There’s nothing like the feeling of crawling into your comfy bed after a long day and collapsing onto the pillow. Sometimes, your eyes refuse to stay open any longer and you drift into dream land within minutes. But that’s not always the case… you’ve all had night tossing and turning, trying to get comfy, when you start to think the possibility of falling asleep is hopeless. You watch the minutes on the clock tick by, doing the math to calculate how many hours of sleep you will get if you fall asleep right that minute. Instead of staring at the ceiling and recalling every embarrassing thing you’ve done since middle school, try a few of these tricks.
We’ve rounded up the most effective tricks proven to quickly induce deep sleep. While we think that silky soft bedding and cute PJ’s help, these tricks are backed by scientific studies. Stop thinking and start dreaming!
Oh, and we thought this was the perfect time to throw some major bedroom inspo at you! THAT will give you something to dream about.
1. Be Cool
Crank down the AC. Your internal body temperature regulates your body’s clock. It has been proven that you fall asleep faster in cooler temperatures. The National Sleep Foundation recommends a bedroom temperature of 60 to 67 degrees F. Throw some fuzzy socks on too! There’s some science that suggests keeping your extremities warm when the rest of your body is cooling off also helps you fall asleep faster.
Want to fall asleep in under a minute? The 4-7-8 method, created by Dr. Andrew Well, has received wide recognition for it’s effectiveness. It increases the amount of oxygen in your blood and slows your heart rate. So how does it work? Simple:
Put the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth. Keep it there through the entire exercise.
Exhale completely through your mouth. You should make a loud airy sound.
Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose as you count to four.
Hold your breath and count to seven.
Exhale completely through your mouth, making another loud airy sound to a count of eight.
Repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.
Voila! You’ll be dreaming in no time.
3. Stop and smell the lavender
Yes, it might be time to invest in that diffuser or treat yourself to a new candle! This herb has been linked to increased relaxation and lower blood pressure. Light a candle or bring out the diffuser about an hour before you you want to go to bed to unravel your nerves so you can drift into a deep sleep more quickly.
In your mind! One of the biggest deterrents to falling asleep is the inability to clear your thoughts.Reviewing problems from the day and mulling over things in your head when lying in bed promotes stimulation, not sleep. Despite what mom might have taught you, counting sheep is not the best way to take your mind off of things. Instead, imagine your favorite place or a peaceful setting. Picture yourself lounging on the beach in the warm sun or curled up next to the fireplace with a mug of hot chocolate- whatever makes you take a deep a deep breath and think ahhhhh…
5. Bye bye blue light
You knew this was coming. Put away the phones, tablets and computers! If you’re the person who scrolls through Pinterest and Instagram or binge watches Netflix in hopes of getting tired, think again! Blue light halts the your body’s production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep and wake cycles. That might not be the only source of blue light in your room. LED and fluorescent bulbs, which many people use to save energy, also produce blue light. Say bye bye to blue lights and light a couple of candles at bedtime instead.
Routine is arguably the most important factor in helping you quickly fall into a deep sleep. It programs your body’s internal clock and conditions your body to fall asleep faster. Start with going to bed at the same time every night. Try to keep your nightly routine the same. Take a warm bath with your favorite bath salts, listen to a relaxing playlist, make a cup of chamomile tea while you journal your day’s thoughts, then hop into bed. If you do this every night ,your body will start to recognize your actions and prep for sleep. When you slip into bed you will be minutes from dozing off!
We wish you the sweetest of dreams and deepest of sleeps! If we missed your favorite trick for falling asleep, leave us a comment!
There's something strangely exhilarating about it.
You feel free as you cruise down the open road with nothing stopping you from taking detours, making pit stops and free-styling your vacation. You can do anything. That's the beauty of a road trip- you're in charge! Say goodbye to plane delays and long layovers.
We rounded up a few reasons that everyone should take a road trip this summer:
Clear your mind
Being out on the road for hours is therapeutic. There is nothing to stop you from sifting through your thoughts one by one. It's the perfect time to make plans for the future, resolve problems, and make that phone call you've been needing to make.
Being alone with our thoughts can be scary. But for some reason, everything makes sense on the road. Maybe it's the notion that we're leaving everything behind; it is easier to put things in perspective. If you're feeling stressed and your mind is jumbled, a road trip might be exactly what you need to find your peace again.
Jam time
Admit it...sometimes you get a little excited about long drives because it means you can sing your favorite songs at the top of your lungs for a few hours. An awesome playlist is part of the road trip survival pack. Fill it with your new favorite jams and some oldies but goodies. There's no better time to catch up on new music that you've been too busy to listen to. Keep a good balance between the new and the old because you'll want to blare a few of your tried and true favorite songs in between.
Save some money
Imagine if you could take the money you spent on that expensive plane ticket and stay at your destination an extra day or two. Or go all out at a crazy dinner. When you take a road trip you give yourself some extra money to play with. Isn't the whole point of vacation to play?!
If you invite a couple friends on your road trip you can split the gas between all of you to make it super affordable. A girls weekend to the beach just became an option! Road tripping makes those dream vacations something that isn't so far out of reach.
Nothing like a road trip bond
Along with saving some money, bringing friends along can make the drive one of the best parts of vacation. There's nothing like a bond formed over an eight hour car ride. Sing some girl jams, eat some fast food and tell a million stories. You'll find yourselves reminiscing on the old days and telling stories about your first kiss. And just wait until the delirium sets in on that last hour...that's when things get really interesting. Road tripping with friends is a special kind of experience. Don't miss out!
See the country
There's no better way to see the hills, oceans, mountains, lakes and plains of this country than driving straight through them. We live in a beautiful place and we often take it for granted by flying straight over it. Get to know this gorgeous world. You'll find yourself mesmerized by the views as you drive hours down winding roads. There's beauty in taking things slow and enjoying the ride.
We hope that you take the initiative to plan a road trip this summer. If you do, tag us in your Instagram photos so we can follow the journey. Happy traveling!
Owner of Rodéo Boutique Shanna Boudreaux is a seasoned antique hunter.
Shanna's home is filled with impressive finds from antique stores all over the country.
People often walk into her home and ask her where she got a certain piece because they want it too. She loves being able to respond that it is one of a kind. You can only find the funky pieces that she displays around her house by carefully sifting through stores filled with the past.
Inspired by the Queen of Antiques, we decided to make a day out of antiquing in Austin, Texas. We were a little nervous to try our hand at antiquing. Not everyone has such a keen eye for standout pieces when they are cluttered among hundreds of others that are not so great. But Shanna talked us through the whole experience, and we're going to share her tips with you!
We headed to Uncommon Objects on South Congress Street-- a famous street known for it's funky shops and incredible food. And this romantic graffiti. . . perfect for a picture with bestie or bae.
Although Uncommon Objects looked pretty cool, some of the best stores look beat up on the outside. Shanna said that she got some of her favorites pieces from stores in run down parts of town that no one would ever think to look in. We're gonna hit you with a cliche: don't judge a book by it's cover.
She also reminded us not to forget about estate sales. It doesn't have to be the biggest house or the nicest store-- you never know whats inside!
Because sometimes you walk into a store and find this..
We had our eye out for a couple things that Shanna told us she always looks for. The first was brass: brass figures, brass accessories, brass anything!
We ran across a whole shelf full of brass animal figures that would look awesome on shelves or a coffee table.
Shanna told us to look for serving ware and glassware. She said you often pay a fraction of the price for what you would pay for a new set. Plus, where are you gonna find one-of-a-kind, glassware like this?!
Shanna's final tip was to keep and open mind rather than have your mind set on a specific piece. If you do that, you might miss something great that you're not expecting to find. Had we gone in only looking for brass and glassware, we might have missed our favorite thing in the store...vintage signs!
Keep your eyes on the prize. . .
Although we saw so many things we loved, we could only choose one. So we took home these sassy, mini champagne glasses.
We wrapped up our day with a drink on the balcony. Cheers to summer and a successful day of antiquing!
Have a beach trip planned this summer? You better! Gotta get bronze. We're going to let you take a peek at what we are keeping in our beach bag this summer.
We wouldn't want you reading a boring book on the beach or realizing you left all the snacks inside.
Frozen fruit: If you freeze your fruit before you head to the beach it stays colder much longer. Hot fruit is gross. Plus, you'll still be feeling good in your bathing suit after snackin'. Our favorite frozen fruits are blueberries, bananas, grapes and raspberries.
Mara Hoffman Landscape Dashiki Cover-up: We've gone all heart eyes over this coverup. The colors are awesome and make it easy to match with almost any bathing suit. You might even catch us wearing this off the beach. It's just too cute. You can snag our coverup online and have it shipped right to your door!
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes: If the title of this book sounds familiar, it's probably because you've been seeing the commercial for the movie adaption. Read it before you see the movie! No one ever says the movie is better than the book, and I doubt this will be the exception. It's an unlikely love story with a unexpected ending. You'll be teary-eyed through the last few pages.
Maui Babe Browning Lotion: This stuff is the BOMB. Seriously. It's an awesome alternative to all that slimy tanning oil. Put this lotion on after you apply sunscreen to accelerate your tan. You tan quicker and it gives you that coveted brown glow. It's made with all natural Hawaiian products...you skin will thank you. You can pick up this lotion at Ulta or Target.
The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey: If you're not into the love stories, this one is for you. Melanie is a seemingly innocent, intelligent young girl. When you find out the truth behind what she is and what lies in her future, you will be shocked. It's a high suspense, page turner. You won't be able to put it down.
Mara Hoffman Flight Bikini: The colors....the pattern....Mara can do no wrong. We are keeping this bikini in our beach bag because it's going to look great with our new tan. Let us ship the Mara Hoffman Flight Bikini to youfor your next trip to the coast...or pool day.
White Cheetah Chaser Towel: Mark your spot on the beach with this fierce cheetah beach towel. You can grab this towel or one like it at our Baton Rouge store for $70. We have tons of statement towels to brighten up the beach.
Infused water: We love drinking infused water on the beach...so refreshing. It's the perfect answer to that fruity drink craving without all the calories. Plus it looks so pretty when put together in a clear water bottle. Our favorite infused water combo includes blueberries, fresh mint, lemons and cucumbers. You can't mess it up. Just throw a handful of blueberries and a few mint leaves in a water bottle then shake it up to muddle. Add a few slices of lemon and cucumber then fill the bottle with ice and water. Viola!
Tkees: These flip flops are the ultimate summer staple. You can throw them on with anything. Wear them on the beach and then throw them on with a sundress for dinner. They can do it all. They're available in different colors at our in-store locations.
After Sun Body Mist: After a long day on the beach your skin is probably a little dry and rough. Hopefully not burned. Either way, this aloe infused body mist quenches and soothes sun damaged skin. We love a spritz or two on the way back from the beach. Perfect way to cool down and end the day. You can buy it at our Baton Rouge location.
Love the beach bag itself? So do we and we can ship the wander tote bag straight to your door!
We hope you get to take advantage of our beach bag favorites on your next vacay. Get to a beach soon and start relaxing. We hope your summer is filled with sun, sand and adventure.
