Hiya Gorgeous!

When I talk with people about their biggest health challenges, there’s one thing I hear about more than anything else. Sleep! People either aren’t getting enough of it, or what they do get is restless and leaves them exhausted. It’s getting in the way of their work, their health—their entire lives.

Poor sleep hygiene is far more common than you might think. 20-40% of adults struggle with it in some way. In America alone, 70 million people suffer from some sort of sleep disorder.

You can probably relate to this challenge on some level. Most of us know how stressful it can be to toss and turn through even one night of unrestful sleep, and many of us experience it on a regular basis—if not every night.

Here’s the important thing to remember, though: We can get better sleep. It’s totally possible—I swear! That’s why I put this guide together for you.

But first, you might be wondering what I mean when I say “sleep hygiene.” This term refers to the habits that promote high-quality rest, and I think that’s the perfect way for us to start thinking about sleep. Our bodies recover from the day during those precious overnight hours, so we need to start seeing sleep as something we mindfully take care of—as a priority that’s key to our overall health.

Below you’ll find five essential resources to help you build (or improve!) your own sleep hygiene practices. Keep in mind that this is meant to be a comprehensive resource, so don’t feel like you have to go through it all today. I suggest bookmarking this page so you can refer back to it whenever you want!

 

The Ultimate Guide to Better Sleep Hygiene

Foods That Help You Sleep

You heard that right—what you eat during the day has a whole lot to do with how you sleep! Check out this post to learn about the connection between food and your circadian rhythms, and how serotonin and melatonin work together to help you get enough rest. Plus, you’ll find out what to eat for some sleep-boosting magic.

Click here to cook up some scrumptious Zzzs!

How to Use Essential Oils for Sleep

I am a total essential oil nut! These natural plant extracts have lots of wonderful uses, and a few in particular are great for helping you relax and get to sleep at night. Find out which oils you should add to your sleep hygiene routine, plus how to choose and use them!

Click here for a crash course on using essential oils for better sleep.

How to Wind Down Mindfully and Relax Before Bed

If you tend to get squirmy and have trouble settling down when it’s time for bed, this post is for you! Here’s the important thing to keep in mind: What we do in the hours leading up to bedtime can have a huge impact on the length and quality of our rest. So, if you want to set yourself up for sleep success, try one of my five go-to practices to help you wind down.

Oh, and here’s a handy bonus tip: By now you’ve probably heard that you should put down your devices at least an hour before bed. I know it can be hard to stop scrolling and shut off the news, but don’t underestimate the importance of this advice. And if for some reason you do have to look at a screen, I recommend trying out Night Shift (for Apple) or a program like f.lux to adjust the color temperature of your displays to let your eyes rest.

Take your sleep hygiene to the next level with these mindful practices!

The Top 5 Sleep Mistakes (and Solutions!)

This guest post from my good friend Dr. Frank Lipman is a fabulous resource for anyone struggling with sleep. It will help you figure out if you’re sabotaging your sleep hygiene without even knowing it. I was pretty surprised by some of these mistakes when I first heard them, and I have a feeling you might be, too.

Check out Dr. Lipman’s post here to get your nighttime routine back on track.

10 Quick Tips for Healthy and Restorative Sleep

This post is a great one to read if you only have time for a quick overview. First you’ll learn about some of the potential negative impacts of not getting enough sleep (so you’re fully informed!). Then, you’ll get ten straightforward ideas for improving your sleep hygiene. You’ll be able to put some of the tips to use right away and others might take some practice. But don’t feel like you have to do it all—just pick and choose what works for you!

Click here to find out how you can get more restorative sleep!

You’ve got a big, beautiful life to live, sweetheart! You deserve to get great rest so you’ve got plenty of energy and vitality to go after what you want. Take care of your wonderful self by investing in your sleep hygiene and you’ll see the benefits for years to come.

Your turn: Do you ever struggle with sleep? Which tips will you try to improve your sleep hygiene? Let me know in the comments below!

Peace and restful Zzzs,