Think about all the factors that can interfere with a good night's sleep — from work, stress, and family responsibilities to unexpected challenges, such as illnesses. It's no wonder that quality sleep is hard to come by. And I don't know about you, but when I don't have a great night of sleep, EVERYTHING is harder. People, tasks, people, HA!
While you might not be able to control the factors that interfere with your sleep, you can adopt habits that encourage better sleep. Here are six simple tips that are super helpful...
Exhausted? Not sleeping well? Hitting those afternoon slumps? This month I am talking all things energy, stress, and sleep!!
Today, I am going to dive deep into four ways to boost energy levels--naturally!
Read more...Friend, does this sound too familiar?
- You wake up and are unable to function without a significant amount of caffeine.
- You finally feel a boost of energy during the early part of the day.
- Then your energy levels crash around 2 p.m., rise around 6 p.m., and fall again around 9 p.m.
Can stress cause extreme fatigue? Yes, it absolutely can....
As far as I’m concerned, it’s never too early to start thinking (and dreaming) about summer…. So, this month we are going to talk all about preparing for the summer months!
Up first, let’s talk about skin. Summer skin is much different than winter skin and the skin on our face is much different than the skin on our feet. One of the best ways to get all skin in summer shape is to exfoliate!
Exfoliation for skin is the holy grail of skincare.
However, too much of it is also bad. When exfoliation is done right, it makes the skin much smoother, cleaner, better, and younger. But if you use an exfoliator that’s a bit rough on the skin, or apply it too much or too often, or, even if you combine two or more exfoliating agents, then it’s very likely that is going to over-exfoliate your skin which can damage your skin’s lipid barrier. When this happens, our skin becomes rosy, puffy, or a bit swollen and can be easily inflamed. This inflammation can then escalate into an acne breakout. Using too much exfoliant also removes too much of the surface layer of the skin, taking away with it all the trapped moisture and your skin can become visibly dry and dehydrated.
The best way to exfoliate your face is to make small, circular motions using your fingers to apply a scrub according to your skin type. My absolute favorite scrub is the Satin Mint Facial Scrub! If you are using a brush, make short, light strokes. Exfoliate for about 30 seconds and then rinse your face with lukewarm water. Keep in mind that the water should not be too hot.
When exfoliating other parts of your body like elbows, knees, and feet it may take a more heavy-duty scrub but it’s still important to not get carried away and scrub your skin too vigorously either while you’re washing or as you dry off. When you’re exfoliating, let the product do its job, and don’t feel the need to take off a layer of healthy skin cells by pressing too hard. And after you’re done with your shower or bath, be sure to pat dry rather than rubbing the towel back and forth across your body with all your strength. Over-scrubbing can cause dry skin to peel off before it’s ready to be removed. The scrubbing should be done gently in the shower, and when it’s time to dry, show your skin a little tenderness.
Check out a favorite DIY body scrub here:
Need to grab the oils above? Click Here to shop with me! Once you have that skin beautifully exfoliated, don't forget to moisturize! Check out this blog post to learn more about natural hydration for dry winter skin.
Sweet Summertime. The sun. oh how I have missed you. Pool or lake days, BBQs, getting outside! Summer is the season of being outdoors. It’s also the season of forgetting to hydrate, sunburns, and bugs.
Hydration is key to many functions in the human body, and in the summer heat, it can be challenging to maintain hydration. One of the most significant roles that water plays in the body is regulating internal temperature. The body’s ability to stay cool in hot weather depends on proper hydration. But hydration isn’t maintained by water consumption alone. Who knew? Water is vital, but electrolytes are also required for hydration. The body cannot fully absorb the water you drink without electrolytes. In addition, electrolytes are necessary for nutrient absorption. You must have sufficient electrolytes to absorb the vitamins and minerals from the food you eat. So it’s a big deal!
Electrolytes help regulate nerve and muscle function, hydrate the body, balance blood acidity and pressure, and help rebuild damaged tissue. So what is the easiest way to introduce electrolytes to your body? Sea salt. Seriously! Sprinkle some pure non-iodized sea salt into your water. You will barely notice it is there.
Along with skipping iodized salt, skip the pink Himalayan salt. Another way I like to get my electrolytes in is by using the YL Vitality Drops. They are packed with electrolytes (sourced from the Great Salt Lake, which has over 70 naturally occurring ionic trace minerals!!) which are so needed for our bodies to function correctly.
Your body will thank you if you start adding sea salt or YL’s Vitality Drops to your water!
