Written by: Brooklynn Bradley-LaFleur, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
You would be amazed at the damage lack of sleep can do to you mentally, physically, and emotionally. For someone who runs three businesses, has a four-year-old, holds two board positions on top of having severe anxiety, it was on a rare occasion I got any REM sleep at night.
Sleep deprivation can cause memory loss and trouble concentrating, high blood pressure, weight gain, low sex drive, and other health risks. Severe anxiety can cause depression, headaches, irritability, panic attacks, and other health risks. Combining them will cause serious bodily harm unless you get it under control. I speak from experience.
I would be exhausted at the end of the day, but when it came time to lay down to sleep, my brain would go a million miles an hour. Fears and negative thoughts would consume me. My brain was chaotic. I didn't know how to change it, but I had to try.
Not doing anything is worse than trying. For this reason, I wanted to share a few of my tips on how I changed my life.
1. Routines
I have several routines that I use religiously. They help me gain control of my situations in an otherwise chaotic world. Your regimens do not have to be complicated or expensive. Find something that works with your schedule and is realistic for you and your lifestyle.
My routines consist of a:
Morning Routine (vitamins, skincare)
Night Routine (hot shower, skincare, beverage, show/book, yoga, meditation)
Personal To-Do List (workout, chores, errands)
Business To-Do List (meetings, clients, appointments)
Monthly To-Do List (date nights, bubble bath, spa treatments)
2. Natural Supplements
There are plenty of natural sleep and anxiety remedies out there that won't leave you feeling drained, groggy, or unlike yourself. Each night I use a lavender pillow spray, take two lavender sleep gummies, and drop two drops of my relax serum on my wrist to ease anxiety. Look up natural companies and do your research! When you find one, read the ingredients in the products and then read the reviews left by other people. I like to read the bad reviews to see what they say and see if any of it would apply to me. I hardly ever read good reviews. After I check reviews, I will type something in to google search that will tell me if there is any bad press on that specific company.
3. Meditation
Meditation is something that completely caught me off guard as far as results are concerned. I never imagined it would be a game-changer for me. If you have always wanted to try meditation but have been unsure if it would ever help you, TRY IT! I do not go a day without it.
Effects of meditation include:
Reduced Stress
Fewer Anxiety Attacks
Improves Sleep
Improved Self Image
More Positive Outlook
Improved Mental Health
Improves Memory Function
Creates a Sense of Peace
If you don't know how to meditate or where to start, I recommend YouTube. I lay in bed every night, plug in my headphones, get still and comfortable, and listen to my meditation. Whether you think it will help you or not, it is worth a try, and I promise you won't be disappointed!
Want to have a more in-depth conversation with someone you can trust who has a personal testimony? Reach out to me for a FREE self-care consultation! If you know someone who can benefit from reading this, please share.
For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube-Channel, and visit my website!
Brooklynn Bradley-LaFleur, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Bradley-LaFleur is the CEO & Founder of Brooklynn Three. Brooklynn Three is the parent company of Salon Rouge Spa, LaFleur Couture Wellness Boutique, and This Beautiful Tripp Blog. Our mission is to help people transform their lives from the inside out by offering a variety of holistic based and safe products from makeup, vitamins, and cleaning supplies all the way to a wide variety of spa services. We host a web series every Monday morning to help answer questions and connect people everywhere with the products and services that best serve them and their families. On Friday mornings, we provide store shopping lives to conveniently shop everything in our store from the comfort of your own home. We ship and are happy to provide in-house or phone consultations to find the best plan for you!
