Getting Better Sleep (Simplified Soul Care #1)

Remember when we were kids and refused to take a nap or go to bed a reasonable hour? What were we thinking? As we maneuver adulthood, sometimes a good night’s sleep can seem out of reach (Who has the time? we might think). But listen, y’all—sleep matters to our physical and mental health. And as she kicks off our first Simplified Soul Care episode, Emily dives into the fascinating research behind why a good night’s sleep is the most restorative thing you can do for yourself. Plus, Emily offers some tactical tips on how to get rejuvenating rest, the kind that makes you feel more alive and capable of living each day with a bit more simplicity and ease.  

 Cultivate a Peaceful Bedtime Routine 

1. Turn off your devices. All that blue light is a direct cue to your brain to stay awake and alert. It stops the production of melatonin, making it so much harder to wind down and fall asleep.
   
   
2. Turn the lights down and relax. Settling in for the night tells your brain it’s time to chill out and calm down.
   
   
3. Take some melatonin or CBD. If you need a little extra help catching some ZZZs, there’s no shame in that. These days, there are so many natural options to pick from.
   
   
4. Hop into your PJs. Pajamas are basically soft, comfy hugs, right? Nothing says bedtime quite like slipping into your favorite set and getting comfortable.
   
   
5. Go through your nightly self-care routine. Brush your teeth, take out your contacts, and throw on the eye cream. Pamper yourself with some self-care before bed.
   
   
6. Turn the temperature down. Your body temp needs to drop about 3 degrees when you sleep. Program your thermostat so your sleep space is the optimal temp when you hop into bed.
   
   
7. Turn on the white noise. Sometimes silence can be so dang loud, especially if you’ve had a super busy day. By throwing on some white noise, your brain can actually relax and move away from the intrusive thoughts and your to-do list for tomorrow. Fans and apps work wonders here.
   
   
8. Sleep at least seven hours. Research shows getting six or less hours on a consistent basis impacts your physical and mental health. So get some good shut-eye. You deserve to feel rested and ready for each day. 

“My soul needs to be looked after. She needs joy and love and play and adventure, and she needs rest—seriously. I think more than anything, she needs someone to come along and say, ‘You've done your work, and now it's time to rest.’” – Emily Ley 

“We live in a world that doesn't prioritize our rest. We live in a world that pushes us to do more and be more and produce more and consume more. It's a huge act of resistance to say no.” – Emily Ley 

“First and foremost, my job is to take care of Emily because when Emily is taken care of, well, then she can care for her people.” – Emily Ley 

“When you go to sleep, your body begins to produce these Bath's of neurochemicals that literally clean up your brain.” – Emily Ley

“Sleep beefs up your immune system and prevents infections. It helps your body keep your cells from turning into malignant cancers.  Basically, this brain cleanup that happens when you get plenty of sleep? It helps you fight off all kinds of different sicknesses. And sleep doesn’t just keep your body healthy—it also keeps you functioning at a high level during the day. Because, get this: sleep increases your ability to learn. It increases how well you’re able to memorize things and make logical decisions. Sleep also sets your emotions back to neutral, and it gives your metabolism a tune-up and curbs your appetite.” – Emily Ley

May you remember that you are worthy of being taken care of and that the best person to care for you is you. 

May you find the rest your soul is craving and begin to carve a space of rest for yourself each night. 

And as your head hits the pillow and you drift off to dreams, may you know that you are so loved just because of who you are.

Do you have trouble staying asleep? Do you look at the clock and think, Crap! I only have an hour and a half left, I better make it count. Listen, I have been there. If you wake up in the middle of the night, there’s a couple things you can do to fall back asleep. First, go to another room, put on a very dim light, and read an actual book (no screens here!). If you lay awake in your room, your body will begin to think, “Oh, the bed is where I’m supposed to be awake.” And we can’t have that, can we? 

If you don’t want to get out of bed, that’s totally fine! Pop in your AirPods and turn on a quiet meditation on YouTube or the Calm App. You’ll be surprised how easily you fall asleep when someone is gently guiding you gently toward a calm space.

Get Emily’s new book, Growing Boldly: Dare to Build a Life You Love, wherever you buy books!

• Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker 
• Calm App 
• Rainy Mood Sleep Sounds 
• Lake Pajamas 

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