The Importance of Quality Sleep

I recently learned from the lovely ladies at Yoga Den in Geneva, Illinois, that March was Sleep Awareness Month. I am a self proclaimed granny and cherish my sleep! Plus, I felt so inspired by what I learned in the essential oils vinyasa flow class that I decided to create a monthly Health & Fitness blog! :)

So, here goes my first one! Let’s talk sleep!

Sleep and why is it so important?

The quality of your sleep can affect your whole life! Sleep is essential so everything in your mind and body can work properly. Your performance at work, home, your mood, and memory can all be related to how well (or unwell) you sleep.

Benefits of Sleep

• Boost immune system

• Strengthen your heart

• Better mood

• Increase productivity

• Improves memory

• Regulates metabolism

• Lowers stress/anxiety

• Reduces inflammation

• Healthy digestive system

How to set yourself up for success

Taking necessary steps like practicing yoga, using essential oils and meditation to help you sleep better can drastically increase your mood, and overall well-being. Through certain yoga postures, stretches and movement, your body is able to release stress and tension you store in your body. While using certain essential oils with the chemical makeup of calming, restful, grounding, effects will help support your mind and body to shut everything off and rest.

General tips courtesy of DeeDee Mehren with FeedMBS

• Get exercise during the day

• Try to stick to a consistent bedtime and wake up time

• Ditch the screens early in the evening

• Stop eating 2-3 hours before bedtime

• Do a mental dump before starting your bedtime routine

• Idea: Jot down thoughts in a journal and/or meditate.

• Establish a relaxing bedtime routine

• I personally like to read and drink chamomile tea.

• DeeDee recommends a warm bath with epsom salts (check out Magnolia Soap & Bath) and a lavender candle (check out Scentcerely Yours)

• Sleep in a cool, dark room

• Avoid the nightcap

• Go sit in an infrared sauna at Sage Healing Collective

• It lowers cortisol levels for a deeper, more peaceful sleep.

Learn more about certified nutritionist and health expert, DeeDee and FeedMBS.

Yoga Poses to improve sleep

• Prasarita ~ wide legged forward fold. Take your legs wide, pivot your toes in heels out and fold down to center. Reach your hands for your ankles and fold

• Pigeon pose ~ one leg forward bent at 90 degrees, length back leg folded over bent leg.

• Savasana ~ Corpse pose laying flat on your back palms down by your side turned down towards floor

• Legs up the wall~ lay with your sit bones pressing close to the wall lengthen your legs up the wall laying flat on your back

The instructors at Yoga Den would be happy to help you with these poses along with many others in one of their classes that focus on R&R like Reconnect or Restore. Check out their class schedule here: Yoga Den Class Schedule.

Essential Oils used to help relax and calm our bodies

Adaptive: Calming Blend

A perfect blend of rosemary, magnolia, lavender, Neroli, copaiba, wild orange and sweet gum, this blend will settle your racing thoughts, calm your nervous system, release the tension and stress from your day and any lingering restlessness. Apply 3 drops to the back of your neck before bed!

Click here for more information

Roman Chamomile:

It has a floral sweet, herbaceous scent that is extremely calming to your entire system! Diffuse in your bedroom, apply 3 drops on your chest, or drink 1-3 drops in hot water before bed to promote a calm environment for sleep.

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Vetiver:

This is a rich, complex aroma that is extremely calming and grounding. Receive the best results by applying 3 drops to the bottoms of your feet before bedtime to create a rooting effect, a space where REM sleep is created. Vetiver is one of the essential oils used for anyone who struggles with staying still and not being able to focus.

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Serenity: Restful blend

This perfectly balanced tranquil blend can be sensed immediately, transporting the user to a state of blissful response. Serenity is created with essential oils known for their calming, peaceful, balanced effect on your body and mind. Apply 3 drops in the palm of your hand rub together and take some deep breaths in. Apply 3 drops to your neck and chest before bed and diffuse through the night to inspire a perfect environment for sleep.

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All of these essential oils are made by DoTerra and can be purchased from Yoga Den. Click here to contact Yoga Den about essential oils.

A special thank you to two of our FABULOUS partners: Megan and Kimber at Yoga Den and DeeDee Mehren of FeedMBS, for sharing their tremendous wealth of knowledge as they all helped with this blog post.