Getting a Great Sleep and Setting Yourself Up for Success With @Breathe App

Every night is a battle for me to get to bed on time, there are plenty of little interruptions and distractions that get in the way of my routine. That's okay! This is actually normal! We are all human, and sometimes the process of winding down and bedtime get away from us.

This month I am actively trying to pursue a relaxed, but consistent schedule for sleep. A well rested body is the first step to a more proactive wellness lifestyle. By getting a great sleep I am equipping myself for the next day and I will be able to tackle and succeed at whatever may come my way. I can see that I’m more mentally and physically prepared when I have a consistent sleep schedule!

However, unwinding can be hard, especially if I feel inspired or have the energy to accomplish something before bed. That’s when time gets away from me! I become distracted and my routine flies out the window. Then I’m overtired and anxious the next day.

That unnecessary stress is not active participation in my wellness routine. So to honour myself, I must accept where I am and respect the fact that not every night will look the same. But my actions and intentions must always remain clear, I must always practice different ways to help myself succeed with my night time journey for the month of March, April and beyond.

I’m shedding a bit of insight into my personal night time routine that helps me stay on track with support from @sbtbreathe meditation app.

How do I unwind?

An hour before bed, it’s time to put down my phone and get away from my laptop. I have plenty of options, I can either read a book, meditate or stretch. Sometimes I do all three! Stretching helps my body know it’s time for bed, getting out any tension I may have accumulated throughout my day. It gets my body prepared for a nice long rest, getting the blood to my muscles and working out any pains that I’ve held onto. Paired with that, I’ve been meditating with my favourite app called @sbtbreathe. I’ve been working with this app since university and it has helped me track my meditations and guide me in the right direction for the proper meditation for my current mood or emotion. Their app has been a great support on my journey of meditation over the last four years.

There are so many options for mediations! Whether that’s long or short, they are there as a nice reminder that my mind, body and soul is important and being supported!

My favourite meditation?

“Review the Day” It’s only about five minutes long, but trust me this is enough! It’s perfect for getting my mind in a cleared space before bed. It helps me to relax and let go of any thing that made me upset or anxious that day as well helping me reflect on my day. It is a great support if I felt the day didn't go right.

One phrase that stands out from this meditation, "It isn't easy being human, no one is perfect. It's easy to make mistakes, but I forgive myself."

As I go through this meditation, I've realized I was too hard on myself. This meditation helps me reflect on things without getting lost in the emotions behind it, letting them be there forgiving myself for mistakes I've made. It helps me get away from the negativity of my thoughts and reflect on the positivity I encountered that day. By reflecting on my day in this meditation I can understand the process and growth, as well as appreciating the things or people I'm grateful for in my life.

This meditation is well rounded to help relax you before bed, allowing all your thoughts to dissipate into the vastness when the five minutes are up.

3 Meditations to help me get into a positive mindset before bed!

I always end up gravitating back to these ones so check them out!

- When the Day is Done (3-7 mins)

- Relax, Ground, and Clear (7 mins)

- Falling Asleep (2-5 mins)

Additionally, I have purchased a new diffuser, as Peach (my newly adopted orange cat) smashed my last one! Saje has a new diffuser called “Aroma Time” in black with two chambers, one for a refreshing wake up blend in the east chamber and one in the west chamber for relaxing blends before bed. I am able to time each chamber to my routine, so I am woken and sent off each night with some of my favourite scents. This has truly helped prepare me for a more relaxed sleep.

My favourite scents in my diffuser right now?

Morning: Saje Natural Wellness essential oil “Liquid Sunshine”

Night: Saje Natural Wellness essential oil “Tranquility”

Check out the SBTbreathe app for a great place to start for a variety of guided mediations. They have a great list for beginners just starting the meditation journey!

-Wellness Wonder Woman