Managing Insomnia

Sleep is critical to feeling like yourself. Try going with out it for a couple of nights and you'll know what I mean.

Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to ensure you get plenty of zzz's. Check out my newest Wellness Wednesday video below for my favorite sleepy time tips:

Follow these steps and you'll be counting sheep in no time:

• Train your body to wake up and go to bed at the same time, every day. Establishing a sleep pattern regularizes your circadian rhythms, helps balance your metabolism and your hormone cycles, supports digestion, and is a preventative step against insomnia. We live on this earth and the earth has cycles; everything wakes up with the sun and goes to bed with the sun, so living within these boundaries [or as close as possible] means we maintain our own healthy internal natural balance. 
• The best quality of sleep happens when you hit the hay at about 10pm. It's not the quantity of hours you sleep but the quality we want to aim for, and the best sleep happens at about this time. It's an earth energy thing. Aim for closest to 10pm, latest 12am. Even if you sleep more hours but pass the midnight mark, your body will not feel as rested as if you slept the same or less hours, but went to bed earlier. 
• Establish a nighttime ritual. About an hour before you want to be asleep, turn down the lights and turn up the chill mode. This is the time when you want to be telling your body to prepare for rest, so soft music, a nice bath, calming scents or candles, or making yourself a nice soothing tea are great steps for calming down your body and making a quiet space for yourself. Do these things every night so that when your ritual begins, your body will know it's time to prepare for bed, and you will naturally become tired.
• Night time rituals mean NO electronics. Turn off the TV/put your phone/ipad/computer/video games away. Screens give off blue light wavelengths which mimic noontime light, so while your body is tired after a long day, your mind thinks it is noon and is perked up, ready for activity. This internal conflict means you will be laying in the dark with thoughts that keep you up... which is so frustrating. Instead, turn off all electronics about an hour before bedtime to give your mind enough time to rest and release any tension still on your mind. Emails and Facebook posts will still be there in the morning.
• Limit beverages after sundown to avoid having to get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom. This will help you sleep through the night once you do finally fall into dreamland, and it also prevents disrupting your REM cycles.
• Have your last meal about 3 hours before you go to sleep. Digestion takes up a lot of energy and your body should fully be focused on absorbing nutrients during this time. If you eat and then lay down, your body won't fully be resting nor will it fully be digesting. This leads to stagnation in the body, funky appetites and delayed meal times, and lessened quality of sleep meaning more of a tendency towards caffeine and quick energy sources likes processed sugars. It's easy to fall into this cycle, so avoid it completely by having your last meal about 7-8pm and allowing for proper digestion. *Note: if you do get hungry before bed, warm up almond milk and sip on it during your night time ritual. It will fill your belly but be past your digestive system by the time you lay down.
• Your bedroom should be limited to sleep ONLY. Avoid doing any work, watching tv, or any other activities besides resting..or resting "like" activities. [No clarification needed.

Massaging your feet at night with Unrefined Organic Sesame Oil is the treatment for Insomnia according to Ayurveda. The crazy thing is that it actually works! Take about a teaspoon of sesame oil and rub it on the soles of your feet for a few minutes, and lay down to rest. Doing this consistently will make a huge difference in your quality of sleep and will significantly decrease your sleepless nights.

On that note, I have an exciting HUGE announcement that I am pumped to share with you!

I have created my very own formulation for Insomnia called The Restful Sleep Oil.

This medicinal oil has been infused with a ton of Ayurvedic herbs known to combat insomnia and calm the mind, ensuring you drift off into la la land with ease and wake up feeling refreshed and energized. Nothing will give you more energy than a good night's sleep, and this oil is the tool that will get you there. Now Available in the Wellness Shop [here!]

As I mention in the video, there are lots of herbs you can take to help you sleep as well, such as the Deep Sleep Formula [here] or something to be made a little more specific for you too. Please consult with a Health Practitioner before taking anything unfamiliar or funky. I am always here to help and if you have any questions or need further suggestions, write to me here.

Wishing you a lots of sheep counting!

xo