SLEEP FAVES.
Sleep is tough when you’re stressed, your mind races, you have aches and pains, and during plenty of life phases, including pregnancy and postpartum. All those hormones rocking during pregnancy, plus taking care of tiny humans often means we don’t sleep well or are juyst very light sleepers. I have figured out some things that have helped through the years, so I put them together for you all! For the currently preg mamas - remember - you are in charge of your own health and comfort level. These are things I was personally comfy with - you are an empowered mama and can decide what works best for you. Here is a blog post I wrote on pregnancy + oils! And here is a FULL pregnancy, labor, newborn guide!
Diffuser + Oils // Okay, if you aren’t using Young Living oils, now is the time to start. Stop messing around and make your life easier. K? K. Best value is the Premium Starter Bundle - learn more about it HERE. It comes with a diffuser and 12 of them most used, beloved oils - many which have helped me sleep. (Namely, Lavender, Peace & Calming, Frankincense, Valor, and I roll Thieves down my spine nightly, and use Digize for tummy stuff or Lemon and Digize for heartburn.)
2. Magnesium Balm // I rub this on my calves nightly! This helps me sleep, and prevents those awful charley horses (they are often showing up in pregnancy!) I love Magnificent-Zs magnesium balm by Nobletask Homestead (family-owned small business with the most wonderful tinctures, balms, and teas. use code ANNIE10 for discount)
3. ImmuPro // Lack of sleep can be a real issue for stress and is also a stress itself on your immune system. With this chewable tablet you are getting melatonin, which is amazing for aiding in a good night of z’s. With powdered wolfberry, reishi mushroom, maitake (hen of the woods) mushroom, and minerals like zinc copper and selenium - this is a powerhouse of a chewable. You can split it into halves or quarters and give it to your kiddos, too! If you prefer a melatonin-free option, Deep Night Essence is so good.
4. Roll-Ons //I use VALOR oil on my jaw nightly for my tight jaw (TMJ), THIEVES rolled down my spine or bottoms of my feet, and DEEP RELIEF on sore muscles or even my jaw when it’s really painful!
5. CBD Muscle & Joint Roll On// Literally one of my most used products - I can feel my muscles relax and just melt when I use this. I put it on the back of my neck and shoulders before bed because that is where I am always tight, and I’ll use it along my jaw too.
6. Magnesium Bath Flakes // A nightly warm bath with some magnesium flakes, a Lavender bath bomb, and some Frankincense oil or Valor oil and I am basically asleep.
7. Tranquil Roll-On // My fave sleep roll-ons are TRANQUIL or RUTAVALA on my wrists or behind my ears for sleep,
8. Vetiver Essential Oil // Okay so this is one of my big ones, I notice a definite shift in how hard I sleep when I use it. I put a drop on my big toes! I also will do behind ears, but big toe is the best. If you’re someone who needs help focusing, make a roller with Vetiver, Cedarwood, and Lavender and roll onto your brain stem when you need to pay attention.
Cozy sheets // The cozier my bed is, the better I sleep! I personally love linen sheets. Once you go line, you don’t go back! I have tried pretty much every brand of linen sheets and my favorites are from Parachute Home. They are a splurge but they will last for years, only get better as you wash and dry them, they regulate body temp so well, and their Cloud Duvet Cover is super soft and organic. We spend half our lives sleeping - personally I think it’s worth the investment in that area to reduce the toxic load. Chris and Grey love the Cariloha bamboo sheets!
Pillow // I have tried a million pillows. I was using the ones from Coyuchi and they were great for a while but then started to feel not supportive enough. I switched to the Tuft + Needle pillow (we have their mattress as well) and it helped SO MUCH. Tuft + Needle is pretty good, middle of the road on the “clean, green” mattress scale. We’ve had and loved Sleeping Organic Mattresses too.
Lavender Essential Oil in a capsule // Lavender in a capsule helps me on nights when my brain really can’t wind down! I just add a few drops to an empty veggie capsule and add a lil olive oil or even honey.
Marro Magnesium Spray // I spray this down my spine and I swear it helps!
Leefy Organics Nidra // I used to always take a glass of tart cherry juice before bed with Mila, so when Leefy came out with a tart cherry I ordered it immediately. Tart cherry is so good for sleep, inflammation, joints, and oxidative stress. They also make Prana which is Turmeric and Ginger and so good for headaches! My code ANNIE will get you 15% off!
Unwind // Technically for kids to chill them out and support sleep, but I love it! This simple supplement features calming superstars like L-theanine, 5-HTP, and magnesium that are must haves for bringing a sense of chill when energy is high.
Key Ingredients are+ L-theanine: Occurring naturally in green tea, L-theanine helps promote a sense of relaxation while helping ease occasional irritability. It also offers next-day benefits, helping improve and focus and mental clarity in the home and the classroom.
+ 5-HTP: Working synergistically with L-theanine, 5-HTP promotes a calm state and relieves occasional stress.
+ Magnesium: Naturally derived and necessary in over 200 metabolic reactions in the body, magnesium plays a role in defending against occasional sleeplessness and may also bring a sense of calm to your environment
Progessence Plus // Healthy hormones make for a happy woman. Okay, this one is what helped balance my cycles like nothing I’ve ever seen. It took a few months, but my cycles became more regular in when they came, and how long they came. I only get cramps the first day now. This also helps me not be so bitchy during my period. How do I know? Because when I forget to use it, I can tell a difference and so can everyone around me. It has Sacred Frankincense, Bergamot, Clove, Balsam, Copaiba, Cedarwood, and Peppermint as well as wild yam extract and Vitamin E. Wild yam extract is a naturally occurring phytoestrogen that helps balance out estrogen and progesterone levels. Any negative things you’ve seen in relation to progesterone refers to the SYNTHETIC forms of progesterone. It is so important to use a natural progesterone supplement, not synthetic. Progessence Plus contains USP-grade, super-micronized progesterone from wild yam blended with essential oils and vitamin E to help women find balance the way nature intended. The unique formulation maximizes the effects of this natural progesterone by utilizing an innovative delivery system that allows enhanced absorption through the skin. Wild yams are said to help normalize blood sugar levels, combat weight gain and hair loss, and help reduce the occurrence of hormonal headaches. Progessence Plus also helps promote restfulness and sleep. We need progesterone to get pregnant and stay pregnant. Personally, I used this throughout my pregnancy, but some women stop after the first trimester. Up to you!
Veggie Capsules // Grab your home or field reference guide (use code LSPDAHA for a free mini) and see which Young Living oils you can pop into a veggie capsule with carrier!
A few other things I KNOW have helped not just recently, but for a while now, and my Pranamat Eco and reducing the EMF/wifi exposure in our home.
The Pranamat is perfect for a quick recharge, or to wind down and support a really solid and restful sleep. I’ve been using the pillow for 20 minutes before I go to sleep at night!. It is an acupressure massage set - and really has been amazing for managing tension headaches and sore muscles. Big perk is I can take it anywhere to manage pain, stress, sleeplessness, or anxiety. When the massage spikes (they look like lotus flowers) come into contact with your skin, and you put pressure on them, it triggers a natural system of relief in the body. The acupressure massage set stops aches and pains, and also improves blood and lymph circulation as well as the supply of oxygen and nutrients. It gets little tingly, and feels like your whole body is supplied with blood. Def a winner!!! Use my code ANNIEHAUSERC for a discount.
If you haven’t started digging into EMF and WiFi exposure - start here with this blog post!!! I keep Wild Alabaster Black Tourmaline next to my bed, turn my phone on airplane mode (best would be turning off WiFi altogether at night), and I have found the Somavedic really helps mitigate the stress on our bodies. I’ve used them for a few years now! (Code is ANNIE for 10% off!)
I hope this little round up brings you some sleeeeepy vibes, friends!XO
