It’s no hot-take that sleeping is crucial to our overall health and well-being. I know personally the difference between how I function on 4 hours of sleep compared to 8 hours of sleep is drastic. I have always valued my sleep and prioritized going to bed early rather than staying up late. But what happens when you go to bed at 10pm, knowing you have to get up at 6am, and you lay there for hours, tossing and turning and not being able to sleep? About 6 months ago I started struggling with insomnia. I know how many people suffer from insomnia and I also know first hand how much it can affect other aspects of your life. I wasn’t looking for a quick fix like prescription sleeping pills, I wanted a long term solution that would beat my insomnia. So I did some research, did some trial and error, and finally came up with a routine that has worked every since. I’m going to lay out for you the tips and tricks I use to get to sleep every night. Fair warning not all of these things individually will work for you, but I encourage you to try a few of them out and create a routine for yourself. Remember prioritizing your sleep and taking charge over your rest is a significant form of self-care.

• Use your nose: Every night before bed I diffuse my Goodnight essential oil from sage. By using the same scent (essential oil or candle) every single night right before bed, my body and brain recognize the scent and associate it with sleep. Just make sure you don’t use that scent any other time than right before bed. When I turn on my diffuser and smell the oil I can feel my body immediately relax.
• My bed is only for sleep: I used to lounge in my bed for a few hours before I went to sleep. Now I only go into my bed when I am falling asleep, lights off, no phone, eyes closed. Again my body associates my bed with “it’s time to go to sleep”.
• Meditation: Meditating can be a bit daunting for some, I prefer to use an app with guided meditation. My favourite app to use for a quick 10 minute meditation right before bed is headspace. Doing this quiets my mind and helps me let go of the day.
• CBD oil: I have found a few drops of a hemp derived cbd oil helps calm my mind and my body. My favourite CBD oil to use is the feelcbd sleep drops.
• Sleepy time Tea: Before bed each night I like to drink a cup of sleepytime tea (or chamomile) while I read a chapter of a book, or watch an episode of Netflix.
• Exercise: This one may not be what you want to hear, but I can not stress how much this has changed the game for me. I try to go a fitness or yoga class every other day. If you don’t have access to a gym or a fitness studio try looking up some youtube yoga flow demonstrations you can do in your house. Even 30 minutes of exercise will help release tension and stress out of your body.

Thank you for taking the time to read, I hope you found these tips helpful.

Now go get some well needed BEAUTY SLEEP!