Sleep, dear readers, is no friend of mine. Every night it’s a wrestling match: me (desperate to snooze) grappling with my mind (which won’t shut off), plus the mounting anxiety I feel when I realize how late it’s getting. I think it’s only time I do math on purpose, subtracting whatever my wake-up time is from the numbers on my clock, thinking: if I can fall asleep now, I can still get 5 hours, 4.5 hours, 4 hours. I’ll finally conk out, only to be startled awake by my alarm clock, dragging me out of a deep sleep, against my will. And then…things changed.

Since starting the cleanse, I’ve had an easier time falling asleep overall. Maybe it’s the lack of caffeine, the “electronic sundown,” or the nutrients, or perhaps some combination of all three, whatever it is, it’s working. Instead of taking an hour, or two hours, or even three hours to fall asleep, it’s more like 45 minutes or less (a huge improvement for me). But waking up? Well, that wasn’t any easier, until Day 8. That morning, I woke up before my alarm.

Okay, I realize that that might not be a huge deal—to you—but it’s a game changer for me. And when it happened on Day 9 and Day 10, I was startled, delighted, and grateful. To wake up because you’ve had enough sleep? That feels marvelous. That feels like a gift.

As for sticking to the cleanse, I have to say it continues to be easy. But “easy” doesn’t mean “perfect,” and in the spirit of honestly, there were a few slips over the weekend—a small glass of red wine, a sip of champagne, a few bites of vegan, gluten-free baked goods—but really nothing too crazy. Even better: these minor mouthfuls didn’t send me running for the bakery, Brie, or magnum of Bordeaux. Instead of giving myself over to a shame spiral, I just went on with my routine as normal, without obsessing about it too much. (That said, I do feel awfully guilty and a smidge embarrassed that I didn’t do the cleanse 100% perfectly.) My record might not be flawless, but I am feeling pretty fabulous, so the last few days should be a breeze!

For more on the cleanse, follow me @hillary_kerr or visit Dr. Lipman’s website.