Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This

Many people I know have trouble either falling asleep or staying asleep.  I used to suffer from insomnia and these are the things that I now do that help me.

Create a comfy bed:  I bought a foam topper for our bed and a foam pillow with a cool gel pack built right into it.  As someone who suffers from hot flashes this is a huge plus. If it is cold, I also use my extra large heating pad to warm my side of the bed up.  

Soothing sounds: One of my favorite radio programs is Hearts of Space.  I have been listening to them for over 20 years.  They have a weekly show that airs on Sundays on PBS stations across the country.  They also have an app for streaming the shows, which is what I use.  Headphones are must for me, especially if the reason I can't sleep is my dear hubby snoring.  They play a mix of music: electronic ambient music, ethic, classical, and even choral music around Christmas.  The show is different every week and if you pay for a subscription you can have access 40 years of archived shows. Sometimes I also use an app called Lightening Bug which has numerous tracks you can layer, including rain, thunder and lightening, waves, white noise, fans, chimes, chanting monks, etc. You can actually play this app over music too. 

Essential Oils:  These have been a huge help.  Sometimes I will take a bath with Epsom Salts and some relaxing oils, especially if I am getting muscle spasms (bad back).  Sometimes I use a linen spray on my sheets and pillow.  Most night I diffuse oils that help with sleep, unless we are sick, then I diffuse oils that help with breathing.  Because quality is important to me, I only use Young Living Therapeutic grade oils, because I know there are pure (Seed to Seal ).  I rotate the oils that I use.  Here is a list of oils that I use for sleep:

Lavender

Cedarwood

Peace & Calming

Stress Away

Citrus Fresh

Orange

Ylang ylang

Roman Chamomile

Frankincense

Geranium

Jasmine

Another blend that I find really relaxing that reminds me of the woods is:

Sacred Mountain

Pine

Cedarwood

Northern Lights Black Spruce

Blue Cypress

Palo Santo

Vetiver

If we are sick or my allergies are bothering me I use these:

Eucalyptus Radiata

Eucalyptus Globulus

RC

Peppermint

Lemon

Lavender

What are your tricks for a good night's sleep?