Coat: Revolve (similar here); Pants: Zara (similar here and here); Boots: Revolve
Let’s talk sleep, k? Look, being told to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night is nothing new. And more often than not, a lot of you probably ignore that advice. I know I sometimes do. But here’s the thing, sleep is a beauty hack. Listen, it’s not called beauty sleep for nothing. And I don’t care how busy you are, if you’re sacrificing on sleep, you’re contributing to premature aging.
Here’s why you need to prioritize sleep:
- When you’re exhausted and sleep deprived, your brain behaves the same way you do when you’re drunk – that’s right, little self-control, inexplicably emotional, and obviously not in a sound state to make important decisions
- Your body repairs itself when you sleep through the release of HGH (Human Growth Hormone). HGH contributes to a healthy metabolism and enhances physical performance
- Sleep is super important to the body’s ability to use insulin and regulate blood sugar
- When you’re sleep deprived, your body produces more cortisol (stress hormone), which throws your body completely off balance and ages you majorly
I mean honestly, I can go on and on, but you get the point. Sleep is super important and something that should be a priority. But obviously considering our culture of doing ALL the things, sleep is one of the first things to go. Or worse, you go to bed at a reasonable time, only to have the worst sleep ever. For a while, this kept happening to me, and I decided to experiment with what I was doing before bed, only to realize 3 specific things really help my quality of sleep, which I obviously had to share.
1. No screen time at least 30 minutes before bed
You guys have no idea how big a difference this has made. First of all, blue light suppresses the amount of melatonin your body produces. Melatonin is the hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Aside from this, when I’m on my phone before bed, be it Instagram, emails or even writing a blog post, my mind is just going. I don’t want my mind to be busy before bed. Similarly, if I watch a movie before bed, I feel like my mind is too active to fall asleep immediately. Instead, put away your devices 30 minutes before your bedtime and curl up with a good book. One thing to note, if you’re reading, opt for a fiction book that isn’t too taxing on your brain. I promise you, it’s a game-changer.
2. Have some magnesium
If you didn’t catch my podcast episode with Dr. Natalie Mulligan, she talks about how magnesium is one of the supplements everyone should be taking. It’s something that’s needed for all our vital functions, and more often than not, we’re deficient. Magnesium is also one of nature’s most powerful relaxants. I feel ready to pass out literally minutes after taking magnesium. I personally love Natural Calm. Their raspberry-lemon flavour is like a little bedtime treat.
3. Aromatherapy
Adding to this relaxation theme, aromatherapy is the perfect way to get your body prepped for a restful sleep. You can do aromatherapy in so many ways. If you have a diffuser, Saje has a ton of amazing blends specifically for sleep. You can also mist your pillow with a lavender spray or light your favourite candle. What I like to do is rub the Saje stress release oil on my temples. There’s something about the smell that makes my worries melt away.
Do you guys have any tips to get a restful sleep?
Also, if you don’t already have a morning routine, check out why I write morning pages everyday, and everything you’ve wanted to know about bulletproof coffee (your new fave drink).