Welcome to this week's Friday Favorites! I'm switching things up this week and bringing you some of my faves and must-have products that help improve my quality of sleep. If you're an anxious soul, good sleep quality will be your best friend. Note, I say quality and not length. Anxiety doesn't care about the length of time you sleep, but rather the quality. I hope these products can improve your quality of sleep while decreasing your anxiety.
Let's get to improving your sleep, shall we?!?
Mushroom Cacao with Reishi
Four Sigmatic's Mushroom Cacao with Reishi is a sleepy time dream delivered in a coffee cup that tastes like a sweet treat. What is Reishi, you ask? Reishi is a medicinal mushroom that helps balance the adrenal system and relieves stress. Mix that with cacao, which is known to help enhance moods and reduce stress, and you have yourself the perfect ingredients for an evening nightcap (Minus the hangover). Not to mention, this liquid goodness helps you get rid of sweet cravings that like to creep up in the evening. All you have to do is pour the packet into a small coffee cup and mix it with hot water. You can spice it up with a splash of your fave dairy or non-dairy creamer if you like. I personally like Moo is Moot's milkadamia unsweetened macadamia milk.
SNOOZ White Noise Sound Machine
I didn't realize how dependent I was on this little guy until the power went out in the middle of the night, and I found myself awake every other hour. I've always slept with a turbofan that sounded like a jet was taking off from my bedroom. In an attempt to reduce airborne toxins and dust, I decided to break-up with my fan. It was rough but needed. When looking for a swap, I knew I didn't want to fall asleep to the traditional sounds that usually accompany a sound machine, and I needed something that kind of resembled a fan without the actual breeze. Snooz delivered! It sounds just like my fan minus the cold air, dust, and swirling toxins. You can adjust the sound, so don't worry if you're not a fan of turbojets on your nightstand.
Drift off to sleep with SNOOZ White Noise Sound Machine
Eberjey Gisele Modal Slouchy Set
According to the New York Post, the average American will spend 36 years in bed throughout their lifetime. (1) If we are going to be snuggled up in bed that long, I vote we step up our pajama game and slip into something cozy. When it comes to PJs, I like soft, loose, and somewhat stylish. Don't get me wrong, I totally rock my husband's Grinch t-shirt every now and then, but it never hurts to splurge on a set of jammies that light your heart up.
Click here to snuggle up in some cozy pajamas!
PharMeDoc Pregnancy Pillow
OMG, do I LOVE this pillow. I had been struggling with back pain, and my chiropractor suggested I stop sleeping on my stomach. After many failed nights of trying to sleep on my back, I knew the only way I wouldn't roll to my stomach was if I was trapped. That's when I found this little gem.
I ordered this pillow back in June and I haven't had any back pains since. I am not saying that the pillow cures back pain, but what I am saying is this dang pillow kept me off my stomach, and because of that, my pain subsided. In all honesty, it feels like you are being cuddled at night because it hugs your whole body. I love that feeling of security. Oh yeah, and as an added bounce, it makes the BEST support when reading in bed. You can thank me later!
Click here if you want to be cuddled and supported by the dreamiest pillow.
Vagus Nerve Pillow Mist
Did you know that your vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in your body? Your vagus nerve is an important nerve to know about. It is responsible for activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which oversees a vast array of crucial bodily functions, including control of mood, immune response, digestion, and heart rate. (2)
Fun fact: When you engage in belly breathing while anxious, your diaphragm pushes on your vagus nerve, activating the parasympathetic nervous system resulting in a decrease in anxiety.
So why do I love this product? Because this soothing sleepy time mist helps induce a deep sleep that promotes overall wellness. Give a few sprits on your pillow and linens and drift off into sleepy town.
Drift off to sleepy town with a vagus nerve pillow mist.
Alright, friend, that concludes this week's Friday Favorites Sleep Edition! I hope these faves of mine can help improve your sleep quality while also decreasing your anxiety. If you're new to Friday Favorites and loved this weeks, you might also love last weeks Friday Favorites.
Until next week, stay courageous!
Notes:
- Schmall, T. (2019). We spend nearly half of our lifetime lying around in bed. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2019/03/21/we-spend-nearly-half-of-our-lifetime-lying-around-in-bed/
- Breit, S., Kupferberg, A., Rogler, G., & Hasler, G. (2018). Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Frontiers in psychiatry, 9, 44. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044
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