Certified Holistic Nutritionist and friend, Jass is stopping by the blog today to discuss SLEEP! Jass is passionate about health and wellness, and she’s the person I often reach out to when I have random questions about my health, whether it relates to migraines, eating a balanced diet, or supplements. Jass is pretty much the best…and if you don’t already follow her on Instagram, you should because she shares amazing advice as it relates to wellness and nutrition over there. I’m super excited that Jass is talking all about SLEEP today, so read on if you’re struggling with your nighttime zzz’s!
Hey everyone, Jass here!! So….let’s be honest, most of us aren’t getting the eight hours of sleep our doctors tells us to get each night. And even when we ARE getting eight hours…it may not be restful. As a society, we focus a lot of our attention as it relates to health on diet and exercise, but we often forget to count sleep as one of the most important aspects of our overall wellness.
For many of us, getting a full eight hours of restful sleep can be extremely hard. Whether you’re a mama who has a waking baby, or you’re finding your stress levels keep you from ‘shutting off’ at night, lack of sleep can feel crippling.
Luckily, there’s a lot we can do to create a better sleep routine for ourselves, and we can actually make it one of our most enjoyable moments of the day if we start building out a new evening routine.
Here are my top 5 tips for creating a relaxing nighttime routine:
No electronics one hour before bed. This means the laptop gets shut down, the TV is off, and the phone goes away. Trust me, I know how hard this can be and it’s so much easier said than done, right?! But, here me out because it truly makes the world of a difference.
When we’re on electronics all day and night, our bodies are constantly in fight of flight mode, which is a period of high stress. As well, the blue light from your device can suppress the sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin, and can also increase cortisol and ghrelin; our stress hormone and appetite stimulating hormone.
You may think that peaking at your phone thirty minutes before bed won’t really have an impact, but save that new Netflix episode for daytime watching instead!
Go for a nighttime walk. This is a favourite of mine! I personally love bringing my little pup with me, no phone in hand. Fresh air helps the body create more space for relaxation. You will find that after an evening walk, your body will naturally begin to zen out and it will end your day on a calm note. For added benefit, leave your phone at home and be mindful of the smells, sights and sounds around you – make it your form of meditation!
Drink a nighttime tea. I am a huge fan of teas for many reasons, but I especially love them in the evenings. There’s just something so calming and soothing about sipping on a warm team while getting ready for bed.
Some teas that will help you relax and aid in better sleep are: Passionflower, skullcap, or lemon balm. I get my teas from the health store and my favourite brand is Traditional Medicinals! A little tip – adding raw honey to your tea can actually help you sleep. The natural sugar found in honey raises our insulin levels just slightly and allows tryptophan (the compound famous for making us sleepy after eating turkey at your family holiday gatherings) to enter our brains more easily. So…add a spoonful of honey to your tea for added sleeping benefits!
Create a bed time skin care routine that you love. This one is huge for me! I find that when I’m super tired, the last thing I want to do is go into the bathroom to remove my makeup and cleanse my face. But once I began seeing this routine as self care (me time), I really started to look forward to this little step before bed. Cleansing and exfoliating is a great way to prep the body to reduce stress and calm down.
Start a Gratitude Journal. Many of us do this in the morning to limit spikes in stress, but I truly think it’s just as beneficial before bed. When you prepare for sleep with a peaceful mind, those subconscious thoughts can help reduce stress levels and as a result, increase the quality of your sleep. Begin by asking yourself what and who you are grateful for. Create a habit of doing this and your thought patterns will begin to change, which could very well affect your overall sleeping patterns.
I hope these little tips help you create a bedtime routine that helps you catch those zzz’s! I would love to hear your favourite tips, so share with us below!
Love, Jass xo