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Sleep is probably one of the biggest requests we get for support. Everything about modern culture disrupts our sleep cycles. From the chemicals we take to late night scrolling and devices, to stress and overwhelm. It all keeps us from getting our deepest sleep which creates a vicious cycle of depression, anxiety, vitamin deficiency, etc. We know, as sleep has been a challenge for Alicia over the years, and although her active mind can sometimes get in the way regardless, below are some of the techniques and products that have been helpful to achieving optimal sleep. James on the other hand sleeps like a mummy. I know, we are all jealous.
sleepy time
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our bedtime routine
This probably won’t surprise you, but we have a fairly extensive bedtime routine. We call it our bedtime interpretive dance. One day we will invent a helmet to do it all at once!
Until then… first we neti-pot with homemade nasal solution made of 2 parts sea salt and 1 part baking soda (we love Red Mill brand). Then we floss with our new favorite floss, brush our teeth with Ayurveda toothpaste, wash our faces or use toner and our favorite is to end with Toups & Co Frankincense Beef Tallow Moisturizer.
Then we get in bed and eye mask up. The eye mask has been a pivotal addition to our sleep routine. Blocking out 100% of the light while sleeping facilitates your circadian rhythm to better support sleep. We do our bedtime breathwork and gratitude, and then off to zzzz land.
A key component of our sleepy time routine is our morning routines. We put our feet on the ground EVERY morning first thing when we wake up and get sunlight in our eyes within an hour of waking, even if you have to go on a walk to do so. Even looking at the sky can be helpful. This resets your circadian rhythm letting your body know it’s time for the day and help with deeper sleep at night.
We believe our daily morning Wim Hof Method also facilities deeper sleep at night.
Our bodies are fined tuned intelligent machines that are meant to be in rhythm with nature. These elements help our body to what they are born to do.
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all natural sleep products
We have an amazing line of natural sleep products that many find to be beneficial. Click below to see the lines that do best at our store, Oasis Botanical Lounge, and we offer for sale on our website. One product that many use to facilitate sleep is Melatonin. Yes, it can be beneficial, but it has some side effects that science is uncovering, in particular heart damage. It is a powerful hormone that is not recommended to take for long periods of time. You want to find ways for your body to naturally produce melatonin, like wearing 100% red light blocking glasses after 7pm.
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blue light blockers
Evening exposure to blue light sends a “daytime” signal to the brain, which may disrupt the body’s natural sleep cycles. The biggest sources are the devices we use every day — computer screens, phones, LED lighting, TVs, and even the light inside the fridge all emit high levels of stimulating blue light.
Even small amounts of blue light may interfere with melatonin production and impact circadian rhythms.
Blue light blockers have been a game changer for Alicia.
There are a lot of glasses promoting blue light blocking. True 100% blue light blocking doesn’t happen unless the glasses are 440nm or more. Be mindful of this when considering true blue light blockers for night time use. If you aren’t getting 100% blue light blocking, then they will not work.
To be successful with blue light blocking with night time lens, you start wearing them as soon as it gets dark or at least 4 hours before you plan to go to bed.
Bedtime Breathwork
As we lie down for bed, with our eye masks on, we take 5-7 deep breaths emphasizing the out breath for at least two count longer than the in breath. This helps to slow the heart rate down, clear the mind, and calm the body. We then go into giving thanks for everything we can think of to end our day in gratitude. Asking for guidance and clearing. Followed by 5 - 7 deep breaths. Usually by the end of the last breath cycle we are asleep or close to it. If still pretty awake, try breathing 5 inhale count and 6 out breath count. If you are struggling with sleep, see our sleep page.
