If you said "Yes" to any of these, then you clicked on the RIGHT article.
My name is Natalie, a health coach/oil enthusiast, and I'm on a mission to help women feel less SLEEP-DEPRIVED, and more ALIVE.
I too, like you have dealt with sleep-deprivation.....I have an 11 month old =)
I have struggled this past year to get sleep.....uninterrupted sleep......so that I have energy to pursue my dreams and goals. It has been frustrating and has certainly affected my mood toward my family and others. Because as you know, if we as women do not get good sleep, EVERYBODY suffers!
So, because I know the pain of feeling sleep deprived, and because I know it can lead to greater health issues, I want to help you get the more restful sleep, so that you can avoid those icky health issues, and so that you too can pursue your goals and dreams.
I'm going to start off simple in this post, but be sure to subscribe by adding in your email on my homepage, to get updates, so that you can continue to learn more about getting more restful sleep, and feeling like yourself again.
Ok, so let's talk about setting up a WIND DOWN routine in order to get more restful sleep...
Wind it down 1 hour before bedtime.
Create a new WIND DOWN routine before bed. So, if you want to fall asleep by 10, your wind down routine will start at 9.
What should your wind down routine include? Here are a few ideas.....
1. No electronics (phone, tv, movies, computer, etc...)
We are bombarded all day with tv, internet, phones, social media, so much that our minds can't relax and calm down. Also, the lights on our phones are not calming, rather if looked at too much, can promote headaches and anxiety. It's best to be done with electronics an hour before bed, so that your mind can start to relax and also realize that sleep is coming soon.
2. Meditation
This could be anything from listening to a guided meditation online, reading your bible, sitting quietly and allowing your mind to relax, work on some deep breathing, listen to a calming podcast, or calming music, or even doing some gentle yoga.
All of these things are SOOO good for you, and in our hasty world, we barely take the time to just stop and be still. If you have children and it's hard for you to get away, try talking with your husband about giving you a few minutes of peace so that you can recenter yourself and release any anxiety. Believe me, everyone will be better off!
3. Quiet (if possible)
Sit in Silence, quiet your mind, say a prayer, and just be still. Sounds simple right, but this may be one of the hardest ones!
4. Read a Book
And no NOT a book on the kindle or an electronic device, a good old-fashioned hard cover book. Maybe you haven't read in a long time, because you have been so busy, but reading is so beneficial for you.
Not sure what to read? Well, what are you interested in? Want to learn how to garden, maybe you want to learn how to run a business, or you are interested in reading a biography about someone's life, or maybe you just prefer a fictional story. Whatever it is, find a book and make a habit of reading 10 pages minimum a night. If you make that a habit, you can end up reading 20-30 books a year.....and imagine how much more knowledge you will have gained, then spending a wasted hour on Facebook.
5. Set up an Ambient Atmosphere
Find an area of your house that can be just for you and when you see it, you begin to feel calm.
Set up calming pictures, a diffuser, pretty lights, a cozy blanket and pillow, anything that will help you to relax.
And make it your relaxing corner, so your body will know that it's time to start calming down when you go to this place. Also it will be something to look forward to at night!
6. Apply Calming Essential Oils Such as......Lavender, Peace, Balance, Cedarwood, Serenity..
Essential oils have been around for centuries, and they are known for so many benefits, but one of my favorite benefits is that they calm you down, and help you to sleep hard.
Think about investing in a diffuse and diffusing some calming oils during your wind down time and also when you sleep.
You can also put the oils on your feet, behind your ears, or on your temples (or all of the above).
Oils are have been shown to affect our emotions and produce a natural and calming effect.
If you don't have oils, but would like to try some, click the link below to purchase some from the brand I use and TRUST.
Click here to get your oils.
Oils are a cost-effective way to get sleep. As each bottle contains around 250 drops, it's much cheaper than prescription drugs and doctors visits.....and there are No side effects.
ACTION STEPS
Ok, here's the part where YOU take action!
I want you to choose just 1 or 2 of the above suggestions and start implementing them into your WIND DOWN routine immediately!
When you do, please come back and comment about what you chose and how it has been helping you sleep!
LOVE,
Natalie
