sweet dreams

Sleep. I need some.



I've been teaching early morning yoga class all week, which means my own yoga practice gets bumped up an hour, to 5 AM. Wouldn't it be nice if I could align my bedtime with my change in morning schedule?

There's little separation between my work life and my personal life which means that sometimes I have trouble winding down in the evening.

These are a few things I do which help me feel more restful in the evening:

no caffeine after 2pm, no computer/ipad/cellphone after 8pm

a few gentle, restorative yoga poses, like supta baddha konasana or viparita karani

a mug of warm milk with a pinch of cardamom and a dash of maple syrup

rubbing coconut oil into the soles of my feet, and then pulling on a thick pair of cotton socks

steaming up the bathroom, with a warm shower or bath

calming scents like rosewater or lavender essential oil (put a few drops under your pillow!)

a cup of chamomile tea

If I start preparing myself ahead of time, I find I have less trouble falling asleep at night. It still happens, I stay up to late, I check my email on my phone in the bedroom, I'm all wound up. But usually I know why I'm having trouble, and I try to take better care of myself the next evening.

I'd love to hear your tips for getting a good night's sleep. Let's put our heads together and make space for rest and sleeping.

P.S. that dreamy photo is not of me, its of Christie, a health coach I photographed last week. I loved her pink eye mask. I should at that to my list!