Beauty Sleep

There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to fall asleep.  My recent bouts with insomnia have lead me to take proactive steps to ensure I get a fitful night's rest. Below are some tricks to prevent evenings of tossing and turning.

Wake up feeling fresh as a daisy by following the simple tips below...

• Unplug:  Winding down isn't an easy thing in our technology driven, go-go-go world.  A half hour before bed, put away your phone.  Turn it off, put it on sleep mode, don't bother with it.  Log off the computer.  Switch off the T.V.    Looking at the short-waved blue lights produced by our favorite gadgets keeps our brain stimulated and in "on" mode, making it more difficult to fall asleep.

• Routine:  Having a bed time ritual is a vital step in teaching your body to fall asleep quickly.  Do something every night before bed that gives you the mental cue that rest is on the way.  Whether it be reading a chapter of a  book, having a cup of chamomile tea, or taking a bubble bath, any relaxing activity that is done repeatedly before bedtime will teach your body to shut down.

• Stretch:  Allowing your body to relax is an important part of falling asleep.  Even if you're mentally prepared for bed, your muscles might not be quite there.  Try these yoga poses to relieve tension and put you in a perfectly sleepy state.  I've been doing these simple poses for a few months now, and they truly do work.  

• Cut Caffeine:  This is *so* hard for me to do.  I love my Diet Coke and I rely on a cup of coffee around 3 pm to get me through the rest of the day.  You might even be one of those people who dub themselves "immune" to caffeine. Studies show you're not - you might not be "feeling" that energy that caffeine gives you, but it's stimulating your brain.  Cutting caffeine out of your life has lots of health benefits, including better night's sleep. 

• Relax:   Try your best to avoid anything overly stimulating a few hours before bed.  Don't work out in the evening (those endorphins will keep you up), don't eat too late (bodies aren't meant to digest food lying down), and avoid any overly stimulating tv shows or books.  Let the mind and body be at peace.  

•  Melatonin:  I was really hesitant to take any sort of sleep aid (be it natural or not) because I didn't want to have to rely on it to fall asleep.  I've found melatonin to be a really helpful supplement that not only helps me get to sleep quickly, but stay asleep.  It also doesn't leave me groggy when I wake up the next morning.  I take this kind about 45 minutes before bedtime. 

The Detox Bath

Who doesn't love a good bath?  They have become one of my favorite ways to unwind after a long day.  So naturally, when I saw a pin for a detox bath, I was instantly intrigued.  Detox baths have been used for centuries - and they are not only a great way to rid yourself of sickness they ease sore muscles and joints as well as help sweat out nasty hangovers.   I was completely amazed at how utterly relaxed and soothed I felt after giving this bath a go last night.   This will most definitely become a weekly ritual.

1) Fill tub with as warm a water as you can stand.
2) Add two cups of epsom salts - to help replenish the body's magnesium levels and help flush toxins out of your body.
3) Add one cup of baking soda - to keep skin silky soft and neutralize the acids of toxins.
4) Add up to 1/3 cup ground ginger or fresh ginger tea - to help promote the sweating out of toxins (skin may redden a bit from the ginger, so careful with the amount added.)
5) Stay in tub for 40 minutes. Take caution when getting out, you'll probably be a bit light headed. Also be sure to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and keep flushing out your system.

I was lucky because I found epsom salts that were lavender scented.  If you can't find scented salts, add some essential oil to the water (try lavender, ylang ylang, or eucalyptus).  It does get hot, and you can certainly notice how much you're sweating, but do your best to stay submerged in the water the full 40 minutes.   When you get out you'll feel luxuriously limp and want nothing more than to grab a bottle of water and curl up on the couch.

Baby, I'ma Be Your Motivation

Bikini season is right around the corner.   I've learned it's best not to obsess over such things, and for the first time ever I'm actually eating right, working out, and not freaking out about getting fit.   While I normally count down the days till vacay this year I'm taking a more laid back approach, and I'm finding it to be so much easier (and it's actually working.)   Now I'm not one to take part in "thinspiration",  trying to compare myself to models, or trying to be too skinny, I do very strongly believe in getting your body to look the best it can.   That being said, a little fitness motivation never hurt anyone, and what better place to find it then Victoria's Secret.  This video, doesn't just make me want to look good in a bikini, it makes me want to go to a beach and go swimming *so* badly.  

 Pinterest has been a wonderful way to find helpful tips to help keep me on track.  Here are a few of my favorites:

• Drinking water at meals - We all know how important it is to drink water, but I've found if I have water with my meal as opposed to my usual diet-anything-with-caffiene, I eat much less.
• Boost your metabolism by eating! Duh - Foods like blueberries, yogurt, green tea, coffee, almonds, cinnamon, and soy milk all boost your metabolism - don't starve yourself - eat!
• Make your body work - Ice cold water and spicy foods make your body work harder to digest, thus you burn more calories.  So simple.  
• Fiber is your friend - Foods high in fiber make you feel more full and help rid your body of fat as it's being digested.  The natural cleansing process makes you feel more energized. 
• Confusing thirst for hunger? -  If you get a sudden craving, have a glass of water then see how you feel.  Your body can actually get confused and when you think your hungry, you might just be dehydrated.
• Sleep tight, keep your metabolism high.  Getting less than six hours of sleep a night can lower your metabolism by as much as ten percent.