Every year as I grow older, I realize the importance of wellness in my life.
Wellness means different things to each individual. Some might make diet and fitness their top priorities and rightfully so, these are the elements for a healthy body. However, my focus this year is a bit different than the norm. This year I choose rest and a sound mind.
At the top of my list, rest.
While I am in my third trimester of pregnancy, I know a lack of sleep is soon approaching. During my first two trimesters, it was the last thing on my mind. My prior concerns were to get all of my ducks in a row. The constant pressure of preparing mentally and financially for a child kept me up at night. In addition, my husband and I completed a series of purges to prepare for baby. A purge of unnecessary furniture, clothing and hair products. That’s right, my hair products also took up too much space.
Now that I am beyond that phase, my focus is getting great sleep. To ensure that I get seven to nine hours a night, there are a few things that need to happen.
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The room must be at a comfortable, cool temperature
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I must be in bed an hour before actual bedtime to wind down
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My phone must be silenced
Sleeping in a hot room will drive me insane, so I make sure to turn the thermostat down to a temperature that is a little cool. The material of my sheets must be lightweight; I’ll save the flannel sheets for a snowy day in Los Angeles.
Before I actually fall asleep, there is a special wind down time I have to take.
Before this happens, I make sure that I am already in pajamas, my face is washed and my hair is in a pineapple. Although it is recommended that all electronics be turned off before bed, I use this hour to catch up on emails, social media or watch a quick program on TV. By the time that hour is up, my mind and body is ready for some shut-eye. Because I cherish every minute of sleep I get, my phone is turned to silent; I flip it over so that the light does not distract my sleep.
For many of us, the recent election, world events, and our own personal struggles has caused an unbalanced state of mind.
While it sounds easy to just shut off these thoughts, my mind constantly races. My cure for a sound mind include meditation.
Within the last 2 years meditation has made it’s way to me. It took a long time for me to commit because I did not think I could sit and focus on my breathing. I was also under the impression that I would have to sit alone in silence for an hour to really enjoy the benefits. Luckily, I was introduced to a guided crystal meditation class. Initially, I was drawn to the class because of my love for healing crystals but having someone teach me how to meditate helped me focus on what was important. An hour class wasn’t as bad as I thought and it left me yearning for more.
The next challenge became to include meditation at home.
Thankfully, technology has created hundreds of meditation apps to cater to your style. The app Stop, Breathe, & Think has become my favorite because it offers meditations that start at 3 minutes and can be built up for longer periods of time. They are guided meditations that you can choose on your own or you can create by selecting your mental and physical state.
Starting my morning off with a quick five-minute meditation sets the tone for the day. It’s also become helpful to include one if I suddenly feel stressed or overwhelmed. Regardless of when I do my meditation, it clears and resets my mind to keep the everyday stresses away.
Now that you know my wellness resolutions for 2017, what are some of yours?
Let me know down below in the comments and follow me on Instagram @discocurls for more of my wellness routine!
