Freaking Out? 3 Things to Help you Sleep

Usually these emails start with a list of things in the world that might be keeping you up at night. But at this point, I’ll just say ‘everything’ and get right to sharing three sleepy time soothers you can use for a better bedtime.

1 - Breath
Our breath gives us immediate access to our cardiovascular system, which is taken over by our sympathetic nervous system when stress launches us into ‘fight or flight mode.’ There are lots of different breathing techniques, but my favorite one is ‘Box Breathing’ that Kirstin Lindquist introduced me to in one of her classes. I think of it as ‘rebooting’ whenever my system is going haywire. Anxiety? Can’t sleep? Stop and do 1 to 3 minutes of Box Breathing and you’ll be amazed at the change. Try out our breathe-along video.

2 - Scent
Related to breathing, but not quite the same - I’m talking about aromatherapy! Essential oils are incredibly fast and powerful mood support, and have been studied extensively for their ability to change our brain chemistry and other markers of stress like heart rate, blood pressure and pain. I put a few drops of ‘Sweet Dreams’ blend with lavender, roman chamomile and geranium into the diffuser on my nightstand, or use some rose body oil before getting into bed. Read my article about soothing scents.

3 - Ritual
You can call this magic, or you can call this sleep hygiene! What it means is you have a process for getting into bed that signals to your body and brain that it’s time to wind down and go to sleep. You design this based on what you like, but think about turning off your phone and other devices, dim lighting, an inviting bed that doesn’t have files from work on the nightstand, spiritual practices like meditation or prayer, or music or reading that is soothing and that you save just for bedtime. Experiment with different things, but if there’s just one I’d recommend, it’s turning off your phone!

And of course, there is help and support for anxiety, stress, insomnia and more to be had at Energy Matters, including treatments like Acupuncture and Sound Healing, Qigong classes, herbs and supplements, and on-demand classes like Inner Peace, Outer Peace, The Art of Stressing Less, Rooted Resilience, and Aromatherapy for Stress Relief.

Wishing you sweet dreams,

Kirsten

PS One of our fave herbal stress supports, the gentle herb lemon balm, is the Product of the Month for April. Pick up a bottle for 15% off and make it part of your nighttime ritual.