Secrets to a Better Sleep đ´
Hello Friends!
I have never done a newsletter, but I have always wanted a different way to share my musings, favorite new things, and connect with my community in a way that offers something extra than whatâs on my website and social media platforms. Other content creators and I have seen platforms like Facebook and Instagram change their algorithms such that reaching âfollowersâ has become harder than ever.
My goal, however, has never changed. That is, I am still in the business of helping you live your best life mostly through teaching you how to cook for better health. I will always be here to give you the tools and the confidence to cook in a way that supports the way you want to eat, and how you want to feed your family. But I also have more to offer than just food and I have realized that a separate newsletter to people who actually subscribe (for free) to my website is the best way to highlight all those golden nuggets that I bet youâll want to know about!
I have gotten to know many of you much more in the past two years and I am so grateful for this community. In turn, I would like to share more about myself and the different things besides cooking that interest me because from what I have noticed, you seem to be interested in those things too!! Â
Before I reveal some fabulous finds with you, Iâll also remind you about where else we can connect with each other. I am no longer doing in-person cooking classes, so my monthly online membership is the way to go! It is very affordable and you now have access to the ENTIRE library of classes as an active subscriber. Definitely check it out! I am also on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Ok, for my first newsletter, here are some things that are benefitting my life right now:
SLEEP: many of you know I am not a great sleeper. I wake up at least once a night and sleep very lightly after that. Sometimes it takes me a long time (an hour or more) to fall back to sleep. Iâve tried a lot of products and techniques and I am here to tell you that thereâs not ONE thing that helps my sleep, but a combination of a lot of things. Hereâs what is making a significant positive impact on my sleep:
Bright sunlight first thing in the morning, preferably outside for at least 10 minutes
No caffeine after 12:00 pm
Cool temperature in my room and lightweight pajamas
No alcohol (I know, bummer! More on that another time)
Sleeping with an eye mask (see below for my favorite)
Meditation during the day and right before sleep (I discuss below)
Self-talk - this is huge. When I wake up, I tell myself itâs ok if I donât fall back to sleep. Lying down quietly is good enough. Thereâs no pressure to fall back to sleep. Then I think about things that are relaxing and donât have to do with responsibilities. My funny little secret is that I start thinking about cake decorating videos!! I donât decorate cakes, but the visual of frosting cakes is very soothing to me, so I think about them!
Supplements have not made an impact on my sleep, but I did try Charlotteâs Web Immunity CBD gummies recently and I thought I might have sleep a little better. The recommended dosage is 2, but I took 6 LOL. This is not sponsored by the way.
Lighting - Lastly, I have been using dimmer lighting in the house in the hours after dinner, especially when I get ready for bed. No more bright lights in the evening!
No eating after a certain time. I donât usually eat past 7:00 pm, but I do agree that itâs a good idea to stop eating at least 3 hours before bedtime.
EYE MASK: I have a few eye masks, and I always travel with them. Light at night is one of the biggest disruptors of sleep. My favorite one is this Lunya washable silk eye mask.
MEDITATION APP: I have tried many and there are several good ones. My husband loves listening to Jay Shetty on the Calm app. I like Insight Timer, specifically David Ji, Glenn Harold, Henry Wittenberg, and Fleur Chambers. Some of my friends like Tara Brach and Sarah Blondin.
On a different note, a few of my friends and my sisters have no idea what RAKUTEN is. Wait, what??? What used to be Ebates is now Rakuten, a cash-back app/website that gives you a percentage off many websites and stores. Iâve been using it for many, many years and so many times Iâll go to a random website and the Rakuten pop-up will show me I can automatically receive 1-15% off my purchase, no restrictions and on top of any other promotions. I highly recommend checking it out. Itâs free and easy and you get money back. You can also get $30 off your first purchase through Rakuten with my link here. Remember, it is FREE to sign up!
Lastly, I am adding a âCapreseâ element to many meals lately! A Caprese salad has its origins in Capri, Italy and contains fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, olive oil and salt. I am adding this winner combination to eggplant, chicken, fish, and even roasted cauliflower steaks!
Please keep in touch and let me know how I can support you!!
xx, Pamela