sleep is really important to me!  i’ve always been one of those people who needs lots of sleep.  like over 8 hours of sleep.  every night.  and unfortunately for me, i have always had a hard time sleeping.  i’m a fairly anxious person, a worrier, if you will, and i have a hard time getting my mind to rest.  having a kid, moving to a new state, quitting my job… none of these things help alleviate worry!  but lately, i’ve taken some helpful steps toward trying to get really good, solid sleep:  i take calcium and magnesium before bed. (calcium and magnesium deficiencies can cause insomnia.)  sometimes i take melatonin, but not regularly as it can inhibit your bodies ability to make it’s own.  i drink nighty night tea most nights, which really helps me to relax and prepare for sleep.  i also practice some deep breathing and relaxation techniques once my head hits the pillow, like going to my “happy place” in my mind.  daily exercise, yoga in particular, would be incredibly helpful, but it’s quite hard to complete a yoga routine with a 2 year old around.  shocking, i know.

my mom also suffers from this restless mind problem, so for mothers day i made each of us a little relaxation package chock full of lavender, known for its calming affects.  i made a sleep salve and a lavender linen spray,  and a buckwheat and lavender eye pillow.

i really enjoyed creating this gift.  making the salve was so easy, and it opened up my interest in creating more natural bath and body products myself.  i felt like a little alchemist in the kitchen!  we are in the middle of planting our garden, and i’m hoping to squeeze some beautiful medicinal herbs in there.  we already have a bunch of lavender plants that i harvested from last year.

and you know what?  i really enjoy making a nice simple pillow out of good quality fabrics, filled with something that feels nice.  i spent a lot of time in college hand sewing tiny silk pillows and filling them with various substances, like sand and lentils.  maybe i should create some sort of tiny pillow business…