When we’re short on time during the day, it’s tempting to carve into sleep time to get it all done. But before you give up those Z’s, there are some important things about sleep you should know.

Sleep isn’t a passive activity. During sleep your body and brain are hard at work.

There’s a reason you feel a bit hung over after a poor night’s sleep. Your brain hasn’t gone through its natural cleansing process so it’s basically swimming in its own sewage. During sleep the brain activates its internal cleaning system called the glymphatic system. This system drains waste products from the brain by flushing cerebrospinal fluid through it and ridding toxins from the brain that accumulate during wakefulness. In fact, lack of sleep has similar effects on the brain as alcohol. Being awake for 17 hours is the equivalent of having a blood alcohol level of .05%.

But it’s not just about feeling better. During sleep your brain is also busy consolidating memories, shifting through your day and cataloging what’s important and where to store it. It’s not only your brain’s way of moving memories into long-term storage, it’s your brain’s way of making sense of and assigning meaning to events. It’s your brain processing the world you live in and what’s happening in your life. It’s also your brains way of problem solving. During sleep your subconscious is actively at work finding solutions to problems that may elude you during the day.

Your bedroom should be an oasis. It should be where you go to shrug off the day and to relax and recuperate. So invest in yourself by investing in your bedroom. It doesn’t take a lot of time or money to make your bedroom feel like a spa.

• Start with keeping your room clean. Going to sleep and waking up in a clean room allows the mind to relax and makes you feel more energized and grateful.
• Candles, essential oils, a plant or two can all make a huge difference in how your room feels.
• According to color theory, even the color you paint your bedroom walls, the color of your sheets and the pattern on your bedspread can affect sleep. Picture what is calming and serene to you. It’s probably not bright yellow or orange. So if you’re having a hard time relaxing in your room, you might want to rethink your color scheme.
• Black out curtains can make all the difference in a good night’s sleep. Light pollution from street lights or even a full moon can disrupt sleep patterns.
• If you sleep with someone who snores, don’t be a hero. Buy some really good earplugs.
• Keep your room cool. Studies show people sleep best in rooms around 65 degrees.
• Consider ditching the TV. Some experts swear by making the bedroom only for sleep and sex so that your body knows exactly what it’s supposed to do when you walk into your room. Yes, it’s an option. But if it’s the only place you can binge Netflix or escape the kids’ annoying TV shows, you keep that TV just where it is.
• If you still don’t feel rested when you wake, try turning off your WIFI at night and putting your phone into airplane mode. Some people are more sensitive to EMF’s and studies have shown it can undermine sleep cycles and disrupt REM sleep.

How you start your day sets the tone for your entire day, so taking a couple of extra minutes to make sure you start your day out right can have a huge impact on the rest of your day.

• Waking up to sunlight is huge in activating the body’s internal clock and letting the brain and body know it’s time to move. So open those blinds and let the sunlight in the moment you wake up. If you’re extra fancy, there are lights you can time to start brightening before you wakeup so the light isn’t quite so jarring and your body wakes up more gently.
• Make your bed. This simple act can have a drastic impact on the rest of your day. Not only does it set you up for success because you’ve accomplished something first thing in the morning, it leads to greater self-discipline and can jumpstart other healthy habits.
• Drink water first thing. Your body has gone without water for (hopefully) at least 6 hours. Sleep in itself is dehydrating but compound it with not drinking water overnight and your body is screaming for hydration. Keep a water bottle by the side of your bed so you can drink it first thing in the morning. It starts your system moving and hydrates your cells, which is extra important if you plan on having a cup of coffee.
• Stretch. Your body has been sedentary all night. Your muscles and joints need to move. Plus stretching will get your blood moving and activate your body’s circulatory system.
• Smile. The simple act of smiling sends feel good signals to your brain and can actually change your mood. So put on a smile and go forth and conquer your day.

If you’re still having trouble sleeping, I developed these because I was going through a time where sleep just wasn’t happening for me. So, I did what I do best; I researched. CBN has been found to be effective in helping people fall asleep. With the addition of melatonin and CBD, they all work together to help you fall asleep and stay asleep and not feel groggy in the morning. I needed something gentle where I could still function if my youngest had a bad dream or didn’t feel good. I needed to know I could still get everyone out if there was a fire. I was scared to take anything, but once I started taking the SLEEP softgels, I was able to get myself back on a healthy schedule and have energy during the day. So I added SLEEP to our line because, well… sleep is important.

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