Unless you can fall asleep on queue, try these bed-time winding-down techniques for a great night’s SLEEP!
Winding Down at Night Can Be HARD!
Isn’t it frustrating to feel exhausted, yet your mind just keeps racing and won’t turn off no matter what? The harder you try to sleep, the wider awake you become. Who hasn’t experienced that? Admittedly, there are just times in life when you’ve got a lot of sh*t going on, and it’s flat out hard to sleep. Been there – totally get it.
I’ve found that the key to getting a good night’s sleep lies in creating your own WIND-DOWN RITUAL. Why? Because in doing so, the body is trained to recognize familiar queues that say “We’re slowing our roll now, Princess!”
Shelli’s Nightly Wind-Down Ritual
Create your own system – you’re the boss of you!!
An Hour or So Before Sleep:
+ Turn-off & store electronic devices.
+ Turn lights down very low.
+ Give yourself Turn-Down service!
+ Take a hot shower with a favorite Spa-Playlist.
+ Transition to Wind-Down space with Pamper Box.
+ Lights-Out!
Winding Down for a Great Night’s Sleep!
Start your WIND-DOWN Routine an 1 hour or so before you want to be ASLEEP! For me that’s 10 pm – because I get up at 5:30am. This means 7.5 hours of sleep, which if you read the piece on Sleep, you know what it does for our mental, physical and emotional health & well-being. Do I always get 7-8 hours? No – I’m not a robot! I probably hit it about 85% of the time but being conscious of sleep’s importance makes me put extra effort into making it happen, as best I can.
Put down the laptop & phone. Turn lights down very low.
Log-off, put away the lap-top, mute the phone. Yes, it’s like prying a steak away from the dog’s mouth – but I make myself do it. Next, turn lights down very low – just enough so you can see. Bright lights are jarring – duh! The absence of light sends a signal to the body that it’s time to rest, whereas bright lights actually inhibit the secretion of melatonin – the hormone that naturally promotes sleep in our body.
Give yourself Turn-Down service!
Just like you’re on vacation! Give yourself turn-down service so everything is ready, when you’re ready to sleep! Turn down bedding, lower lights, spritz bedding and pillows with Lavender Linen Spray. Lavender has been found to increase slow-wave sleep which is important for slowing our heartbeat & relaxing muscles.
Plus, it has soothing properties that can help reduce stress! It literally smells like relaxation in a bottle…. Laying your head on a fresh, lavender scented pillow – you can just feel your body exhale!
I always set bottles of water on the nightstands. I must sleep with my mouth open (that’s attractive), because I always wake up thirsty around 2am. Oh, and a chocolate on our pillows….I’m kidding. Actually, I set ½ a protein bar because I’m a night eater. I know…..ugh.
Indulge in a Hot Shower or Bath + Spa Music
Nothing says ahhhhh….. like a steamy hot shower or bath with a luxurious body wash & body scrub. Water is transformative – it has a way of washing away the cares and stresses of the day. Truth – I’m not a bath person. It takes too long for the tub to fill up (she says, while preaching about winding down….I get the irony).
I love a hot shower, with either a Lavender scented body wash or KAI (smells like gardenias – vacation in a bottle!)….and usually play Spa music – even Oliver likes it! If you have iTunes – search “Spa Music” and it’ll give you tons of playlists. I tend to gravitate to Enya or even Sade. Most. Amazing. Voice. EVERRRR!
A bath-loving friend of mine has a TV in her bathroom, so her wind-down is a hot bath with bath salts, a glass of wine (I’ll bet it’s more like 2 glasses – I know her…) and the remote! It’s whatever you like. You’re the boss of you!
Before getting in the shower, I run my beloved Amope electric foot file all over the bottom of my feet! I freaking love this thing!! It is the bomb.com. It’s like sandblasting your feet into smooth softness and you can literally see the dry, dead skin flying off. I know – gross, but in a good way. This is a summer “must.” It’ll really keep feet pretty & soft!
Out of the shower, I’ll either apply a lightweight body oil to wet skin (super hydrating, seals in the moisture when applied to wet skin) OR I’ll apply a self-tanner. I like both the St. Tropez self-tanning mousse or the Neutrogena Micromist.
I like that the Neutrogena comes out as a very fine mist – and it’s easy to get coverage on your back without help! I just bend forward a little and spray it on my back. Hey – everyone’s got a talent.
Turn-Down & Bath Favorites:
+ St. Tropez Self-Tanning Mousse
Cozy Lounge Wear!
What comes after a hot shower? Cozy jammies!!!! Sometimes it’s my infamous 22-year old USD sweatshirt that’s so worn-out that it no joke feels like cashmere ;-). Couple that with a pair of Oliver’s sweatpants. That’s my birth-control outfit. When I actually don’t want to look homeless, I really love the Barefoot Dreams line of Lounge-wear. Have you tried this brand? It is the ULTIMATE in self-indulgent, luxurious cozy Lounge-wear – hands down!
I discovered it a couple years ago on Oprah’s Favorite Things list – you know, the one she puts out every Christmas? The fabric is thick, soft & cushy – but lightweight at the same time. It’s weird in a good way. Totally cute enough to wear out and about – and soft as butter. I got a pair for my mom and sister & they loved it! We all had to hem the pants so unless you’re tall – that’ll probably be the case. Heads up!
The Ultimate Cozy-Chic Lounge Wear:
+ Barefoot Dreams LOUNGE PANTS
+ Barefoot Dreams LIGHTWEIGHT PJ SET
Next, the Beauty Routine
I’ve been a fan of the Lifeline Skin Care line for about 10 years. I discovered it when we were at the Four Seasons Maui and have been using it ever since. The products contain growth factors from non-embryonic human stem-cells that help to rejuvenate skin. Fair warning – it IS a little pricey, but I swear by this line. I tried using another eye cream for a while, and no joke – I saw a difference. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but my eyes just didn’t look as vibrant. It was weird.
Twice a week I apply a gel masque. My favorite is the SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Masque. It comes in a squeezable tube and is a thick, clear gel. It has Vitamin B5 that promotes radiance and skin tissue repair, plus hyaluronic acid to re-hydrate stressed skin. Chrissy, my aesthetician recommended it to me for home use. The instructions say to wipe it off after 15-minutes, but she said to leave it on all night – because it just hydrates even more so. So that’s what I do, and my skin looks fresh & dewy the next day! Next, I migrate over to my Wind-Down space…..
Beauty Ritual Faves
+ Lifeline MOLECULAR RENEWAL SERUM
+ SkinCeuticals HYDRATING B5 MASQUE
Create a Wind-Down Space to Chill & Watch Nexflix….
I wonder how many people just got that….. I digress. So, I love the idea of setting up a WIND-DOWN AREA for yourself. This is the area you go to every night to just chill and relax after showering – and really let yourself get sleepy and relaxed. It’s set up with whatever you find most relaxing, plus a Pamper Box!
For example, my space is the upstairs retreat which has 2 cozy chaises, fluffy throw pillows and a thick (faux) fur throw, oh – and a nice big flat screen where I hunker down to binge-watch “Scandal” with my SkinCeuticals Masque. Tee he he! In between the chaises is a coffee table where I keep my Pamper Box!
Undoubtedly you’ve got an area in your home that just feels good and relaxes you. Whether it’s an entire room, your bed – or even a cozy chair. Use whatever space you feel most drawn to. It’s all about what makes you feel calm, safe and relaxed.
Add a PAMPER BOX…Cuz You CAN!
A Pamper Box is your own little luxury box filled with goodies that make you feel….well, pampered! Mine is filled with my favorite hand & foot oils and moisturizers, fuzzy socks, a refreshing face mist and my big fat emollient-rich Brazilian Kiss Lip Butter (!!! so good !!!) that I slather on over and over like I have OCD.
The thought behind a Wind-Down area & Pamper Box lies in triggering a mental shift, signaling your body that it’s time to start down the path to sleep. It’s hard to relax in areas of the house where you’re generally working and distracted.
“Scandal” in the Wind-Down Room…then Lights-Out!
BEST PART! With all the lights off, I turn on “Scandal,” to see what Liv and Fitz are up to now. I’m on Season 5, episode 8. I reach into the Pamper Box and massage my feet with a moisturizing Foot Balm, (it’s 100% Organic) – then stuff my fat little piggies into fuzzy socks for the night. This allows the moisturizer to penetrate into the feet all night.
I rub Eve Lom Radiance oil all over my hands & pat some on my face as well. It’s actually marketed for your face BUT it’s so amazing that I like to slather it on my hands at night and let the goodness soak in.
I started using it that way a few months ago and noticed that my hands looks significantly better! It took a few months of diligent use every night to notice a nice difference, but it did happen – so of course I’ll continue with that one.
If you find watching TV before bed too stimulating, try reading a good book or even listening to a Guided Meditation. I started reading a book on Nixon Watergate – that put me to sleep in five minutes every night. Took me 10 years to finish it. ;-/
Pamper Box Goodies:
+ Intensive Foot Balm, 100% Organic
Bedtime
By the time Scandal is over – I’m really tired. I shuffle to the bed, spritz a little more lavender pillow spray and pretty much fall asleep on contact.
Everyone has different schedules and circumstances – this is just my own example that I wanted to share, to give a few good ideas. Ultimately, do what works best for you. Oh – and if you like a little snack before bedtime, try these healthy snacks that actually help with sleep. Sweet dreams ladies 😉
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