I'm a dreamer, and I love dreaming BIG!
With that said though, I often get stuck in my own head with worries and fears that don't even exist.
Once I learned to pay attention to where my energy was going, it helped me realize that the overwhelm would come in waves so I need to play with it until I let go of the fear of stepping out when paralyzed by fear.
Now when things feel overwhelming or if my mind goes into overdrive with worry about what could happen tomorrow (or worse). . . today...I take time to breathe or meditate while feeling safe and loved.
When you take care of yourself first you're able to take care of others and make yourself happy doing it!
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From pregnancy to little kids waking up all hours of the night and work stress on top of dealing with grief, I have experienced plenty of nights where sleep was not good!
Here are 5 things that have helped me sleep better.
- Choose a bedtime and stick to it even on nights when you don't have to work the next day. Adults should get at least 7 hours of sleep for proper rest and recovery. Our bodies need this time to recover and rebuild. Getting sufficient sleep has been linked to lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and obesity.
- Set a routine. Don't eat anything for 2-3 hours before bed. I often drink herbal teas like these. This can help reduce indigestion and heartburn. (If this is a problem for you, I have more suggestions when you want it.) For the hour before bed, turn off all screens. Screens stimulate the brain and make winding down more difficult.
- Get enough exercise during the day. Even just a 20 minute fast walk will work wonders. If the day is very busy, use this hour to do a wind down yoga routine like this one. This will greatly reduce stress being stored in the body.
- Take supplements. There are plenty of supplements that aid in better sleep. You have to find the ones that work best for you. Magnesium, melatonin, ashwaganda, valerian, and lavender are all great options to try. Personally, I have some favorite supplements that work best for me when I'm having a particularly difficult time. I also have a daily antioxidant juice that I love and gives me so much energy without caffeine or anything artificial.
- Having a relaxation activity before bed. I always have to read for at least 20 minutes before my eyes are tired enough to relax. Other things that assist me with relaxation are baths with Epsom salts (magnesium) and essential oils, tea, and a mindfulness activity like this eye relaxation.
(The first exercise begins with the eyelids open, the head and neck still, and the entire body relaxed. Picture a clock face in front of you, and raise your eyeballs up to 12 o'clock. Hold them there for a second, then lower the eyeballs to six o'clock. Hold them there again. Continue moving the eyeballs up and down 10 times, without blinking if possible. Your gaze should be steady and relaxed. Once you finish these 10 movements, rub your palms together to generate heat and gently cup them over your eyes, without pressing. Allow the eyes to relax in complete darkness. Concentrate on your breathing, feel the warm prana emanating from your palms, and enjoy the momentary stillness.
Follow this exercise with horizontal eye movements—from nine o'clock to three o'clock—ending again by "palming" (cupping your hands over your eyes). Then do diagonal movements—two o'clock to seven o'clock, and 11 o'clock to four o'clock—again followed by palming. Conclude the routine with 10 full circles in each direction, as though you are tracing the clock's rim.)
I hope that any one of these can be implemented for you and some improvement is noticed. Forming new habits is helpful if you try one at a time for at least a week. Then, add in new changes one step at a time.
Want a coaching program to get you back to feeling like yourself? It includes more videos like this one!
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You will also like my free guide where I give you my favorite sleep inducing oil recipe: 3 Ways to Live Simply When Life Gets Complicated!
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My Story:
I've never liked the idea of dieting, buying low fat, or putting some sort of metabolism boosting pill in my body. But, after 2 kids and realizing that I needed to do something differently besides exercise more, I was attracted towards Intermittent Fasting. My yoga teacher and mentor had been posting about her journey on Facebook and she inspired me to try it. I began January 2019. Read to the end to find all the resources that I used on my journey.
Here are the WHYs:
- What I love--There is no guilt for eating at parties, holidays, drinks with friends or dessert just go back to your schedule the next day.
- I can be flexible with my schedule--There are always changes throughout the week whether it's work, brunch, dinner parties, birthday parties, etc.
- Fasting helps with my blood sugar levels--no more hangryness. I was known for this growing up--hell, into adulthood too!
- I sleep better--I notice a difference when I slip up or want to have a late night drink or party.
- My anxiety is better and that's probably because my blood sugar is more level. I don't use sweetener or eat carbs in the morning. And strive to just eat them once per day.
- Fasting helps me to make better choices with the food that I do put into my body during my eating window. See below from Dr. Jockers about an anti-inflammatory diet. I strive to eat as healthy as I can and love so many of these foods, but life gets so busy sometimes and I just love to have special treats here and there. Ningxia Red antioxidant juice ensures that my body gets what it needs even when I'm busy or not making the best choices!
An anti-inflammatory diet should include these foods:
- tomatoes
- olive oil
- green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards
- nuts like almonds and walnuts
- fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines
- fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges
Once the body is properly trained, most people are able to easily do a 16-18 hour fast everyday. The easiest way to do this is by missing breakfast to extend the overnight fast. Have a light lunch or mid-afternoon snack and then a large dinner. For many, they feel so great doing this that they choose to never go back to eating any differently. If you prefer to eat breakfast and lunch and fast through dinner that works great as well!
WANT TO LEARN MORE about Fasting?
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Or Check out these more in depth options:
Grab the Free PDF 15 Ways to Build Self compassion here
