How are your energy levels?

Have you ever lain in bed, wide awake, wondering why you aren't tired?

Daytime naps aside, you might be overstimulated by caffeine or sugar. These can affect some people for up to 12 hours or even several days, after consumption. The prolonged impact of caffeine and sugar not only disrupts sleep but also causes long-term cellular damage, affecting overall health and well-being.

But boosting your energy levels during the day can improve your sleep at night. So, stay active during the day, avoid sitting for long periods, and engage in regular physical activity. Fruit is a much better choice for dessert than any processed, sugary food, and consider reducing caffeinated beverages. Try these instead...

  • Herbal Teas - Choose spearmint and peppermint herbal teas for a gentle energy boost - stimulating both mind and body. They'll give you an energy boost and more mental clarity for 4-6 hours, but you'll still sleep well at night.
  • Energy Inhaler or Focus & Clarity Inhaler - These tiny vapor molecules of this complex formula quickly absorb into your lungs, entering your circulatory system to boost your energy. Inhale and enjoy!

Other Sleep Saboteurs

  • Drinking Alcohol to fall asleep? Alcohol may initially help you fall asleep, but it's a low-quality, non-restorative sleep disrupts crucial sleep stages, like REM sleep, leading to a less restful night. You might wake up more often and feel more tired the next day. Regular use can even lead to chronic sleep disorders.
  • Medications: Some medications can disturb your sleep. Always consult your doctor if you have any questions.
  • Napping and Inconsistent Sleep Patterns: Afternoon naps and irregular sleep patterns confuse your body. Being overly sedentary during the day can make you feel restless at night. Stay active during the day, necessary to keep you alert in the day.

Use Firefly for more Stamina, Clarity, and Focus

We know your skin absorbs lots of ingredients from your skin care products, so we created these cleansers and moisturizers for daily use to enhance your stamina, clarity, and focus - giving you a leading edge to handle daily challenges. Use them every morning for a gentle boost in productivity and effectiveness, and use the spritzer in the afternoon to stay alert. Plus, they have anti-aging benefits to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and anti-bacterial benefits to defend your body from invaders.

Diffuse Essential Oils to be more alert

We know your skin absorbs lots of ingredients from your skin care products, so we created these cleansers and moisturizers for daily use to enhance your stamina, clarity, and focus - giving you a leading edge to handle daily challenges. Use them every morning for a gentle boost in productivity and effectiveness, and use the spritzer in the afternoon to stay alert. Plus, they have anti-aging benefits to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and anti-bacterial benefits to defend your body from invaders.

Healthy Habits for Every Day

Reducing stress is key to improving sleep, mainly because stress activates the body’s fight-or-flight response and increases levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Here's how lowering stress can lead to better sleep:

  • Morning Exercise: Start your day with a workout to get your blood pumping and release mood-boosting endorphins. Exercise in the morning and unwind at night!
  • Laugh: Laughter releases endorphins, tricking your nervous system into improving your mood.
  • Mindfulness: Engage in mindfulness, meditation, yoga, or tai chi to reduce stress physically and mentally.
  • Stay Active: Keep moving throughout the day to use your body's energy effectively.
  • Connect: Talk to friends.
  • Eat Well: Choose whole fresh foods.

Increasing Happy Hormones

Did you know that even your bones need happy hormones to stay healthy and strong?

Happy hormones like serotonin and melatonin play crucial roles in regulating the functions of our body, including sleep. Serotonin stabilizes mood and promotes relaxation, which indirectly supports better sleep. It also converts to melatonin in the evening, preparing the body for sleep. Melatonin, the "sleep hormone," helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle, signaling that it's time to sleep and helping maintain sleep throughout the night. Activities such as exercise, exposure to bright light during the day, and engaging in relaxing activities can boost these hormones, leading to more restful and restorative sleep. The cleansers, spritzers and moisturizers in the following formulas help your body balance hormone levels and can even increase happy hormone production. Not only does this help you feel better, but every part of your body functions better.

more healthy habits

Tackling stress not only improves sleep but also positively impacts overall health and well-being. So consider adding some of these healthy habits into your daily activities.

  • Music: Listen to calming music is known to soothe the soul, but did you know it can lower the levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress. In response, your body is able to create more melatonin - the hormone responsible for regulating sleep-wake cycles. And a healthy balance is essential for a healthy circadian rhythm. Calming music also helps reduce feelings of anxiety and creates a sense of tranquility. It can also lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health.
  • Start a gratitude journal. It starts with "I am grateful for. ____", and you fill in the blank. Writing statements of gratitude every day, for at least 5 minutes a day, can help you feel so much better about life.

Preparing for a good night's sleep.

Establishing a bedtime routine helps signal to your body that it's time to wind down and can make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.

  • Food: Stop eating 2-3 hours before bed, so your digestive system can rest.
  • Lights: Reduce electronic devices for 1-3 hours before bed as they activate the rods in your eyes, stimulating your brain.
  • Create a Haven: Your bedroom should be a sanctuary to rest and recover. Consider making it an electronics-free zone.
  • Stop the Distractions: Settle your children or pets early enough, and away from your sleeping area and early enough.
  • Sensitive to Electromagnetic Fields? Turn off your WIFI. This is increasingly necessary for many people every year.
  • Consider the Energy Flow of Your Space: Avoid allowing windows, doorways, and mirrors to intersect across your bed, as these energy pathways are known to disturb sleep.

Diffuse calming essential oils

Diffusing can be as easy as putting a drop or two of essential oil on a cotton ball and setting it near you, or on a small piece of fabric (or clean sock) and setting it on an a/c or heat vent in the room. You can also add a few drops to boiling water or purchase a candle or electric diffuser for easier use. Use these calming essential oils at bedtime and remember it's important that we are still breathing mostly clear air. So, only diffuse for 30 minutes to 2 hours at a time. If you snore, try lemongrass or clary sage.

Our Breathe Inhaler and Stress Relief Inhaler can also be invaluable at bedtime.

Sleepy Teas

Herbal teas have long been cherished for their ability to improve sleep quality and are well-known for their calming properties. These teas are caffeine-free, making them an ideal bedtime beverage that won’t disrupt your sleep cycle. By incorporating herbal teas into your nightly routine, you can create a relaxing ritual that signals to your body that it's time to wind down, ultimately leading to better and more restful sleep. We have several herbal teas that will help you relax. It's best to start drinking them about an hour or two before bedtime. Even a warm glass of milk before bed (without sweeteners) can aid in getting a good night's sleep.

Plan for tomorrow...

  • Empty your mind of your worries: Just the simple act of writing a list of important things to do can help quiet your mind so your body can rest.
  • Add a Notebook and Pen by your bed in case you wake with an idea. Then you can jot down your ideas and go back to sleep.
  • Be Consistent: It's best to go to bed at the same time every night. This means getting into bed, closing your eyes, and giving yourself a chance to sleep.
  • Midnight Awakening Routine: Is there a magic time that you seem to wake up often? If you tend to wake up in the middle of the night, it's important that you do not activate any electrical devices. Even when your eyes are closed, those blue lights can go through your eye lids and stimulate your brain. If that happens, it can be very difficult to get back to sleep. Instead think about making a choice that will help you go back to sleep faster - such as reading, praying, or meditating. If you're hungry, eat something simple, like a piece of cheese.

Release the Tension

Ever heard of Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)?

It's a fantastic way to ease tension in your body. All you do is tighten your muscles, hold for a few seconds, then release. You can do one section of your body at a time or try to do everything at once. It may like a little odd, so best not to do this one in public. It's interesting trying to get all your muscles to work at once. And, the more you become aware of which muscles are tense, the better you understand your body. Tightening restricts blood-flow and releasing allows fresh blood to the area, improving circulation. This reduces stress in your body, helping your muscles relax, and that's going to help you sleep.

Bath & Massage

Taking a warm bath before bedtime can significantly improve sleep quality: It relaxes muscles, lower body temperature, and reduce stress, signaling to your brain that it’s time to sleep. Add a few sprays of your Alywillow Level 4 moisturizers to your bathwater for excellent therapeutic benefits.

Self Massage: Similarly, a massage reduces cortisol levels, eases muscle pain, and promotes relaxation by encouraging serotonin production, all of which enhance overall sleep quality. This results in overall better rest and improved well-being. Our Level 4 moisturizers are best for massage. They go on quick and leave a nice slip. Remember, they are concentrated, so just one spray will usually cover your arm. Spray it in your palm and then rub on for silky sooth skin.

Which Level 4 is best for you?

  • Lavender Fields - Calming & anti-aging.
  • Sweet Magic - Happy hormone booster with citrus tones.
  • Seawillow - Designed for spas, to help you unwind and relax.
  • Riverflow - Supports your nervous system, circulatory system, and all the fluids of your body.
  • Warrior - Clears impurities from the body, anti-aging, supports your immune system.
  • Sagerow - Best for anyone who has regular leg cramps. Anti-aging and anti-microbial.
  • Lemon Laughs - Reduces skin discolorations and redness. Clearing.
  • Wildwood - Great for flaky or itchy from skin eczema, fungal or dermatitis. Anti-acne.
  • Firefly - Helps calm hyperactive individuals. Anti-aging.
  • Dragonfly - Soothing for those experiencing emotional distress. Anti-aging.
  • Butterfly - Increases happy hormone production and has the lightest scent of all.
  • Minty Relief - best for those who suffer from chronic swelling or pain.

Sleep Better, Feel Better, with Island Rain

We'd love to see your healthy lifestyle give you a naturally balanced circadian rhythm, but even then, sometime we need a little help to get to sleep. That's what ISLAND RAIN does. About an hour before bedtime, breathe in the mist of Island Rain 1-10 times. You can also rub it into your skin and spray your sheets and pillows. Clean sheets covered in Island Rain are sure to help you relax and it can quickly become a treasured night time experience.