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Another night another cranky early morning. It’s hard to enjoy your day when you don’t sleep well. There is not enough quadruple shot Starbucks in the universe that can hold open your eyes when you don’t sleep restfully. #thestruggle. We were determined to prove that falling asleep fast and peacefully has to be easier than popping pills like valerian and melatonin and we did. Your resident insomniacs, workaholics and sometimes-we-go-to-late-night-weekday-parties girls are here with some our tried and true, pill-free methods of falling asleep fast and finally getting peaceful sleep in part one of this two part series. Part Two? Oh, that’s just going to be really effective tips for slaying cramps like an assassin ninja and slumbering peacefully while you’re on your period. Feel free to mix and match the suggestions below for how to sleep peacefully all night in your personal sleep zen…just like a babe.

BURN A STRESS RELIEVING, SOOTHING ESSENTIAL OIL CANDLE
Bath And Body Works Aromatherapy Stress Relief Eucalyptus Spearmint Candle is the absolute ish. The scent of this candle is so amazing and soothing that if it were burning right now I’d have fallen asleep typing this mid sentence. The scent really is magical at relieving stress – it puts you in the mood of being in a luxury bath house or spa at a fancy hotel. It’s so refreshing and light and also calmly opens up your sinuses if you are a little congested. The throw will fill your house with this scent and it lasts for a few hours after you’ve put the candle out. Eucalyptus is the the dominant fragrance which we like best because it’s a natural sleep aid and stress reliever so this candle really puts us in the mood to sleep peacefully. Of course we only burn this safely while we read before bed. You can also burn it in the bathroom while you shower and take it into your room while you prep for bed. You could also have some really amazing sex under the flicker of this candle and then fall asleep. You seriously need to buy this candle now.

SPRAY YOUR PILLOWS WITH A BEDTIME PILLOW MIST
Get a little bit of insomnia and people start trowing pills at you. Usually one of them will more than likely be valerian. Since we can tout the effectiveness of valerian but wasn’t going the pill route this time (valerian pills also gave us crazy dreams sometimes), it was important that we shared Earth Therapeutics Elixir Dreams Pillow Mist which is formulated with both valerian and lavender – two powerhouses for inducing sleep. Just a few mists of this on your pillow (don’t worry, it dries super fast) and your mind and body will be soothed. It’s a very soft and beautiful scent laced with citrus that makes you feel peaceful as you inhale. The fragrance lingers softly and will have mostly faded by morning so it won’t build up either and does not leave your sheets or pillows sticky since it’s a very clean spray. This isn’t strong enough to make us fall asleep on a really stressful night but coupled with our bedtime tea, it did the trick (with no crazy dreams).

DRINK A SLEEP-INDUCING BEDTIME TEA
Tea before bed can be delish but it can also keep you up all night. The right tea before bed can put you to sleep and help you sleep well. Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Vanilla Tea is caffeine free and chock full of calming and soothing chamomile which after drinking will make you feel relaxed and sleepy. If you’re feeling anxious or stressed out, this tea will give you a reverse buzz by drawing you down into a peaceful place. Another favorite of ours is Yogi Bedtime Tea. Both work well to calm and induce sleepiness especially if you suffer from light insomnia. A teaspoon of organic raw honey or organic blue agave makes them taste great too.

USE A CALMING BALM UNDER YOUR NOSE
We love Badger Sleep Balm at home and while flying. It’s a light balm that you apply under your nose. It actually does not make you sleepy but instead helps to calm your mind which in turn helps you to fall asleep faster and quicker. It’s all organic and formulated with Rosemary, Bergamot, White Lavender and Ginger. Bergamot is mentally uplifting, Ginger is strengthening and confidence-inducing and Lavender is the traditional sleep herb. Using this whenever your mind is racing with thoughts or you want to keep calm (like on flight with the really cute but really loud crying baby) really works to bring your mind to a zen place. And you can moisturize your top lip (and your ends) while you’re at it.

USE A HERBAL-BASED MOUTH SPRAY
How many times have you sat up in bed in the middle if the night because you thought you forgot to do something at work? The pounding heart, the coulda, woulda, shouldas! Going back to sleep after your heart is racing for whatever reason is about a easy as finding weapons of mass destruction. Bach Flower Remedies Rescue Sleep Natural Sleep Aid is a mouth spray that helps to calm your restlessness and shut out repetitive thoughts. It’s all-natural (it’s formulated with herbs so be sure to check for allergies), non-narcotic, and non-habit forming and is safe for the whole family. Just a couple sprays to the throat and you’re off to your night farm counting sheep.

DOWNLOAD A WHITE NOISE APP
You can take a city girl out of the city but you can’t take the city out of her. Think it’s not true? Just try moving to Pleasantville, USA and sleeping under a clear, star-filled sky. The surroundings are beautiful but the nighttime quiet is torture. The reverse is also true. Some people need sounds when they sleep and others don’t even know they need sounds and actually do (falling asleep to country-living cicadas and tree frogs is a sound). We just happen to love Sleep Pillow (the paid version is best), the most popular white nose app in the app store. You can fall asleep to beach waves, rain, the sound of a box or ceiling fan and other ambient sounds like the rainforest, heartbeats or even candles burning. You can also be your own DJ and mix sounds together. The sounds are recorded and enhanced to relax and make you sleep and create a relaxed environment which puts you into a cyclical sleep pattern. The way the sounds are created will induce sleep even for difficult sleepers or in the noisiest environments. There is also another app that we like called Sleep Cycle that analyzes your sleep patterns and wakes you when you are in the lightest sleep phase. This app is great if you have trouble waking up in the morning and hate to be jolted awake by a blaring alarm clock.

GET BACK TO BASICS BY SETTING THE MOOD
Some of the easiest keys to sleeping well for women are also one of the simplest. Make sure you have really comfortable sheets of at least 400 thread count. We like brushed cotton steals from Home Goods to In Bed Sleep linen and cashmere splurges. Ditch the bra. Your tits will not lift and firm at night in that bra and you’ll sleep better for letting the girls hang and breathe without being poked and prodded by underwire. If you can, be sure to slip on some pajamas (Target and Walmart sell inexpensive sets) or go naked a la Chanel Iman. Whichever you choose, this signals your brain that’s it’s time for sleep. While you’re laying in bed waiting to slumber, amp up your inner melatonin by reading – a real book(!). No cell phone or tablets since the light from them could keep your brain wired. Whip out a real book with real paper pages and read. Poetry always does the trick and inducing a chill mood. Lastly, spray your home with a little air freshener if you don’t have time to watch a candle. Febreze Sleep Serenity Bedroom Mist Warm Milk & Honey is inviting and warm and brings a relaxed feel to your house and bedroom.

Stay tuned. Next up will be our best tips for sleeping peacefully on your period because we’re over tossing and turning and moaning in pain all night.

To your babe-like sleep!

Photo 1+2. Photo 3.

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