8 Simple Tips to Get Your Best Night's Sleep!

This post is sponsored by Fabletics. All opinions are my own.

8 Simple Tips to Get Your Best Night's Sleep

While we run around doing many important things during the day, the most important thing of all takes place while we sleep at night. During sleep, our body gets to work regenerating cells, fighting off viruses and infections and repairing parts of our body.

If you get less than 6 hours of sleep each night, your body might not be working at its full potential. It's recommended that adults get 8 hours of deep sleep each night so that their body can restore itself.

Luckily, I have some easy tips that will help you get the most restful sleep imaginable and also help you fall asleep more easily.

1. Avoid Spicy Food and Cheese Right Before Bedtime

This is a tough one for me as I love my apples and cheese as a snack and often times I'm guilty of having it just before bed. But, research shows that spicy foods and cheese can both disrupt sleep patterns. Researchers believe that this is a biological response to foods which the body mistakenly thinks are dangerous. So, if you absolutely must snack before bedtime, stick to healthy fruits and vegetables.

2. Cut Back on the Booze

If you've ever gone to sleep after a few too many, you know how common it is to wake up in the middle of the night feeling dreadfully dehydrated. While some people believe that having a "night cap" will help them fall asleep more easily, alcohol actually inhibits restful sleep as the body struggles to process it through the bloodstream. Sugary alcohol drinks like wine can even result in a sudden burst of energy hours after consumption as the body processes the sugar. I've experienced this myself by waking suddenly only a few hours after falling asleep.

3. Take Up Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to trigger responses in the brain. Certain oils like lavender, clary sage, jasmine, and rosemary have been found to reduce stress significantly and encourage relaxation and deep sleep. Consider investing in an oil diffuser. This device sits on any tabletop and allows you to diffuse essential oil into the air throughout your bedroom while you drift off to sleep. Alternatively, you can place a few drops of your chosen essential oil onto a cotton round and place it next to your pillow.

4. Exercise And Fresh Air

Exercise is a great way to tire yourself out so that your body will be drained enough to fall right asleep. Exercise also reduces stress that can keep you up at night. I personally love HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and hiking. Even a brisk walk in the fresh air outside can do a world of good to relieve stress and have us drifting off to sleep more easily. If I'm exercising closer to bedtime, I love to pop in a yoga DVD. It can be hard to stay motivated, though. A few ways I stay motivated to workout is with cute new exercise clothing, trying out new workout routines, and/or finding a workout buddy.

5. Wear Comfy Clothes

Invest in some comfortable clothes that you can wear while you lounge and sleep. Comfortable clothes that you can wear around the house will keep your body feeling unrestricted, allow proper blood flow and relax your muscles so that you can fall asleep more easily. We've all heard of the current craze over "athleisure wear," and I'm all for it! Who doesn't want to look cute while being comfy at the same time?

Companies like Fabletics offer stylish athletic clothes that are cute enough to lounge around in. Because of the comfortable fabrics, they work great as sleepwear as well. Items like the Analia Short and the Palisades Top are perfect for relaxing comfortably.

6. Drink Herbal Teas

Chamomile and lemon balm teas are two of my favourites to help me unwind before bed. Chamomile tea has been used as a sleep aid for centuries. Chamomile and lemon balm both encourage relaxation of both the mind and body, allowing you to drift off to sleep easily.

7. Take a Hot Bath or Shower

Studies show that sudden temperature shifts make our bodies feel tired. Therefore, try taking a super hot shower or bath right before bedtime. While your body cools off from the hot water, you will feel a sudden sense of relaxation, allowing for a better night's sleep. You can also try turning down the thermostat, which will help with sleep by cooling down your body.

8. Learn How to Let Go of Stress

Even if our body is feeling exhausted, if we have a lot on our mind, it can be very hard to fall asleep. That's why it's important to find a stress-reducing technique that works for you like yoga or meditation. Keeping a notepad by your bed to write down what's on your mind can help free your mind from the worries for the time being. I also find that practising mindfulness by living in the moment can be very helpful. A relaxed mind is much more conducive to a restful sleep.

I hope you find these tips helpful. Incorporating some of these tips into your daily routine should have you drifting off in no time!

Let me know what tips you have to get your best night's sleep!

*This post is sponsored by Fabletics. No affiliate links are used. Always check with your Doctor before beginning new supplements or exercise routines.

Beauty on a Budget: Equate Makeup Removing Towelettes/ Wipes #review

Okay, so where have I been? Or, how come no one ever told me about these? Or, are they brand new?

I was in the market for some new makeup removing/ cleansing wipes. I normally buy the big box of Kirkland wipes at Costco or stock up on Balea wipes when Shoppers Drug Mart has them on sale.

I was at a Walmart in a different town just picking up a few necessities and of course, I had to breeze by the beauty section. And, there were racks and racks of Equate brand wipes. They were in giant boxes for $14, so I had to check them out.

Inside you get 4 full-size packs of wipes, each contains 60 wipes. In total, you get 240 wipes for $14! 

This works out to .058 cents per wipe. Talk about savings!

They are made with chamomile, vitamin E, & Triple Tea Complex.

I find them gentle yet effective. Just as good as any other makeup removing wipe that I have tried! They don't irritate my skin or cause breakouts on my very reactive skin. I was leery because of the price but they proved me wrong. 

They aren't too thin or too small and they are saturated sufficiently. All in all, they take my makeup off just as good as the other wipes I've mentioned.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love my skincare. I spend a lot of money on good quality products, but if I find a place where I can save some money and not sacrifice anything, I'm in!

If you want to save a few bucks (I mean, who doesn't!? It means you can buy more clothes! hehe), give these beauties a try.

What great bargains have you found lately? Please share in the comments.

Amy

xoxo

Things to do when you just can't sleep!

What to do when you just can't sleep!?

I'm sure many of us experience insomnia at some point in our lives. I decided to compile a list of things to do when you just can't sleep. Of course, I wont be able to list every possible thing, but I'll list as many as I can think of and include links where I can. Hopefully this will help some of you. And, of course, please share any suggestions you have.. let's keep the conversation going!

• Prayer
• meditation- just focus on your breath. Also, there are plenty of great meditation tracks on youtube as well as cell phone apps
• count sheep or just count your breaths
• try deep breathing- breathing exercises
• have a calming mantra- a word you find calming and repeat it in your head while you breathe
• listen to relaxing music- calm.com (also for iPhone and android)
• progressive muscle relaxation- or try YouTube
• read a boring book
• listen to a boring book - Audible free trial
• flip through a magazine
• alternate nostril breathing (Nadi Shodhan) - how to or youtube
• gentle stretches- especially the neck
• try a few yoga postures- child's pose and legs up the wall can work well- yoga poses for sleep
• this DVD helped me a lot! It includes: yoga, self-massage, guided meditation and diet tips and recipes- my favourite DVD for sleep & relaxation
• yoga DVD for sleep and relaxation (another personal favourite) - yoga DVD for sleep
• self-massage- especially the neck and forehead and temples
• try reflexology 
• journaling- get your thoughts out of your head- 10 tips
• to-do list- update or make one 
• write down the things you are thankful for
• write an email or letter- if you're upset with someone, write it down (just don't send it!)
• play a game you find boring- maybe solitaire
• massage your earlobes (this is known to induce relaxation)
• easy hand massage (reflexology) 
• try acupressure points for sleep- acupressure
• pet your pet (a proven stress reliever!)
• If you're too cold, grab some socks or a heating pad (just don't fall asleep with the heating pad on)
• watch a boring TV show- I prefer to keep off lights and electronics, but if all else fails..
• have a snack- preferably a protein and carbohydrate mix to get the tryptophan through the BBB (blood-brain barrier)  eg. nut butter with 1/2 slice whole-grain bread, warm milk, sliced bananas in milk, to name a few..
• try golden milk- golden milk recipe
• take some magnesium - natural calm works like a dream!
• sip some relaxing tea- Some of the sleep teas at the supermarket are great, Celestial makes some good ones!
• use essential oils- add to your hand cream or put a few drops on a cotton pad beside your pillow- lavender, jasmine and chamomile are a few good ones. One of my favourites is badger's sleep balm 
• keep some homoeopathic remedies on hand - coffea cruda and bhi calming are good ones!
• inositol powder in some water can do wonders to shut off the mind!- Powdered Inositol
• liquid calcium/magnesium can also work wonders- liquid cal-mag
• clear the clutter, just don't start a full-on cleaning!
• try some melatonin if you have at least 8 hours before you have to get up 1mg time released melatonin helps me!
• if restless legs are keeping you up, you could be low in iron-  make a note to check with your Doctor
• catch up on your favourite blogs or start one!

Lastly, I came across this interesting article on cooling the brain for sleep and decided last minute to add it to this post. I've heard many different thoughts regarding keeping the feet warm vs cool for sleep and similarly with the head. Chinese medicine refers to this a lot.

These are just the things that came to my mind as I compiled this list. It just takes finding the right thing that works for each of us. I hope you will try some of these if they are new to you and hope you find them helpful.  I would love to hear any tips or tricks that you have.

As always, please check with your doctor before implementing any of the supplements I have mentioned.

Sleep well!

xo Amy