By the time people get to my shop, they have tried eeeeverything and are willing to try anything…
To get a good night’s rest, it’s not always about taking a supplement and “BAM” you’re healed! Usually, there is something more going on that is making it hard for you to fall asleep and stay asleep.
I’m going to map out a few things that you can do to help encourage a restful sleep and will highlight a few products that may also help!
✨Trouble Falling Asleep Or Staying Asleep✨
Most people who have a hard time falling asleep say it’s because their mind is racing! They have worries they can’t get off their mind, their to-do lists are multiplying as they lay there, even past traumas/emotional baggage resurfaces every time they close their eyes.
Is this you!?
What about an overstimulation of electronics?
Most people are using their phones, computers, or even the tv most of the day and right up until bed time. This can have a huge impact on how your brain begins to slow down when you lay down. It keeps your brain wired, overstimulated which makes the mind wonder or just keeps you tossing and turning all night.
The obvious one is caffeine.
You didn’t get a good night’s rest so you drink caffeine. The afternoon rolls around, your caffeine buzz wore off so you have more. And of course, you can’t fall asleep!
Caffeine, sugar, dehydration, eating too much before bed, all of these things have a huge impact on your sleep.
What can you do!? Glad you asked 🥰
Here are some things you can do to prep your body for restful sleeps!
This will help you fall asleep and stay asleep!
Avoid or moderate stimulants:
Coffee, chocolate, Yerba mate, soda, and some teas. No caffeine after 12pm-1pm.
If you survive off of caffeine in the afternoon, it’s ok! Just work towards cutting that down. The more rest you get, the less you will need a pick-me-up in the afternoon. It’s ok to be tired! If you have a job or kids, I can understand you need a little something to keep you going but when you can, try to give yourself a cut-off time before 2pm.
Late-Night Eating:
Where I’m from, we have our on-season and our off-season. On-season, most people are getting home late and eating late. They’re exhausted so they go to bed shortly after. After eating, our body starts to digest the food but this takes time. Going to bed shortly after eating impacts how you sleep. Your body is working hard digesting while you are trying to get rest. Inevitably, it keeps you up and you tend to not rest as well. Try giving yourself 4 hours in-between dinner and going to bed. Dessert and snacks will have an impact on your sleep as well.
Limit Evening Medication Doses:
I know some people have to take medications regularly. Totally get it! But some of these medications keep you wired! Antidepressants, blood pressure medications, dementia medications, antihistamines, glucosamine and chondroitin, and stains. Even B vitamins will keep you up! Before you completely stop any medications, at least talk to your doctor to see if you can find a way to try a different medication or at least change the dose time. Please do not just stop medications without speaking to your health care professional first.
No Alcohol:
Booze may initially sedate but ultimately makes you restless and prevents restful deep sleep. Skip the night-cap and limit the amount of alcohol you consume. In the long-run, it’ll help with more things than just sleep!
Find an Exercise Routine:
It’s time to get moving! Take at least 15 minutes a day to go for a walk, lift weights, or any kind of exercise that you enjoy! This will help release energy from your body so it won’t disrupt you while you sleep. HIIT exercise is the best for overall health.
Destress:
Stress is a major factor in most cases of insomnia. Depending on where your stress is coming from will depend on things you can do to ease these pains. Daily exercise helps regulate stress. Meditation helps you breathe through stressful moments and allows you to connect with the present moment. Journaling about stresses that are in your life or writing down tasks that are stressing you out will help get them off your mind and allow for a tangible way of completing them. Emotional stresses from traumas, current conflicts, or past situations can be regulated through journaling, finding healthy outlets of communicating these emotional stresses or seeking help from professionals. If worries and conflicts clutter your mind when you are about to fall asleep, it’s important to find healthy ways of working through these situations so you can release them and move forward.
Unplug Before Bed:
Avoid all electronics an hour or so before bed and dim the lights. This even means if you wake up in the middle of the night, don’t scroll on your phone, get on your laptop or turn on any LED lights. These things will stimulate the body and mind and make it harder for you to fall asleep or fall back asleep. Try reading a book, drawing, writing, something else that does not involve electronics.
Develop a Sleep Routine:
This can be calming music, a bath before bed, enjoying a cup of tea, meditating, reading, journaling, whatever you’d like to do! Just keep it calm and restful. Just as keeping a bedtime routine for children is important, it’s important to do the same for you!
Have you ever tried one of more of these steps before!? Give these steps a try and see what works for you!
You can also add in some herbs to help relax you!
Here’s a list of herbs that will calm and relax you:
Lemon Balm
St. John’s Wort
Damiana
Vanilla
Turmeric
Chamomile
Lavender
Catnip
Hawthorn
Tart Cherry Juice (no sugar added)
Passionflower
Skullcap
Motherwort
California Poppy
Kava'
Blue Vervain
Passionflower
Skullcap
Motherwort
California Poppy
Kava'
Blue Vervain
These below have a more sedative effect:
Valerian
Hops
Wild Lettuce
It’s a long list of herbs but it’s good to have a variety to see what works for you!
I’ve added some products, below, that I have in stock right now!
Passionflower, Skullcap, and Valerian are brewing right now and won’t be ready for a few months but it’ll be worth the wait!
I hope you enjoyed this email as much as I enjoyed writing it! I’ll be splashing more emails like this from now on!
Sending y'all my love,
Austin💛