1. Take a detox bath – This has been my go-to remedy recently for a good night’s sleep. I absolutely love taking baths, and have been using epsom salt lately in most of them. It helps with sore muscles and begins the muscle recovery process after a long day. (Add wine for best results- to drink of course!)
2. Drink your favorite bedtime tea – I’m a sucker for a good cup of chamomile tea with honey. It’s so soothing and the perfect drink to de-stress. When looking for teas to help you relax, go for anything with lavender, valerian, peppermint, or rose in the ingredients!
3. Read a good book – I’m always reading a few different books at a time, but before bed I like to ready anything that puts me at ease or brings relaxation- i.e. anything that doesn’t make me think too hard since I’m prepping for bed. A few that I’m loving: (Bridget Jones – Mad About the Boy, #girlboss, Captivating, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? )
4. Turn on a relaxing playlist – I’m constantly playing music in my apartment, and I’ve been gravitating towards several playlists on Spotify. One of my favorite playlists right now is ‘The Most Beautiful Songs in the World’. (I actually passed out without meaning to while listening to this the other night!) You can also hit browse and click on the ‘Sleep’ Section in Spotify for great options!
5. Go to bed at the same time every night – Now I know this can be hard because each day brings different activities and events. (I should know, I live in NYC and when I think I’ve got my day planned something new always comes up!) It’s great to at least try to hop in bed at the same time every night. It sets a routine, and helps you to become accustomed to getting your sleep schedule on track. This goes for waking up at the same time every morning as well!
6. Work it out – Okay, so I’m not one to comment much on this topic simply because I’ve been so bad at getting myself to the gym recently! But… I will say, that every time I workout in the evenings I ALWAYS sleep better! (My favorite workouts: Yoga, Pilates, Walking/Jogging)
7. Eat a good dinner – I always tend to get so tired after I’ve had a big meal. Any time that I eat a big lunch, the first thing I want to do afterwards is take a nap! It’s no different with dinner! Indulge in a delicious meal, and float your way into some much needed zzzzzzzzzz’s.
8. Call a close friend or family member – Sometimes with the craziness that a full day can bring, it’s nice to be able to unload with someone who cares about you. I call my mom almost everyday, and tell her everything. Good day or bad, I always feel better once I speak with my mom.
9. Prepare everything for the next day the night before – I rest easy when I know that everything I’ll need in the morning is already prepped and ready to go when I wake up. That means all I need to do when my alarm goes off is shower and get myself ready for the day before I step out the door! {Since I prepped the night before!} — (Prep your lunch, set your coffee machine to brew a pot in the a.m., and plan your outfit the evening before!)
10. Unplug – This is a big one, and can be sooo hard at times. I’m constantly checking through emails, updating things for the blog, texting friends, etc… It’s important to put your mind at rest and allow your body to relax before you drift off to sleep. At least 30 min before bedtime, it’s great to set your phone, laptop, and any other device aside before you go to sleep. Placing it far from your bed will also help to avoid temptation to reach for it in the middle of the night, and will keep from disrupting your sleep.
Now here’s to some great zzzzzzzzzzzz’s!
xoxo
