A to Zzz… Guide To Better Sleep
Getting good sleep is the key to a happy and healthy life, sleep supports the body in stress management, fat burning and overall immune system functioning. A solid night’s rest can be elusive to many and this challenge alone can be a stressor. I'm excited to share a few tips that are easy, inexpensive, and most importantly enjoyable to practice for your best night's rest and the sweetest dreams.
A huge factor to mastering your sleep cycle is sleep hygiene, just as you cleanse your body and brush your teeth each day it is important to develop routine when it comes time for bed. Make this a habit of one or two things you do each night that tells your body it’s time to begin powering down, for me I brew a hot cup of herbal tea with a dash of warming cinnamon and I begin sipping this tea about an hour before bed. I say sip because I generally don’t want to drink too much water before bed so that I can avoid waking up to use the bathroom in the night. The heat of holding the mug sparks a cozy feeling and the taste of the tea signals to my brain that we will be resting soon. If you create your gratitude list at night this can be part of your routine as well. You may like to listen to a calming song each night while you brew your tea or complete your skincare routine as part of your nightly routine. Your skincare routine could be as simple as soaking a clean washcloth in warm water and steaming your face gently by placing the washcloth over your skin for 15 seconds or intermittently as you breathe.
As I mentioned above, you may like to include herbal tea as part of your sleep prep. I use an organic chai tea that’s full of warming spices with immune boosting and anti inflammatory properties. You can use any tea that feels good to you and that sounds tasty! I have learned the hard way that even if a tea is good quality if it doesn’t suit your tastes you won’t enjoy drinking it, which will make developing this habit more difficult. A peppermint tea can have energizing properties but when worked into your nighttime routine this tea can still be a soothing and digestion supporting treat for your body. I mentioned I like to add a dash of cinnamon to my tea but you can feel empowered to add whichever dried spices you like to boost your enjoyment of your chosen tea.
Another truly supercharged bit of advice when it comes to getting great rest is to DITCH THE ELECTRONICS. I am guilty of the late night scroll through Instagram or Tumblr as well so you can trust me when I say what a huge difference it makes when I leave my phone away from my bed. I still use my phone to track time so I make this functional by keeping it at the foot of the bed in case I wake up before my alarm so I can sneak a peek at how much time I have left to snoooze. I definitely recommend getting a little clock for your room so you can avoid this excuse as well but if you have enough self control to not turn this time check into a text check or email scroll you will find keeping your phone away from your hands helps you fall asleep much faster. If you really depend on that late night technology hit, keep this activity confined to any area that is not in your actual bed. Just want to make that super clear for you sneaky scrollers, lol. Let me know your favorite sleep hacks in the comments below. There are so many ways to get the most from our resting period and I love trying new tricks for getting the best snooze possible!
Sweet Dreams,
Maddison Lee
