Every night, I had a date with my alarm clock.

Sometimes it was 3 am.  Other times it was 4 am.

I calculated in my head: Okay if I fall asleep NOW, I can still get the 6 hours of sleep that “they” tell me is so important.

Yes, those glowing red numbers on my alarm clock kept taunting me.

We’ve all read the wellness articles about the perils of not getting enough sleep.  And as a nurse, I understood how incredibly valuable great sleep is…and how elusive it can be for people over 40. 

I’m here to tell you: You CAN get great sleep again… the Energized Living Way. 

All we have to do is apply my famous 3-P’s

1. Prayer and Positivity to wind down the day

In our busy society, it’s so common to look at our agenda at the end of the day and lament all the things we didn’t get done. What about pausing and enjoying what you DID get done?  

We are only blessed with a finite number of days on this earth. Prayer, meditation, or a short gratitude practice can help you savor the good things that happened during this day of your life.  It can help you release your “to do” list or worries, and instead immerse yourself in peace, love, and blessings before bed.

2. Play and Move

I’m not talking about crazy dance moves, but some gentle stretches that are shown to relax your body and release the tension of the day (so we don’t wake up to think about them at 3 am!)

 My 3 favorite nighttime sleep preparation moves are:

 The “Legs Up the Wall” Pose – which is exactly like it sounds!  If you’ve never tried it, it really works.  You lay down on the floor with your legs running up the wall.  

Perfect for the end of the day, you reverse the flow of your lymphatic system and improve your circulation.  Not only is it a great stretch to undo the physical tension in your body, for many people it actually calms the nerves and lowers stress and anxiety. Exactly what we need for a restful night of sleep!

You can do the easy “Toe Tapping” while you are lying down.  You don’t need a yoga mat for this one, you can do it right in bed to increase the blood flow and relax the entire body.  With your legs extended, you tap your toes together, using the principles of “tapping” to encourage the flow of healing energy throughout your entire body.  In just two minutes, you can calm your body and your sympathetic nervous system any time you need.

The Yoga Nidra “tighten and release” move is something that releases anxiety and tension instantly.  It’s so subtle that you can do it at 3 am without waking up your bedmate if you have one!  Simply tighten up all of your muscles… hold for a few seconds…then release. Do this series a few times and feel the trapped tension slip out of your body so you can glide back into sleep.

3. Protection or Preparation for Good Sleep

 Let’s get back to the basics of treating our body with some loving kindness.  Reducing exposures to screens before bed gives you time to read, stretch, or meditate/pray.  

I love a late night snack as much as anyone (I used to wait until the kids went to bed to enjoy my guilty pleasure of SNACK in the evening).  But our favorite evening indulgence actually stimulates our digestive system, when it should be winding down. 

Try to eat your “late-night” craving by 8pm and even better if you can combine it with protein. My personal favorites are large Medjool dates stuffed with walnuts or almonds. Gives you a bite-sized sweetness without the spike in refined sugar.  

Eating before 8 pm gives your body the space to go into it’s natural evening “detox” mode, slowing down and encouraging better sleep.

 There are other ways to prepare your body for sleep that don’t require pharmaceuticals that leave you groggy or potentially addicted.

Is it any surprise that nature has provided us the answer?

 Millions of people use cannabinoids to get a solid night’s sleep the natural way.

 But it’s more than just heading over to the local cannabis shops that are popping up everywhere!  Because as knowledgeable as the staff are, they cannot legally advise you on dosage and combinations.  That leaves you guessing on your own. 

There are 3 main cannabinoids that help with sleep, and those are: CBN, CBD, and THC.  You may only need a single cannabinoid, or you may need a combination of 2 or 3. That’s where it pays off to work with a cannabis nurse like me.

First, we’ll look at WHY you are having trouble sleeping.

• Are you having trouble sleeping due to chronic pain?

• Are you waking up in the middle of the night with anxiety?

• Are you having trouble falling asleep in the first place?

Then, we’ll look at your existing medications, to make sure there are no contraindications.

From there, I’ll formulate a combination and dosage that’s personalized for your health profile to move you towards a good night sleep.

 Anyone over 40 has learned that our bodies are our greatest treasure, but also can be very sensitive to food, medications, and movements. That’s why I work closely with you to monitor your combination and sleep habits to make sure that it’s working optimally for you.  

As with any health initiative, we may tweak your cannabis combination or dosage until we get it just right. But you don’t have to guess it alone, faced with a myriad of cannabis products behind the counter.  You’ll have a nurse to walk you through it every step of the way!

Book Your Cannabis Consultation Now – and start getting the 6-8 hours of sleep you’ve been dreaming of!