I've never been great at this though I've gotten better with age simply because it can't be helped. Long gone are the college days of functioning on just a few hours of sleep every night for months on end. Nope. This girl as become. I love fresh sheets and weekend mornings when I can sleep in and stay cozy with my pup. Rest is something I've been learning as the years pass and something that has become more valuable to me with time.
As it turns out, there are many many ways to improve our sleep and to wake more fully rested and recharged. Colors and scents and plants and textiles that can give us the most out of our sleep. While I'm still not so crazy about the fact that 8/24 hours are spent unconscious, I can get behind making the most of that time.
Best Plants for Sleep
We all love a good houseplant! It turns out there are some that are particularly beneficial in the bedroom. So next time you hit up your local nursery or decide to do a bedroom refresh, consider finding a home for these guys on your bed side table or dressers. They are all super low maintenance, come in varying sizes, are known to improve the air quality, and to reduce stress and anxiety when inhaled. And even better, none of them are hard to track down or extremely expensive. They are easy and affordable additions to a better night's sleep! We will note here that lavender is a little finicky and requires a lot of light and water and attention. If the lavender plant is a bit too complicated for your taste, we'll hook you up in the essential oil section later on in this post!
Snake Plant
Aloe Vera
Lavender
English Ivy
If you've hung around here long enough, you know that we LOVE essential oils and are always looking for ways to incorporate them into our daily lives. Sleep is a space where these little guys and do a lot of really great things. Here we'll list the best oils to help with anxiety, rest, and relaxation and we're also linking some amazing (all natural) products that we love! Just as a side note, we are aware that there are a lot of great essential oil carriers! doTerra is just a brand that we use a lot and we love to link them for all of the information and additional insight they provide on each oil as well! Consider it a resource!
Sleepy Spring
(sheet and pillow mister)
Lavender (10)
Clary Sage (10)
(top with rose water)
Best Bedding for Sleep
Here's an article we LOVE outlining some steps to the coziest bed ever. Who deosn't want the coziest bed ever? This is an art we've been learning through the years--(Dalayana is further along in the process than I.)
Some of the highlights in this post are:
-Use all the down things ever. Pillows, pillow top covers, comforters, etc.
-When choosing sheets, look at the grade over the thread count and also the material (I prefer high quality cotton and bamboo)
-Use a matress pad with a pillow topper to make the bed extra cushy and cozy
-Keep it neat and cozy but not sterile--apparently there is a very fine line.
-Use lots of layers. Layer pillows and blankets and textures and colors!
Best Color Palate for Sleep
As it turns out, blue is the best color for sleep. In fact, it's scientifically proven to be the most stress relieving, relaxing color. Apparently all those escapes to the sea for vacation are well placed. Sleep studies show that blue, like the ocean and any sort of water scape, is calming and helps people longer and deeper and wake up happier! Here are a few recommended shades--note that this doesn't require repainting your room this weekend--these shades can also be incorperated into bedding, pillows, accessories, etc. Linking the article that also expands on the science behind blue in the bedroom and also some colors to avoid!
Stay tuned for another installment Friday! So much good info out there and we don't want to keep any of it from you!
No comments