Get a Better Sleep

not my photo

Hey everyone! 2019 is now upon us and many people, as always, have made resolutions to be happy and healthy in this new year.

That is all and good, but I am a firm believer that a good night sleep is essential to this plan.
Unfortunately, not all of us are blessed with having the perfect beauty rest every night. Some nights we toss and turn and only have a light sleep.

All of that being said, here are my tips on getting a better night's sleep:

1. Have a good pillow

This is very important. Your pillow can make a world of difference and you want to make sure your head is comfortable while you sleep. 

2. Temperature control

I like having my room a bit cooler for sleeping. I have found that I can't fall asleep or sleep very well when it's hot in my room. I have a duvet on my bed all year round, as well as a fan. Having these two things enables me to get my perfect level of warmth. There are many times when I wrap myself in my duvet and only stick my foot out to cool myself down.

3. Noise control

If you can't sleep when it is noisy, I would suggest buying a pair of ear plugs. There are things that make noise that we just can't control and plugs will help you out for sure.

On another note, if you like sound, white noise helps. I don't like when it's noisy, but I also dislike when it's really quiet. What can I say, the silence is a scary sound.

In the past, I have downloaded white noise apps onto my phone. It's great to pick your own mix of sounds and you can set a timer for it as well. I've even asked Alexa to play some piano lullabies for me or some soothing rain sounds.

Like I said, I have a fan which keeps me cool and also satisfies my white noise needs.

Also my dog snores.

4. Light control

It can be hard to sleep when it's bright. I feel you. The corner street lamp is visible from my room if I'm laying at a bad angle. Invest in some room darkening curtains. I have white ones which helps cancel out bright light, but it also allows light into my room. I'm not a fan of the dark ones. While they cancel out all light, I find it harder to wake up because the lack of light can make it feel like it's still night time, when in reality it's time to rise and shine!

5. Don't over stimulate your eyes!

This is so important! Sometimes if you're on your phone, tablet, laptop, whatever before bed, your eyes are very stimulated and have a hard time relaxing.I would recommend watching tv if you need something electronic to relax because it's farther away from your eyes. 

6. Pamper yourself

Establish a night routine. Maybe it's doing a face mask to relax, having some tea and reading a book for a bit. 

7. Meditate

When you're laying in bed, try to clear your mind. I know, it's impossible to do sometimes. We have so much stress and worries that it's hard to relax. Spray your pillow with some aromatherapy mist (vanilla & lavender is perfect!), or put on your diffuser and lay on your back. If you have trouble clearing your mind, try to visualize putting everything boxes and tossing them away. Or just literally think of nothing. 

This might seem odd, but unclench your jaw, open your hands and have your palms out (or up, whichever). This really helps relax your body because no muscles are clenched.

Breathe deeply. Focus on different parts of your body. The feeling. Deep breath. And slowly return to normal breathing.

Goodnight!

Tips to handle a busy schedule

Recently engaged, I've started working an extra part time job during evenings and weekends to save extra money for the wedding, and a future home. Combined with my other job though, I'm working 65 hours a week, and it can take a toll. Below, I share some of my tips for handling an incredibly busy life.

1. Meal prepping

Meal prepping can be incredibly helpful when life gets busy. It frees up time before work, and helps keep on track with healthy eating. I'm currently on Weight Watchers, so this is huge for me. It might not seem like a lot to spend 10 extra minutes making lunch in the morning, but that's 10 more minutes that you could be sleeping.

2. Multi-task everything

I multi-task everything that I can. I constantly listen to books on tape and podcasts while doing dishes and going for walks, so that I can do two things at once. I also have Bluetooth headphones so that I can talk to my mom and fiance while I go for walks and do my meal prepping. I've even been known to eat dinner while relaxing in the tub. I am the queen of multi tasking. It helps me keep on track with my goals, and gives me a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.

3. Treat yourself

I cannot stress enough how important this is. Working two jobs, working while in school, volunteering, whatever it is, you need to reward all your fantastic effort. I recently got myself a new Fitbit and headphones, and I don't feel guilty about it at all, because I've worked hard to deserve them. If you put every single cent in the bank, you'll go crazy. Even if it's just a new outfit or a manicure, YOU MUST TREAT YOURSELF.

4. Fit exercise in and around your life

When you're juggling a full schedule, exercise can fall by the wayside. I certainly don't have time to spend on the treadmill. Instead, I've made a commitment to fitting in exercise around my schedule. When it's nice, I take walks on my lunch break, and unless it's truly terrible out, I always walk to and from my second job. It's only 15 minutes each way, but it makes a huge difference.

5. Get enough sleep

I know that can be really difficult when you're really busy, but sleep has to be top priority when you have long, full days. I used to stay up all hours of the night, reading BuzzFeed and watching YouTube, trying to regain the evenings and weekends I've lost to my second job, but I've finally given up and tried to get more rest. I thank myself for it in the morning, at the start of the next long day.

6. Feed and water yourself

Just like a plant, you need adequate food and water to sustain yourself. Nutrition might not seem that important when rushing from one thing to the next, but if you're going to have all the needed energy, you need to eat healthy meals. They don't need to be anything elaborate. Sometimes my dinner is mini whole grain naan pizzas that I make in under two minutes, and steamed broccoli.Simple and relatively nutritious.

7. Reach out

If you're stressed, make sure not to bottle it up. Let someone know. Keeping stress in is incredibly unhealthy, and not worth saving others from hearing about it. If they love you, they're going to be happy that you reached out. Let it out, talk about it, and you'll be better for it!

I really hope that these tips have helped, I know they've helped me so far. Stay sane, and let me know in the comments below if you have any tips that you'd like to share.