HERE’S HOW TO SLEEP BETTER – PART 2.

PART TWO OF HOW TO SLEEP BETTER. Welcome back.

If you haven’t read Part 1, go read that first.

As mentioned in the first post, I wanted to be VERY thorough and specific when it comes to sleep, because not only was I having serious sleeping issues, but I got SO many messages from you guys who are also in the same boat as me. And we all want one thing – to sleep better.

Here’s what they say about sleep and mood:

“Studies have shown that even partial sleep deprivation has a significant effect on mood. University of Pennsylvania researchers found that subjects who were limited to only 4.5 hours of sleep a night for one week reported feeling more stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted. When the subjects resumed normal sleep, they reported a dramatic improvement in mood.

Not only does sleep affect mood, but mood and mental states can also affect sleep. Anxiety increases agitation and arousal, which make it hard to sleep. Stress also affects sleep by making the body aroused, awake, and alert. People who are under constant stress or who have abnormally exaggerated responses to stress tend to have sleep problems.” { Source }

Anyway, several reasons were keeping me up night after night. And because I was up tossing and turning, so was Andrew. So, for weeks we kind of had to sleep separately. Him on the couch, me in the bed. And STILL somehow I was not getting proper sleep.

SO, I took to Instagram and reached out to you guys for help. And BOY did you guys help me!! This is why I always say that social media is amazing.

Here’s what you guys said:

• MAGNESIUM GLYCINATE
• 15-20 MINUTES OF DEEP STRETCHING
• MAGNESIUM CALM
• MEDITATION AND YOGA
• CBD OIL
• HOT MILK WITH TURMERIC AND HONEY
• SLEEP APP – SOOTHING SLEEP SOUNDS
• LUSH SLEEPY LOTION
• ASMR
• SMOKE POT
• MELATONIN
• SAJE DIFFUSER
• MAGNESIUM OIL
• WEIGHTED BLANKET
• CHAMOMILE TEA
• LAVENDER PILLOW SPRAY

I was SO happy to see the responses and VERY curious about a few. I’m still working my way through the list, however, a few of these jumped out at me, and I wanted to try them right away.

So, the Endy mattress was the FIRST thing we did to make a change towards better sleep. Read the Endy Mattress review here.

There were a few other things I wanted to try out. Mainly because I want to share what worked for me, and if anyone else is in the same boat, hopefully this helps!

MELATONIN:

Someone had suggested Melatonin for sleeping better. I took it 3 times a week for about a month, and noticed that it really helped! It basically reset my sleep back to normal. I don’t take it anymore, and don’t feel that I need to. However at the time, I needed it almost every other night. It’s a completely natural supplement with no harmful ingredients or chemicals. Of course, I’m not a doctor in anyway, I’m only sharing what worked for me, so before taking anything you should always consult your doctor. I found that melatonin was exactly what I needed to get my sleep back in order.

What is melatonin?

Melatonin is a natural hormone that the brain releases in response to changes in light. It helps regulate the body’s internal clock, signalling that it is time to go to sleep.

How does it work?

Melatonin supplements may improve sleep by boosting melatonin levels in people whose bodies do not produce enough of this hormone. These supplements may also improve sleep in people who produce enough melatonin but still struggle to sleep for other reasons. Melatonin changes how the body responds to darkness, helping it enter a rhythm of nighttime drowsiness. Exposure to light at night — including light from computer and television screens — may suppress the body’s natural melatonin production and disrupt sleep.

Dosage?

The ideal dosage for melatonin varies from person to person. Various factors, such as body weight, metabolism, and overall health, may also influence the way that the body responds to melatonin. { Source }

WEIGHTED BLANKET:

But have you guys heard of weighted blankets?! If you thought it was a total hoax, you are wrong. Let me explain why you absolutely need one of these for better sleep.

What is a weighted blanket?

Unlike a regular blanket, a weighted blanket is filled with hypoallergenic, non-toxic polypropylene pellets. The pellets are sewn into self-contained small pockets that are evenly distributed throughout the blanket. These pellets give the blanket its weight, which should generally be around 10 percent of the user’s body weight, give or take a few pounds depending on the individual’s needs and preferences.

Weighted blankets help us combat the negative impact stress and anxiety have on our lives, our sleep patterns, and everything in between.

In fact, over 76% of people express physical and psychological symptoms caused by stress.

Weighted blankets have been scientifically shown to dramatically reduce stress and anxiety through its natural cortisol reduction effect to go from stress and anxiety to 100% CALM.

Scientific research has shown that deep touch pressure — sometimes called deep pressure stimulation — can create a calm, peaceful feeling that reduces insomnia. In the journal Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 78 percent of participants in a weighted blanket study said that using a 30-pound weighted blanket made them feel calmer. { Source }

NEED I SAY MORE?! I feel like this is just one of those things that you won’t understand until you test it out. Trust me when I say, if you’re having trouble sleeping, you need one of these. I got one sent to me, and then we immediately bought another one for Andrew! They were that good.

Also, you should know that you shouldn’t be sharing weighted blankets. It’s customized to your weight. Most blankets come in 10, 15, 20 or 25 pounds, and depending on how much you weigh, you will get a blanket that fits you and your size.

I’m SO addicted to my weighted blanket! I cannot say enough good things about it. I’ve also made all my friends try it out. It’s helped my sleep so much, and I will probably never go back to sleeping with a comforter again.

SOUND MACHINE:

I feel like I’ve talked about the sound machine a lot on the blog. This is something I have been using for years. It truly helps me sleep better. There’s just something about the white noise that drowns out all the other annoying noises – creaky floor, snoring, ticking sound of a clock, wind, whatever.

The sound machine that I use is also amazing. It’s got 10 different fan sounds and 10 different white noise sounds. It’s also small and compact so you can take it anywhere. It ALWAYS comes with me if I’m traveling or staying at a hotel or friends place. You just never know when there’s going to be annoying sounds around you while you sleep. LOL.

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So, before trying out any of the other things on the list above, I tested out the weighted blanket and melatonin, which 100% help me sleep better. I didn’t feel like I needed anything else.

I would be totally into trying out Magnesium Calm, meditation, and CBD oil next. (If it came to it).

But for now, I feel like I’ve got my sleep in check! Thanks to melatonin, the weighted blanket, a little sleepy tea before bed, and of course, the sound machine.

Do you guys have any sleep tricks that I should know about? Do tell!

Xx, kim

+ If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out 3 Things I Do First Thing In The Morning.

++ And, How I Handle Stress.

SHOP MY SLEEP ESSENTIALS:

 

Photos by Andrew B.