Best Sleep of Your Life
/How to get the sleep you crave
Everyone knows that sleep is important.
But with so much to do, how do busy women ensure they get enough shut-eye? I’m sharing strategies I use to engineer the perfect night of sleep—even with small children, including a breastfeeding infant. You’ll want to read, because these are not your typical sleep hygiene recommendations to “go to bed early and at the same time every night.” Ha!
I’ve unpacked so much goodness from my boudoir I had to split it into a 3-part series!
Use them tonight. Thank me in the morning.
Sleep is my drug. And my magic beauty potion.
After four years in the military—in food service, no less—I have an attitude towards sleep that’s like the appreciation you gain for oxygen after too long at the bottom of a swimming pool: I will do anything for it.
This doesn’t mean that I’m particularly good at sleeping, however.
I’m highly prone to insomnia and used to find myself staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m. doing the dreaded “sleep math,” working out how many hours I could get if I just went to sleep right now.
Most busy gals I know feel the same.
So if you’ve ever slogged through the day more like an irritable, bitchy zombie and less like the high-performing woman you are — then try some of my Best Sleep of Your Life hacks tonight.
Note: This email contains links. No, they’re not monetized affiliate links, just helpful links to connect you with some products and stuff I love. Everything you see pictured and linked are items I already own and rounded up just for this article.
It’s all for YOU, my dear reader! Enjoy!
Best Sleep of Your Life: Part 1
Red Light Special
Not that kind of special! I am referring to how I use red light to filter out the insomnia-inducing, sleep-crushing blue light.
By now we all know that the blue light emitted from our televisions, phones, and computers disrupts our brain’s sleep-wake cycle (and if you didn’t know, like how I just told you?! Sorry, the teacher in me can’t stop!). The typical advice is to “turn off devices one hour before bedtime.”
How’s that working out? I think we follow that just as diligently as we adhere to the advice to “get 150 minutes of exercise each week.” Crickets.
I’m not into giving advice that almost no one—including myself—is going to adhere to, but instead, I’m here to offer helpful and realistic solutions. After my children are in bed, that’s my time to:
Watch a basketball game or catch up on my favorite television shows (black’ish and Equalizer, in case you’re curious),
Respond to my mom-group threads,
Listen to podcasts (loving Revolutionary Rising and hello seven),
Unwind with some yin yoga on YouTube, or
Listen to my beloved meditations on Insight Timer.
When using my phone, the app Twilight blocks the blue and allows me to use my device without compromising my ability to fall asleep later. (For you iPhone users, I didn’t forget you. Check out the app f.lux.)
Twilight gives my device a red tint, which is actually beneficial! A study done on hamsters exposed to red light at night had significantly less evidence of depressive-like symptoms and changes in the brain linked to depression, compared to those that experienced blue or white light. See why I said it’s a red light special!
My “Sleep Saviors”
My other hack is to rock these sexy glasses around the house at night, or when I watch television at night. They totally work! My glasses filter out the blue, green and white light.
When I don’t wear them, I find myself wide awake at 10pm, telling myself, “Oh I’m a night owl. THIS is when I work best.” Fallacy! My brain is simply overstimulated.
Grab Your Vibrator!
This time, I really mean that nooky reference. When it comes to getting sweet sleep, an orgasm can be a girl’s best sleep solution. THIS is your body’s natural sleep remedy.
When you have a Big O, you release a cocktail of hormones that helps you feel relaxed and sleep better. What’s the mixology of this magical sleep drink? A few stand-out ingredients are:
Endorphins (the body’s natural pain-killers!),
Vasopressin (counteracts stress),
Oxytocin (the cuddle hormone), and
Norepinephrine, and serotonin (promote REM sleep cycles to help you stay asleep).
Check out some great gecha-there-toys by Dame.
I love this company because it is run by women and they are exclusively for women’s sexual wellness. Plus, they use high-quality, medical-grade materials and their products are researched and engineered for a gal’s pleasure.
The Environment Matters
My sleep space is my sanctuary.
I use relaxing essential oils like lavender or a blend specific for sleep. I use the oils to diffuse for some aromatherapy, or as a spray to mist the air and on my pillow.
Another great way I use essential oils is to add them to a relaxing bath of epsom salts.
The key is to add 6-10 drops directly to the salts (about 2 cups) before putting them into the water. If you add the oils directly to the water they’ll just sit on the surface and you will not get to experience their full power.
Light some tea lights and voila! Your magnesium-filled epsom salt bath is a relaxing, meditative pre-sleep experience that soothes tired muscles and reduces stress.
For my fellow woo-woo peeps, I adorn my bedside with crystals. Here are just a few I own that are thought to support sleep: Amethyst, Labradorite, Sodalite, Rose Quartz, Celestite, Selenite.
This is the end of Best Sleep of Your Life Part 1.
Sleep on what you just learned and be sure to check your inbox on Wednesday for more fun and sleep magic.
Thank you for reading!
If you enjoyed this, please spread the love and share with someone else who could get some sleep!
(The NIH estimates approximately 100 million Americans encounter sleep issues, so surely you know someone who could benefit!)
I appreciate you!
Live well.