We all have restless nights where we toss and turn and can't sleep. But if this becomes your routine, you might want to make some adjustments to your night to make sure you can fall and stay asleep so you're well-rested during the day. Here are some tips to help you get your beauty rest.
Use lavender in your bedtime routine. I love essential oils and lavender is a great one for relaxation and falling asleep. Rub some lavender essential oil on your feet or give yourself a scalp massage with it to wind your mind down. Or light a lavender candle or spray your pillow with lavender scented spray while you're getting ready for bed. The scent will make you sleepy in no time.
Turn off all electronics an hour before bed. If you have a hard time shutting your mind off or your body feels tired but your mind keeps going, the electronic screens of your phone, laptop, tablet or TV could be to blame. Instead, wind down with a relaxing bath, read a book or have some tea. If you do wind down with a good book, make sure it isn't the cliffhanger type that will make you keep reading. Choose a slower book for nighttime reading that will help you naturally fall asleep instead of making yourself stay up to read just one more chapter.
Instead of reaching for sometimes addicting sleep aids, try melatonin. It is a natural hormone you can take that helps your brain tell your body to fall asleep. It will regulate your internal clock and make you feel drowsy. You only need about.3 to 5 mg per night, depending on your BMI. Remember that your body naturally contains this hormone, so you don't need to take that much of it in pill form.
Try some sleepy time tea. Just make sure you are drinking tea without caffeine, which would obviously keep you awake. Chamomile tea is very relaxing and adding honey can have a sedative effect.
Download a new App. Try one that plays relaxing sounds or white noise that may help you sleep. Our brains naturally crave sensory input, so when we try to fall asleep without any noise, our minds will try to create "noise". So sleeping with a fan running, music or white noise can naturally help your brain turn off and you fall asleep faster.
Keep your room cool and dark. Any light or heat can keep you awake and disrupt your sleep cycle. Keep the A/C or a fan running to keep you cool and buy blackout shades for your windows and make sure all electronics are turned off.
Try taking a hot shower or bath as part of your nighttime routine. It can help relax your body and make you tired, especially if you use a calming body wash or soap. However, if you find that a shower, even a warm one, wakes you up, switch to showering in the morning instead.
Lastly, try having a bedtime snack to keep you from staying awake out of hunger. Just choose the right foods to munch on because certain foods could keep you awake and disrupt your digestion. High carb, low protein snacks are best. Keep it something simple like nuts, chicken, toast, cottage cheese or soybeans.
Use lavender in your bedtime routine. I love essential oils and lavender is a great one for relaxation and falling asleep. Rub some lavender essential oil on your feet or give yourself a scalp massage with it to wind your mind down. Or light a lavender candle or spray your pillow with lavender scented spray while you're getting ready for bed. The scent will make you sleepy in no time.
Turn off all electronics an hour before bed. If you have a hard time shutting your mind off or your body feels tired but your mind keeps going, the electronic screens of your phone, laptop, tablet or TV could be to blame. Instead, wind down with a relaxing bath, read a book or have some tea. If you do wind down with a good book, make sure it isn't the cliffhanger type that will make you keep reading. Choose a slower book for nighttime reading that will help you naturally fall asleep instead of making yourself stay up to read just one more chapter.
Instead of reaching for sometimes addicting sleep aids, try melatonin. It is a natural hormone you can take that helps your brain tell your body to fall asleep. It will regulate your internal clock and make you feel drowsy. You only need about.3 to 5 mg per night, depending on your BMI. Remember that your body naturally contains this hormone, so you don't need to take that much of it in pill form.
Try some sleepy time tea. Just make sure you are drinking tea without caffeine, which would obviously keep you awake. Chamomile tea is very relaxing and adding honey can have a sedative effect.
Download a new App. Try one that plays relaxing sounds or white noise that may help you sleep. Our brains naturally crave sensory input, so when we try to fall asleep without any noise, our minds will try to create "noise". So sleeping with a fan running, music or white noise can naturally help your brain turn off and you fall asleep faster.
Keep your room cool and dark. Any light or heat can keep you awake and disrupt your sleep cycle. Keep the A/C or a fan running to keep you cool and buy blackout shades for your windows and make sure all electronics are turned off.
Try taking a hot shower or bath as part of your nighttime routine. It can help relax your body and make you tired, especially if you use a calming body wash or soap. However, if you find that a shower, even a warm one, wakes you up, switch to showering in the morning instead.
Lastly, try having a bedtime snack to keep you from staying awake out of hunger. Just choose the right foods to munch on because certain foods could keep you awake and disrupt your digestion. High carb, low protein snacks are best. Keep it something simple like nuts, chicken, toast, cottage cheese or soybeans.