Good Sleep Is Everything
From the best mattress to supplements and lifestyle choices that make the biggest difference.
As a woman in my 40’s on a quest to look and feel my best as I age, the number one lesson I have learned when it comes to wellness and longevity is that sleep is everything. I read somewhere that on a cellular level your body does all it’s repairing, detoxing, hormone regulating and more, when you’re in a deep sleep.
And I wasn’t sleeping great.
I’ve been making it a priority lately to improve that for so many reasons—energy, immune support, hormones, mood and of course looking more rested!—and here’s what has helped the most.
The Best Mattress
The obvious change we needed to make was our mattress. We had an older mattress that we found ourselves tossing and turning on at night resulting in mornings where we would feel tired and even at times having back pain from. The absolute worst! So we started researching different brands and Helix popped up a few times in conversations with friends and while researching online. Helix stands out from other mattress brands because of their custom built layers that include targeted memory foam, quilted pillow tops, individually wrapped cells and a cooling technology that is unmatched (hi hot sleepers!).
I especially liked that the Luxe collection has a zoned lumbar support system and appeals to both side and combination sleepers, which we are!
Serendipitously the brand reached out and I jumped at the chance to work with them and have this conversation around sleep, because it’s been so top of mind for me. I knew exactly which mattress we wanted to try after taking their sleep quiz—you can customize your mattress based on preferences like soft or firm and side-sleeper or back-sleeper—and ordered the Midnight Luxe with a cooling topper.
After only a few days I couldn’t stop gushing to friends about the best mattress we found and how overnight I felt like our sleep had improved. Passing on sleep tips is like gold these days with friends! Not only was it a game changer on a comfort level but my length of deep sleep grew, which has been my goal. Also I love the added height we gained compared to our previous mattress (the luxe collection is about 2 inches thicker) which feels extra in a really good way, luxurious! That quilted top layer is just the absolute best.
Sleep Supplements + Essentials
Whether it’s traveling, age or hormones, eventually something always trips up a perfectly good sleep routine, I have found a few natural aids that I swear by to get me back on track.
Healing Calm—I love this one because it contains California Poppy, a natural sleep aid that calm your nervous system and quiets a racing mind. It also contains passionflower which is also amazing for muscle tension and anxiety.
Valerian Root—Another option I like to have that helps you stay asleep longer.
Moon Juice Sleepy Magnesi-Om—I like having this before bed and gets me in the best sleepy state. I like the cherry! Fun fact cherries are naturally rich in melatonin and tryptophan a good sweet snack before bed.
Lunya Silk Sleep Mask—Sleeping with this mask was another game changer, moonlight from our bathroom window will sometimes wake me up. Also I love how thick this one is, I feel like it also protects my hair while sleeping too.
Soft Bedding—There is something to be said about a bed set up that you want to crawl into because it’s so inviting. This bamboo set is so silky I can’t stop talking about them!
Lifestyle Notes
This is a tough one because everyday habits and routines that are not supporting good sleep can sometimes be the hardest to break even when you know you’ll pay the price at night. Here are the rules I try my hardest to follow that seem to make the biggest difference with my sleep.
Routine bedtime—I’ve heard this many times before throughout my life, going to bed around the same time everyday will lead to longer deep sleep, which means better cell repair, hormone regulation and all of the good stuff.
Caffeine—swapping matcha for coffee. This has truly helped my nervous system overall. I like the Pique Matcha mix the most and add a touch of vanilla.
No sugar after 5 pm—probably the hardest one for me to follow but I’ve noticed myself being extra sensitive to sugar the older I get.
Regular Exercise—even if it’s a 30 minute walk.
Drinking enough water—I really notice being dehydrated affecting my sleep, such an easy one to check off the list too.
Calorie intake—remembering to stop and eat a healthy lunch on a busy day is sometimes the hardest! I’m notorious for racing through the day on just snacks and my sleep pays for it later.
Putting my phone away at night—the absolute hardest but my brain stops racing and my whole body feels like it calms a bit when I disconnect from my phone and computer.
Hope this puts a little inspiration into your sleep routine… highly recommend checking out the Helix mattresses if you’re fighting with your current set up like we were. A special thanks to Helix for supporting this post and offering a special discount to all of you—Visit Helix, currently offering a 27% discount through the end of the weekend. #HelixPartner
If you have any notes on sleep that have worked for you, leave a comment below!
xx Sam