Let’s face it, we could all use a little more relaxation in our lives. We work, raise families, maintain a home and try to find time for ourselves somewhere in between. I have certainly known what it is like to be tired since becoming a mom. And I don’t mean just a little sleepy, I am talking about the kind of tired when you put weird things in the fridge or can’t remember where you put something you set down only a minute ago. Yeah, I’ve been there! Once your sleep patterns have been disturbed long enough, it can become a habit. You start to wake up in the middle of the night for no reason at all. It can be frustrating! If this sounds like you, then my favorite products for relaxation might be what you are looking for! * It is important to note that the opinions here are simply that, my own opinions or experiences. I am not a medical expert, so it is always good to talk with your doctor before starting something new. This post contains affiliate links. *
Bye Bye Sleep
When my first child was born, she was a terrible sleeper from the get go. To make matters worse, I was a working mom, so I didn’t have the luxury of napping during the day when (and if) my child did. Getting up every two hours or so to nurse was slowly but surely taking a toll on my sleep. Then came number two, and the cycle started all over again. Before long, my internal alarm clock was set to go off every two hours. This continued to happen even when my last child was no longer nursing. I just couldn’t sleep!
As I mentioned just a moment ago, our first born has never been a good sleeper. The poor thing suffers from allergic rhinitis, which pretty much causes year round congestion. We also have been through many stages of being scared at night and needing comfort. If you have children that suffer from either one of these things, stay tuned for upcoming posts about the tools we have used to help with congestion and the boogeyman (no pun intended!) 😊 For now, I am going to focus on the “getting relaxed enough to sleep” part of the problem. We will begin with some things that have helped my child to go to sleep faster and feel more calm during the day as well.
Magnesium
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Magnesium plays many crucial roles in the body, such as supporting muscle and nerve function and energy production”. Now I know you’re thinking, it says energy production right? But that is not all that it does! These are just some of the 300 different processes that our body needs magnesium for. Magnesium can also help with problems such as insomnia, restless leg syndrome, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis. There have also been studies to suggest that there is a link between magnesium and overall mood as well.
Of course, as with any supplement, you have to be careful to only take what your body needs to avoid the unwanted side effects. It is never a bad idea to have your levels checked by a doctor and let them know you are taking it. You can take magnesium in vitamin form or you can use a lotion. I personally use both! Magnesium can of course be found in your food, bananas being one great source, but most of us probably aren’t getting as much as we need.
Products For Relaxation For Kids (Magnesium)
For my child, we use NaturesPlus Animal Parade Magkidz. I have to tell you, that since beginning these (along with a multivitamin), we noticed a big change in overall mood. They come in a variety of flavors, so there is bound to be one that your child will accept. The vitamins also come in cute animal shapes (hence the name “Animal Parade”). I did plenty of research (and discussed it with the doctor) before I decided on the right amount. Believe me, when it comes to magnesium, you will know when it is too much because you will be running to the bathroom! I never go beyond the daily recommended intake. I usually split the dose of supplement, giving one in the morning and one at night. You can also find great Magnesium supplements for adults too.
Magnesium lotion is another great way to get some magnesium in your system. Because it is absorbed through the skin, it doesn’t interact with your stomach (meaning no risk of potty trips). I find it to be great for leg cramps. At bedtime, I put a little (half the recommended dose) of the BetterYou magnesium lotion on the legs to help sleep come faster. In our house, it really does work! Just massage the lotion on the back of the legs at least 30 minutes before bed to help aid in falling asleep. It is lightweight and dries quickly so no need to worry about a mess! This particular lotion used to only come from overseas, making it hard to always have on hand. But now it can be found on Amazon. We use the “junior” version for our child, but they make lotions for adults too.
Magnesium For Adults
Let’s not forget about us grownups! We need our sleep and relaxation too! So now let us talk about the products for relaxation that moms and dads can try. The first is a magnesium lotion, much like the one I use for my child, only a little more concentrated. It is exfoliating too which is a plus! You only need a pea-sized amount, so the generous tub of lotion will last you awhile. I can tell you from my own personal experience, that when I use this stuff, within about 15 minutes I am feeling relaxed and sleepy. I have also had less issues with getting those awful middle of the night leg cramps. You can do your research and try different things to suit your own needs, but my recommendation is definitely this Good Night Lotion from Earthly.
Essential Oils
Essential oils get used quite a lot in my home. I use them for cleaning, bug repellant, diffusing and yes, relaxing! There are so many different kinds of oils out there. Most of you are probably familiar with lavender and its calming effects. I love using a diffuser during the day with different oils. But at night, you simply can’t leave an oil burner burning! So what to do? Put it directly on yourself! Now, there are different ways of going about this. You could buy your own oils and roll- on bottles.
Just be sure to dilute it with a carrier oil. Don’t ever put undiluted essential oil on your skin! Also, you want to be sure that you are buying 100% therapeutic grade oil. No fake stuff allowed. Or, you do it the easy way and just buy premixed oil like I do. Everyone for Everybody has a great line of products, one of which is a roll on. There are roll-on oils for just about everything, but two of my favorites are “calm” and “sleep”. Sometimes I use one during the day and one and one at night. A little on your pulse points and you are good to go to relaxation town!
Relaxed Yet?
And there it is folks! These are some of my favorite products for relaxation and even sleep! They are easy to find and use, and are reasonably priced. There is something to be found for everyone! So if you or a loved one struggle at night, or even during the day to feel calm, check out some of these products and see if they can help you! You never know, a better night’s sleep might just be a click away! Who doesn’t like the sound of that? These are products you can feel good about using for not only yourself but your little ones as well. Here’s to a better night’s sleep for all of us!
