Your 5 Step Ritual for Amazing Sleep
Nothing is more important for setting you up for a great day than a good night's sleep. We all know that a lot of what we do, or don’t do, during the day impacts how well we sleep at night. Cutting caffeine after lunch, making sure we move and exercise, and getting out into the light can all play a very helpful role in getting a good night’s sleep. In addition, we created a 5 step ritual for amazing sleep.
1. Wind down and wake up at the same time
Setting and sticking to a regular sleep schedule is a great way to set and keep your body clock in check. Waking up at the same time everyday is the best way to set your body clock. As tempting as it is to sleep in on weekends, doing so may actually lead to feeling groggy on Monday mornings. As much as possible, holding the same schedule seven days a week will set you up for consistent sleep-filled nights and more wakeful days.
2. Limit/remove blue light
One way to power down is to, well, power down. The blue light emitted from our phones and tablets tricks our mind into thinking it is still daylight. So while more light during the day is good, this type of light at night can keep you up. Avoiding your screen at night will help set you up for a better night’s sleep. And if for any reason your sleep space isn’t as dark as you like it, consider an eye mask. Our silk eye pillow is with flax seeds and lavender buds to help you sleep soundly. Lavender is a natural sedative for your nervous system: it helps lower blood pressure and treat insomnia. Similar to weighted blankets, our eye pillow evenly distributes weight around your eye area providing gentle facial acupressure. After a great night’s sleep, your phone will still be there in the morning.
3. Relax and clear your mind with a bath or shower
Soaking in a luxurious and therapeutic bath is an amazing way to end the day and signal to your body that it is time to relax in to your bedtime routine. Just 20 minutes soaking in a tub will set the tone for a great night’s sleep. Our Natural Sleep Therapy Bath Salts help reset your mind and body allowing you to adjust from your busy day time routine. In addition to calming lavender, these salts add rosemary essential oil which is used to relieve headaches, muscle pains, and arthritis, making it easier to fall asleep without interruption.
If you aren’t a bath person, and not all of us are, a steamy shower can play a similar role. While the steam goes to work on tight and tired muscles, add a scrub with a calming effect like our Soothing Lavender Organic Body Scrub which also features rosemary essential oil.
4. Give yourself a sleep boost
In addition to lavender, chamomile, and rosemary essential oils, magnesium and melatonin are two other powerhouse ingredients that can give you a boost to a better night’s sleep. Melatonin is a critical sleep hormone found naturally in your body that tells your brain when it’s time to relax and go to bed. Often used for insomnia, melatonin can help you fall asleep faster.
Magnesium for insomnia can be a great tool to have in your medicine cabinet. As explained by Michael J. Breus, PhD, a Clinical Psychologist and sleep disorder specialist, “Magnesium plays a role in supporting deep, restorative sleep by maintaining healthy levels of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), a neurotransmitter that promotes sleep. Research indicates supplemental magnesium can improve sleep quality, especially in people with poor sleep. Magnesium can also help treat insomnia that’s linked to the sleep disorder restless legs syndrome.”1
Stress and tension are often reasons why people suffer from insomnia. Magnesium brings balance and controls stress hormones, helping you sleep easier. We are big fans of magnesium paired with melatonin. Check out our melatonin lotion with magnesium. We combine these two power ingredients in our Dream The Night Away lotion.
5. Create a calming sleep space
At the end of a busy day, coming home to a calm and welcoming space will instantly allow you to breath deeper and wind the day down. Soft lights, a comfortable temperature, music, aromatherapy, meditation or your favorite pj’s can all help set your space up for sleep. We love our Mist Your Mood Aromatherapy Mists for our pillowcases to make the bed welcoming and relaxing. The lavender and chamomile essential oils in Pure Soothing Comfort combine to set you up for a relaxing night’s sleep. Combining chamomile essential oil with lavender essential oil can reduce hormone levels associated with stress—bringing on a sense of calm to combat insomnia and help you sleep well.
1. Breus, Michael. What You Need to Know About Magnesium and Your Sleep. https://www.psychologytoday. com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/201805/what-you-need-know-about-magnesium-and-your-sleep↩
