As you all know, I work on a morning show, so sleep is a luxury that that is hard to come by. Let’s be honest, going to sleep by 6pm for a 2am wake-up call rarely happens, and that means naps after work are essential. I operate best on eight hours of sleep, but since that never happens, I’ve learned to hone my shut-eye skills and consider myself a “professional napper.” I can fall asleep within minutes of hitting the pillow even when the sun is at high noon.
Since it’s National Sleep Awareness Week, I thought I would share a few of my napping tips that help maximize shut-eye (or fake a full night’s sleep) even when the sun is shining bright.
Happy Napping! Lmk if these tips help!
Pic Above: Eye Pillow by Jane, Inc. (note: the company sent me some Rose Face Mist which I’ve been using daily… it’s super hydrating and smells great… and the tea bags which you literally steep in warm water before placing them on your eyes which helps soothe my tired eyes).
Step One: Put your phone on airplane mode. I always put my phone on airplane mode so no one can interrupt me while I’m snoozing. Plus, since airplane mode cuts off all wireless transmissions, it stops the risk of cellphone radiation…that’s what I like to call a double-double.
Step Two: Turn on white noise or nature sounds (I use an app called Brainwave and prefer to play Deep Relaxation (there are a ton of different choices from Morning Meditation to Pre-Exercise Energy and Stress Reduction). Once I play my music, my mind focuses on the sounds and they seem to automatically reduce my stress and quiet my mind.
Step Three: Use a weighted eye pillow. Not only does this keep out the light, the weight of the pillow (usually stuffed with flaxseed and/or lavender) provides the right amount of acupressure and is an effective tool to help induce sleep. My favorite: Jane, Inc (see pic below).
I recently asked the company what inspired them to make eye pillows and here’s what they had to say:
“We actually started making the eye pillows twenty years ago! We were going to yoga classes in Mill Valley and at that time they were used at the end of all yoga practices in yoga studios. We had just started our business and were looking for wellness products to add that we thought could be done better – so that was our inspiration! We still do yoga, and still use our eye pillows, and love that we can provide a handmade in California product that is beautiful and has a wide variety of prints so people can express themselves with their choice.” -J
My response: Thank you and well done!
