sleep essentials

sleep is everything. getting a good night's sleep is a pure luxury and something I have grown to be selfish about overtime. I used to beat myself up over sleeping in on the weekends, thinking I was unproductive or lazy for having slow mornings, but by allowing myself the space to be, I’m able to recharge from the chaos of life. there will always be a million things to do, but prioritizing your downtime is the only way you will get to even half of the things. I wish I embraced that more in the past but I now make it a priority so in order to ensure a quality night’s rest, I try to create a routine to get my mind to start to relax before I actually get into bed.

I try to stay away from melatonin because it really messes with my hormones. the best all natural sleep remedy I’ve found that works for me is Well Told Health's sleep booster.* it’s only made of organic lemon balm and organic raspberries in vegan capsule shells.

I also take a magnesium citrate supplement because it helps the nervous system calm down and increases muscle relaxation. on days I feel like I really need to calm down, I take a scoop of this magnesium powder into hot water before bed. it also helps mobilize your digestion for the morning, if you get my drift. I like the lemon or plain flavor.

I also use Neom Organics’ Perfect Night’s Sleep magnesium body butter all over my body for an instant zen. if I am up for it, I use a guasha right below my collar bone. my acupuncturist did this movement on me during a session and it released so much tension. when I do it before bed, my shoulders are no longer tight. I love the facegym one, which I also use on my face of course.

I also use the Prima R&R cream if I have sore muscles from working out; it works wonders.

for me, night hand cream is a must before bed, especially during the winter months. I have to admit my mom turned me on to this hand cream after I had introduced her to the Neom brand. she is always on the hunt for the best hand creams and swears by this one, and now I do too. it is made with cocoa and shea butter and blended with essential oils. I’ve also been liking the Sidia hand serum.

another thing I didn’t know I needed but is now essential to moisturize and protect my feet, especially during winter months, is Ten Over Ten’s foot balm. I love how this product is so seamless to use.

lighting a candle can trigger my brain to immediately go into calm mode, so I try to always have one lit either in my room or bathroom as I get ready for bed. I like to put Neom’s lavender candle in my bedroom for heightened restfulness.

lastly, I put on some good old aquaphor to keep my lips nice and moisturized while I sleep.