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!
Like this blog post?
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!
Give me 24 days and I'll give you better sleep, more energy, weight loss, and stress reduction!
Get Back to Self is my program specifically designed to give you tools to reduce stress and refocus on your body.
We'll work on these 4 areas:
- Breathwork and mindfulness
- Self love/gratitude
- Sleep and restoration
- Unblocking Creativity
Email info@tanyamilano.com with subject "reduce stress" and we can chat about the program to see if it's right for you!
Stress kills! Literally, stress will lead to death. That is if it's chronic and persistent. Here is an excerpt from Medical News Today about cortisol, the stress hormone.
"If the communication between the brain and the adrenal gland is functioning correctly, the body should be able to increase and reduce cortisol production as necessary.
However, levels of cortisol can sometimes remain high even after the resolution of a stressful situation. This can have a negative impact on health.
Having too much cortisol in the blood can be damaging to health, particularly if cortisol levels remain high over an extended period.
Trying to lower stress levels is the best way to lower cortisol. By making simple lifestyle changes to live a healthier, more active life, people can reduce the amount of stress they experience, and keep their cortisol levels normal."
SO, Here's what helped me lose my belly fat!
I started taking Cortisol, a Young Living supplement. I slept better, lost weight, got rid of brain fog, and also stopped overreacting to my children's behaviors.
Also, I do a bunch of other things to keep my cortisol levels in check. They are in my course!
Would you like to participate in my Get Back to Self Course?
Check it out
I'm not usually one to cuss at all, but you HAVE to read the book by Adam Mansbach if you have not yet. And even better is the video of Samuel L. Jackson reading it!
We use breathing to help relax us at bedtime or when we are in need of some calm down time. My daughter and I have made several Bedtime Breathing exercise videos. I hope they are useful to practice and use when necessary!
Rainbow Breath
Ocean Breath
Balloon Breath
Hot Chocolate Breath
Would you like an entire year of yoga videos at your fingertips?
Also, don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel, like, and share the videos so you don't miss a thing!!
May you be well,
Miss Tanya
1. We get enough sleep.
My husband and I do our best to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night.
Here is my blog on how we get a good night's sleep.
Click here to get my free guide to see our bedtime routine.
2. Vitamin D Supplements and time outside (yes, even in the winter!)
These are the supplements that we love! Here are some great things to add to your diet!
3. Vitamin C Supplements and we try to eat and drink fruits and vegetables every day.
These are the supplements that we love! We make smoothies and add lemon to our water very often. Here is a list of foods high in Vitamin C.
4. We use Thieves oil everywhere!
We use the entire line of products daily for cleaning and for our bodies. I carry the Thieves spray with me and my kids use the mouthwash as a spray too. We use it in our throats and mouths to keep from getting sick. The toothpaste has helped my sensitive gums. We diffuse and apply the oil too.
Go here to find the Thieves Starter bundle under other premium starter kits. Honestly, the Thieves starter bundle is an amazing deal. Everything is highly concentrated and if diluted properly lasts a very long time!
5. Probiotics
Would you like to learn more about Thieves cleaning products?
Click here to receive a few emails to learn more!! I love them so much!!
