "I want my wings to expand and also take the time to be who I am and live freely without all the other stuff that people try and throw on top of me. "

The singer shares that she recorded upwards of 180 songs for the album and her team had difficulty whittling them down. A track list was eventually established, however, and the result is a diverse range of styles and influences that have helped shape Sparks.

"There's hints of country music, there's hints of gospel, there's hints of R&B, hints of pop that is reminiscent of my early stuff," Sparks says. "There's a little bit of something for everyone, but it's put together really cohesively and I've got some great features that I'm really excited about."

Because she's no longer with a record label, Sparks feels freedom not only in her artistry but in the business side of things as well. "Since I am independent, the [release] date keeps changing, because there's so much happening." Sparks says the album was initially slated for release at the end of March, but it's now looking like April. If not, then before the start of summer. She also hints that a tour, which will include revamped versions of her old songs, is in the works.

On the brink of this new chapter, Sparks feels ready to embrace the future, armed with an arsenal of self-care practices and nearly two decades of experience in the music industry. When thinking about her 17-year-old self about to be thrown into the spotlight, Sparks acknowledges the tough lessons she had yet to learn but knows that it all unfolded the way it was meant to.

"I think I would probably tell myself to not sweat the small stuff and not stress out so much," she reflects. "And also that 'no' is a complete sentence . . . Now, I'm more unapologetic. But I wouldn't change anything. I would go through every single thing again just to get where I am now. I have this family, my son and my husband, and I love the life that we're creating together, and I wouldn't change a thing."

Catherine Santino is a contributing writer at POPSUGAR, where she covers beauty, celebrity, and culture. She started writing in 2014 and has bylines in People, Insider, The Zoe Report, and BuzzFeed.