Hello hello m’fitties!
Tonight, I’m sharing with you some of the essentials I have for sleepytime. I like to always wind down before I sleep with a routine so that my body and mind knows it’s time to tone it down. It’s also a good way to de-stress and reflect on the day.
Erin condren life planner: every night I write down my exercise, food intake, water intake, and errands to run. Keeping a food diary really keeps you accountable! Plus, it’s so pretty, who wouldn’t want to write in it? Each week, I also write down a goal. For example, this week, I’m going to measure all my food out. (If you guys are interested, I could definitely do an in-depth post on how I use my fitness planner to motivate me)
Gratitude Journal: Another journal I use each night is the 5 minute journal. Did you read about how it’s been changing my life yet? My 2016 goal is to have more gratitude in life; what better way to do so than to count my blessings? I write down 3 awesome things that’s happened that day and some ideas on how I could’ve improved the day.
Progesterone Cream: This helps me sleep, and every night I rub this on part of the body where lots of capilaries lie(the areas of exchange between cells delivering oxygen and cells traveling back to the lungs to replenish oxygen). This often includes the wrists and neck. Sometimes I wake up around 3-5am and can’t fall asleep until 2 hours later, and that’s partially due to my hormone imbalance. Specifically, low progesterone causes this. Low progesterone also causes hot flashes and anxiety. I unfortunately purchased one with soy as an ingredient, which I generally avoid but I would recommend this one if you’re thinking about purchasing one.
Aromatherapy Diffuser: As mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been getting more into essential oils. This diffuser allows me to add water and the oil of choice and create a mist of aroma. The best ones to use for sleep is lavender, but sometimes I use peppermint because I love the smell so much. The one I use is really beautiful and called the Ultrasonic Wood Grain Diffuser from NOW foods. I call him Ooh. 🙂
Magnesium Glycinate: not pictured here is the magnesium glycinate I take each night. I take about 300-400mg and it helps with sleep, muscle relaxation, anxiety, and plays a role in many functions in the body. Magnesium is often buffered out by carbohydrates, and 54mg is used to process 1 gram of carbs. Most people are deficient in magnesium. I take only glycinate because it’s the most absorbable form.
Twilight: Another feature not listed here is the red-headed emitted through my phone. I use this to help with sleep. You see, blue light emitted through technology disturbs sleep; but red light does less harm. My screen glows red as soon as it hits sundown and remains an intensity of red (which you can adjust) until sunrise. How sweet is that? Sweet dreams-sweet! Check it out for yourself here.
Yoga: And not an “essential”, but rather a routine, I sometimes will take 5 minutes to just stretch out. Some good poses involve happy baby and plow pose. You can see some of my favourite stretches here!
Tea: If I’m not too lazy, I make some tea and drink it as I write my journals. This one is from Celestial Seasonings.
How I usually go about my night is like this:
- Watch America’s Next Top Model or YouTube Channels for 45 minutes, all the while I am also:
- Check my phone for notifications
- Writing in my journals, applying creams
- Put on night time contacts
- Play a health podcast as I fall asleep (sleep timer on for 15 or so minutes, which means that it’ll automatically shutoff by itself after 15 minutes)
I also use a sleep mask because my room has no curtains and light pollution spills through the windows during the day and night, so my room is never 100% completely pitch dark.
Do you use any of my essentials? How long does it take you to fall asleep? Do you have problems sleeping? Do you have any sleep rituals?
