How I Sleep

I love sleeping. I'm sure most people say that, but I like napping and I love my cozy bed.  I've always been pretty good at sleeping, but occasionally I will wake up in the middle of the night and sometimes not be able to get back to sleep.  My trick now for getting back to sleep is this: I won't let myself start thinking about what I need to do the next day, instead I try to focus on the last dream I remember having, so I can try to stay in "sleep mode".  Aside from that, I have a few other things that help me sleep:

Pillow - We have these pillows.  We got them after staying at an Airbnb in Halifax that had them and we loved them.  They have a cooling side and a warm side.  What I like is that they are heavy and they stay put during the night.  We have been trying to find good pillows for years and we are glad we invested in these.  They are expensive but are often two for one. 

Blanket - We got a Hush weighted blanket for Christmas and I love it.  We have the cozy cover to use in the winter, and then it is a cooling blanket as well for summer.  It also stays put when sleeping and I have found that it's easier to fall back to sleep when I wake up at night. 

Sleep Spray and Oil - I often use this spray from Saje, and sometimes the put this oil on my pillow (putting a few drops in my hand, rub them together and pat it over my pillow). I don't know if I sleep better when I use it or not, but I like the smell anyway. 

Mindfulness - When I first lay down while I'm falling asleep, I will usually say some prayers, and then walk through what I need to do the next day, like what I'll make for breakfast, what I'm going to wear, etc. and then I usually fall asleep before I get too far into my day.  (See I'm good as sleeping!)  

Time - I try to get in bed by 11:00 and wake up around 6:30 most mornings. My kids are at an age where they aren't up all the time throughout the night, and if they do get up early, they can go downstairs by themselves.  I'm definitely more of a morning person and I'm quick to wake up once I'm up, whereas I'm usually falling asleep on the couch at the end of the day. 

Other - I wear my Apple watch to bed usually because I like to be able to look at the time there instead of on my phone that lights up too brightly.  I wear a mouth guard that prevents me from grinding my teeth (I just grind the mouth guard instead). I always have water by my bed and Peppermint Halo in case I wake up with a headache.  If I've feeling overly sore from a workout or if I am feeling restless, I will take Advil before bed as I find it calms my body. 

(Our mattress is fine but nothing special, we are in the market for a new one.  I thought about those ones that you can get in the mail but I think I may want a "real" mattress rather than a foam one.  I also want to lay on it first.  Any recommendations?)

Napping - A note about napping.  I am a fan of a nap.  I will set a timer for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how much time I have, and I can fall asleep fairly quickly.  Since I know I have an alarm set, then I know I will wake up before too long.  I just relax my face and try to clear my head and that works for me.  A blanket is a must :)