Experience More Restful Sleep Tonight
Do you look forward to 6am? Many of us may never look forward to early mornings, no matter how much sleep we get! But early-riser or not, there are plenty of things you can do to sleep better, so you can wake up rested and with more energy to tackle your day.
If you tap snooze a million times and trudge through your mornings feeling low on energy, we’re talking to you! Always feeling tired definitely doesn’t help you perform your best or give you the brainpower (or willpower) to make the most of your day. But there is hope!
Set yourself up for sleep success and take charge of your slumber by trying these trend-worthy sleep essentials for better sleep.
Essentials for a Relaxing Sleep Environment
Is your bedroom a sleep-promoting haven or does it have the ambiance of a walk-in closet? It doesn’t need to be Instagram-worthy, but creating an environment that encourages relaxation can make a huge difference in your sleep quality. If your bedroom isn’t exactly primed for R&R, give it a sleep makeover to set the mood for better rest.
The lighting in your bedroom is a good place to start, because light exposure plays a role in our sleep and wake patterns, and it has a profound impact on our general health and wellbeing.1
Try replacing your bedside lamp with a Himalayan crystal salt lamp, which has a relaxing, warm hue and supports wellbeing. As an added bonus, these types of lamps use the unique power of Himalayan crystal salt to generate negative ions, which may help clean the air and support overall well-being.
Keep blue light exposure to a minimum at night (that includes your phone or tablet) because blue light may impact your circadian rhythm and suppress melatonin production.2 You may even consider getting a sleep mask to help block light out completely while you sleep.
Essentials for a Soothing Nighttime Routine
Sometimes a little predictability can go a long way. Sticking to a nighttime routine will help signal your body and mind that it’s time to relax and sleep.
Create a routine that works for you and that you can consistently follow each night. Dim the lights after dinner to mimic natural light patterns, and put electronic screens away. Curl up with a book, listen to soothing music or maybe even begin a meditation practice.
Add self-care rituals to your nighttime routine as well, like doing some light stretches or taking a relaxing bath. Just make sure to leave an hour between your warm bath or shower and bedtime, so your body has time to cool down before bed.
You could also opt for a soothing foot soak instead, or pamper yourself with a face mask made with activated charcoal or a matcha green tea to detoxify your skin.
Refresh your body and mind with a soaking bath made with Swanson Ultra Magnesium Chloride Flakes sourced from the Zechstein seabed in the Netherlands, one of the world's purest sources, or try Himalayan crystal salt, which is hand-mined from the actual Himalayan mountains for exceptional purity.
Essential Oils for Sleep and Stress Relief
Does stress keep you up at night? Promote relaxation and reduce stress by unwinding with aromatherapy and essential oils. You can add essential oils to an oil diffuser, or use them in baths, sprays, lotions and more as a part of your bedtime ritual.
Make a calming body oil by adding five drops of essential oil to two tablespoons of a carrier oil like sweet almond or jojoba oil to support skin health and relaxation. Or add a few drops of your favorite, relaxing essential oil to a washcloth and put it inside your pillowcase to help promote calmness while you sleep.
Try these essential oils to promote relaxation and combat stress:
- Lavender Oil
Lavender oil has a soothing, floral scent and may help reduce nervous tension - Rose Oil
Rose oil may lift your mood and promote tranquility - Ylang Ylang Oil
Ylang Ylang offers a beautiful scent and may induce a relaxed mood - Chamomile Oil
Chamomile may be a calming scent that helps combat nervousness and agitation - Frankincense Oil
Frankincense may relieve stress and promote a sense of peace and relaxation - Vetiver Oil
Vetiver oil may be a soothing tonic for the nerves and calm the mind - Bergamot Oil
Bergamot oil may be relaxing, help calm emotions and reduce tension
Check out Say Om: 6 Tips to Help You Relax and Reduce Stress for everyday tips to add to your relaxation and nighttime routine.
Essential Herbal Teas for Sleep
There’s something innately relaxing about having a cup of tea any time of day, but some caffeine-free herbal teas are ideal for promoting sleep.
Herbs have been used as health tonics for centuries, and one of the most ancient herbal tonics is chamomile, which helps calm nerves, encourages relaxation and helps promote deep sleep.3
Other sleep-promoting herbal teas include valerian root, lemon balm, passionflower and Tulsi Sleep tea, which is a popular blend. Tulsi Sleep Tea combines many anti-stress herbs, including brahmi, ashwagandha and shankpushpi, with chamomile, cardamom, peppermint and holy basil to create a delicious herbal infusion that promotes calm, restful sleep.
Sleep Supplement Essentials
Looking for supplements that’ll help get you to slumberland? Below we've listed some of the best sleep-aid products, such as melatonin. Your body produces some melatonin on its own when your sleep and wake cycles are on track, but sometimes you might need a little help getting your rhythms back in order, and melatonin supplements may help.4
Magnesium, another natural sleep aid, works double time. Magnesium may help you sleep better at night and have more energy during the day—and not just because you slept better! Magnesium plays a role in cellular energy production,5 and it offers a lot of other perks too.
There are several rejuventating combination sleep supplements available, depending on your personal needs. For example, CBD + Sleep Support offers the benefits of CBD, plus other sleep aids like melatonin and GABA (a compound found in the brain which contributes to a sense of calm).
Another popular supplement is our Comprehensive Sleep Formula which delivers relaxing doses of trusted ingredients like valerian root and melatonin.
Essentials for Better Sleep
Small changes can make a lasting impact on your quality of sleep. Set the stage for a restful night by creating a relaxing sleep environment, starting a soothing nighttime routine and embracing sleep-promoting essentials like aromatherapy oils, herbal teas and natural sleep supplements so you can say goodbye to the snooze button and hello to better sleep!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
About Lindsey Toth, MS, RD
Lindsey is a nationally recognized registered dietitian and nutritionist with a soft spot for ice cream. She empowers people to take charge of their health by finding the balance between the pleasure and nourishment in food. Her philosophy is that you should take care of your body because it’s the only permanent home you have. It’s what inspired her to pursue a career in nutrition.
Sources
1. Light, Sleep, and Circadian Rhythms. PLOS Biology. Read source
2. Blue Light has a Dark Side. Harvard Health Publishing. Read source
3. Chamomile. National Library of Medicine. Read source
4. Melatonin. WebMD. Read source
5. Magnesium. National Institutes of Health. Read source
