Catching those ZZZs!

Sleep is one of the most important activities a person can do.

It is important to our mental and physical health. It is a basic cornerstone of self-care.

Our bodies need time to rest, recharge and renew. Yet sleep can be one of the most elusive things to catch for many people, often because of stress, anxiety, and an overactive mind.

So let’s tackle some of these issues and get you off to dreamland.

Here are some tips on how to get your best ZZZZs:

Create a nighttime routine and stick to it as much as possible.

Whether it is a skincare routine, taking your vitamins, stretching, reading, or whatever, try to stay consistent. These little habits and actions can be great signals to your brain that it is time to settle down and sleep.

Remember the 21/90 rule. It takes 21 days to create a new habit, and 90 days to make the habit an ingrained part of your lifestyle. Stick with it for 90 days and you are set!

Try a sleep mask

If you struggle to fall asleep it could be as simple as an issue of light, even the tiny red/green one on your smoke detector or alarm clock that could be distracting you. Sleep masks are a great way to cut out this light, plus they are relatively inexpensive and portable!

Some great ones are:

The Ettitude Bamboo Lycocell Sleep Mask

Any of the Sleep Masks from Vintage Cosmetics.

Remember sleep masks may not be for everyone. Personally, it causes more stress and sleeplessness to me to wear one than not because of the whole blocking my sight, even if there is a strange noise going on in my room thing. However, I have friends and family that swear by them, so it is always worth a try!

Also, don’t forget about the other kind of sleep/ overnight mask! Awake makes a wonderful Sleep Retreat Mask that smells like calming lavender. Best of all it calms your skin while helping you sleep. Win, Win!

Aromatherapy

Whether it is in a Diffusor, rollerball, or Skin Stick, adding some calming scents to your environment can do wonders to getting your mind to settle.

While lavender and chamomile are always great go-to's, try mixing in scents that mean peace, calm, and comfort to you. For example, Vanilla and other bakery sweet scents bring me to a peaceful and happy place, so I love to mix them in with my lavender, to ensure some sweet dreams.

Check out Eden's Garden for some great essential oils for your diffusor to find your happy scent.

Want to be completely immersed in scent. Check out Perfectly Posh’s Very Sleepy Skin Stick, for great wearable aromatherapy.

Pillow Sprays

Pillow sprays are a true gift from heaven for those who struggle with sleep. These little sprays are aromatherapy in a bottle that you can spray on your pillows, blankets, even your curtains (if they are by your bed) and/or anything that you sleep with, a few minutes before you settle down. They fill your sleep space with calming lavender, chamomile, or other scents proven to promote calm and relaxation. They are portable, and great if you struggle to sleep outside of your own personal bedroom.

Some of my favorites are:

Lavender Moon Body and Pillow Mist by Pacifica- Great for those who find plain lavender a bit too much. Pacifica balances out the lavender with rose , for a calming almost sweet smell.

Deep Sleep Pillow Spray by This Works- Purest, strong lavender!

Dream Mist by Awake- A nice subtle lavender spray. Great for those just getting used to lavender.

Sleep Vitamins!

There are some great, natural supplements out there that have melatonin and/or calming herbs in them that can help settle your mind so you can get some good sleep.

Some of my favorites are:

Dream Sleep Beauty Gummies by Pacifica- Not only do they taste amazing, but with ingredients like chamomile and elderberry, they help support your immune system as well as your sleep.

Sleeping Beauty by Love Wellness- This brand is one of my favs!!! They have so many great products and this is a must-have for those nights you can’t seem to settle down. With some killer ingredients like Lemon Balm Leaf, it is great to help battle those cramps too!

Weighted blankets

I don’t know about you but I always need a certain amount of weight on me to sleep. Usually, I use just multiple blankets but these things are a god sent. All the weight without the tangle!

Find the right Pillowcase!

I know this one sounds weird, but I have learned over the last year or so it can make a lot of difference. We think about the comfort of the blankets and sheets we put on our bed but not always the pillowcase.

The skin on our face is more sensitive than other parts of our bodies and therefore some extra attention should be paid to where we rest our head. I found after switching to a vegan silk pillowcase, for my skin, that I was sleeping so much better than I had with the jersey cotton pillowcase I had on it before. When the weather started getting colder, the silk was no longer cutting it so I took a chance on the sham from my velvety winter comforter set and it fit the bill perfectly!

This is one of those things that you just have to play around with to find what your best fit is.

Leave your phone alone!

I know it is hard. I know we are all guilty of it, but trust me not looking at your screen will help you fall asleep much faster and easier.

Write in a Journal

Sometimes when my mind is just overdoing it, writing our thoughts out, whether they make sense or not can help relieve some stress and help our minds settle down.

Read

Taking ourselves away from our own life for a while or focusing our mind on something new, can quiet those incessant thoughts that love to keep us awake.

Listen to music

Music is known to have a major impact on our moods and emotions, so why not make a Dream Time playlist full of songs that make you feel calm and peaceful!

Unclutter your space

If your room looks like a tornado went off, it might be messing with your sleep. For some people, a chaotic room can lead to too much stimulation and an overactive mind. Simply reorganizing or tidying up your space can help those ZZZs head your way.