Winter means hibernation, rejuvenation and renewal. Then how come this season, for most of us equals more stress, more anxiety and more colds? According to Nina Curtis, California based Wellness Consultant, it’s because, “We don’t know how to turn off.”

The majority of our problems and sicknesses can be traced back to our habits that we create in the bedroom; Sleep, are you getting enough?

Most adults have experienced insomnia or sleeplessness at one time or another in their lives. But an estimated 30%-50% of the general population is affected by insomnia, and 10% have chronic insomnia. Which means we are not getting enough sleep.

The truth is, sleep is the best beauty and anti-aging remedy we have available to us, and it is free. Yet so many women are overworked and have a difficult time turning the monkey brain down when it comes time to fall asleep. Nina Curtis, The Grand Del Mar’s Wellness Consultant, shares tips to help you get the most out of a good night sleep.

Breathe Deeply

The majority of us don’t breathe properly. In fact when people yawn it is not because they are tired, more often than not it is a signal that there is not enough oxygen going to the brain. When we breathe we are releasing carbon dioxide, which means that we don’t have enough balance in our flow of oxygen to the blood stream. Basically this means we are not getting enough oxygen to the brain, which makes us feel sleepier. Try to practice breathing in and releasing out to get more oxygen into your system. You can do this anytime and anywhere. As you breath out, hold and release for mini pulses. This will help create a more vigorous oxygen flow.

Drink Green Juice

The reason juicing and drinking your greens is so popular these days is because it really works. It is an excellent way to get your vitamins and healthy calories. The nutrients found in vegetables pumps straight into your body to make you a lean green sick-fighting machine. But who would have thought drinking your green juice would help you get more zzzzzz’s. According to Nina Curtis, this is one of the best tricks to help you during the winter. In the winter months we don’t sleep as much as we should, because we are stressed with work and life demands. We forget to get the nutrition our body needs to rebuild and repair itself. But drinking pure, healthy rich nutrient foods will help our body throughout the day and at night when we rest.

Nina’s Green Mean Fighting Machine Recipe:

4 stocks of celery

1 Fuji apple

1 cucumber (optional)

1-2 teaspoons of Spiriilina

Add Essential Oils & Tincture’s 

Adding lavender into your daily diet will not only help you sleep better but it will balance you out. Lavender flowers are used to treat digestive problems, insomnia, anxiety, and restlessness. The balancing effects are in measurable. In the winter months many people get dehydrated and we do not drink enough water. But putting flavor in your water might help you consume more. A simple trick to feel more balanced and sleep better at night is to add lavender tincture (10-20 drops) in your water. Drinking lavender water is an excellent way to calm the body and mind.  The Lavender ‘tincture’ is an infusion of the flowers in a mixture of water and alcohol vs. the distillation process used to make the essential oil.

Still having a tough time sleeping? Try these tips:

• Remove all technology, including bright alarm clocks

• Use a sleep mask

• Paint your walls (use muted cool colors that evoke relaxation)

• Unwind an hour before bed time

For more information about mastering sleep visit The Grand Del Mar Weekend Winter Wellness Retreat

~ Post by Shannon Kaiser

image: yogaeatrun.com/beautyandeverythingelse.com/The Grand Del Mar