I’m going to be completely honest here (as usual)…I was at one point, several years ago, addicted to Ambien. I was going through a period in my life where I just couldn’t fall asleep and decided to give it a try. Never ever let anyone tell you that Ambien isn’t addictive, because it is! I took it every single night and would almost panic when I only had a few pills left. One night, I got mad at my daughter for something silly and have no memory of it. From that point on, I decided to never take it again. It took me about 3 months to be able to fall asleep on my own and I had horrible nightmares because of the Ambien that was in my system. I believe that sleep is restorative in more ways than just resting our bodies. I believe our souls (our subconscious) work out a lot of things while we’re sleeping and interrupting that with a pill doesn’t seem like a good idea to me.

Long story short, I now look for natural ways to help me drift off to sleep at night! Sleep is a beautiful thing…a deeply healing, ritual that is restorative to your body and soul. I know all too well that, at times getting a good night’s rest can be challenging. Sometimes our brains are just buzzing with a million different thoughts and we can’t seem to shut them off. Most of us have had periods of time in our lives when sleep doesn’t come so naturally, and figuring out how to get our much needed rest can be elusive at best!

It’s no wonder that sleep has become a huge wellness concern and many forward-thinking doctors, healers, herbalists and self-care gurus have set out to calm and soothe our restless minds and bodies with soothing holistic solutions. From essential oils to adaptogens, there are so many all natural sleep aids to encourage a luxurious night of deep sleep!

I like to take a proactive approach when it comes to a truly restful night. A big part of my strategy is mental and another important component is healthy habits, like leaving the television off and keeping my devices out of the bedroom (I’m really bad at that one), but I also have a few products that I totally recommend for a good nights sleep. At this point, I’ll try almost anything that’s all natural and healthy…so let the dreaming begin!

I love to mix Dream Dust with Sleep Inner Beauty Powder and add it to steamed almond milk for a double dose of sleep inducing deliciousness! These two products contain adaptogens which can help us to reduce stress. Read more about adaptogens here.

My daughter told me about these weighted blankets. I haven’t bought one yet, but I’m really curious to try them. I like to have the weight of a blanket while I sleep and research shows that it makes us feel hugged. I love that!

On nights when you can make the time, try a 10-minute meditation session before bed to quiet your mind. Misting this oil on your wrists can help you focus. Finish with a spritz of Species by the Thousands Psychic Dream Spray on your pillow or a dab of Living Libations Sweet Sleep Serum on your pulse points.

In The Sleep Revolution, Arianna Huffington explores all the latest science on what exactly is going on while we sleep and dream. She takes on the sleeping pill industry, and all the ways our addiction to technology disrupts our sleep. She also offers a range of recommendations and tips from leading scientists on how we can get better and more restorative sleep, and harness its incredible power. 

Arianna Huffington - The Sleep Revolution

I hope these suggestions help you start the week with a good night’s sleep! Let me know what your sleep rituals are by leaving a comment below!