1-Bath and massage
We all have bad days now and again. Stress from work or school can sometimes leave us feeling run down, a bath always manages to calm and change one's mood. After a long day, what could be better than a good bath; adults and children, the benefits are appreciated by all !
According to a study, taking a hot bath 1:30 before going to bed increases sleep onset time by an average of 10 minutes and improves the overall quality of sleep. To our hot baths we like to add Aromaforce bath salts and/or essential oil bath bombs. Once out of the bath and teeth brushed, it's time for a massage! We take out our homemade massage oil made with Aromaforce essential oils and Sweet Almond oil. A moment of relaxation for everyone that brings us closeness, softness, and warmth.
2-The essential oil diffuser
I use my diffuser every day. Morning and night. In the evening, I turn on the diffuser before going to sleep and I put a few drops of Aromaforce Organic Lavender Essential Oil. Its soothing and calming properties are appreciated and promote good sleep.
3-Meditation
Reading a book is certainly a great activity to do with our children before bedtime; but have you thought about meditating with your children at night? I've noticed that my children prefer to create their own stories and tell them to themselves. Over time, this has inspired me to introduce my kids to meditation. Here is how I guide them:
- We sit facing each other and close our eyes.
- Then we take three deep breaths by placing our hands on our abdomen in order to feel it inflate with air and empty when we exhale.
- Then we open our eyes, and we imagine that we hold a ball of energy between our hands. I ask what color this ball is and what they imagine is inside.
Otherwise, we can propose an image for example, a multitude of multicolored butterflies which flap their wings very quickly and are glittering. We imagine that we fill this ball with love and bright colors. Once it is well filled, the ball of light opens and the thousands of butterflies fly away to be deposited in the hearts of people we love, to humanity, to someone we know who is suffering, to ourselves, etc.
I invite you to do this exercise with your child and experience this curiosity, wonder and presence with them. If you don't have a child, it may still be beneficial to try mindfulness meditation before bed. There are studies that show improvement and deeper sleep following the practice of meditation. Don't know where to start? Just start by taking a few deep breaths and bringing your awareness to the movement of your breath.
4-Natural remedies
In phytotherapy, different plants are used for their calming and sedative properties, the most popular is passion flower. Known for its calming action and to help relieve anxiety. A.Vogel carries this popular remedy in 3 formats: An oral spray for ages 12+, night time tablets with added zinc or tincture that can be added to water which is safe for children ages 4+. These will help to decrease sleep disorders related to anxiety, nervousness, or stress.
5-Reduce exposure to blue light in the evening
Exposure to light during the day is beneficial, but exposure to light at night has the opposite effect. This is due to its effect on the circadian rhythm, causing the brain to think it is still daytime. This reduces hormones like melatonin, which help you relax and sleep soundly.
The light that we are most concerned with reducing at night is the blue light that comes from electronic devices like smartphones and computers. They emit this light in large quantities. There are several popular methods you can use to reduce nighttime exposure to blue light. For example, wearing glasses with blue light blocking lenses, downloading an app that can block blue light on your devices and stop watching TV 2 hours before bed.
