How to Sleep Better: It's time to finally start catching those zzzzzz's

My ceiling and I are really close… We've spent so much time together. Me staring up at it, sharing my deepest thoughts and frustrations until I'd be so exhausted I'd eventually pass out (if I was lucky). It was TERRIBLE.

Ifthe conditions weren't just so, it wasn't happening. I needed itpitch black and dead silent. Even Ryan rolling over would stress me out.(There was a period of time I honesty thought I wouldn't be able to get married because I couldn't share a bed withsomeone!)

Obviously I wasn't about to pull an "I Love Lucy" and go for the whole two twin beds thing. I had to get my sleep in check.

It took a hot minute, but I finally figured out how to sleep better. Now, my bed is my happy place. Hooray! And I don't even really mind Ryan being in there anymore!

The reality is we should all be sleeping 7-9 hours per night. I know…You may be barley squeezing in 5, but that's gotta change. When we sleep all sorts of magical things happen. Your muscles recover, your hormones regulate, your brain and body detox and all your cells repair.

There are TONS of reasons why you might be having trouble sleeping (stress, diet, lack of exercise etc.) You can't control every factor, but there many you can and you'll be ridiculously glad you did!

A lot of you know one of my besties Cassie (aka "Dr. Majestic" …yep, that's her real name!) and she sharedsome legitways you can avoid a staring competition with your ceiling

♥ Minimize or eliminate caffeine, nicotine, alcohol especially after 2pm

♥ Avoid daytime naps that are longer than 15-30 min

♥ No stimulating activity within 2 hours of bed time

♥ Avoid a diet high in sugar and refined carbs, especially later in the day

Thanks Cass! You guys can follow her on Instagramfor more doctorly tips

When it'sstill not happening for me, and I start feeling like clubbing the poor little sheep instead of counting them, these are my go-to's:

♥ Every night before bed I drink "CALM." It's a magnesium powder I add to warm water like tea. It helps relax my muscles and destress so I can get into sleepy-time mode. ( I usually just get it on Amazon.com)

♥ My sleep mask is my BFF in bed. It's a magical thing, except for when you forget to set an alarm and sleep 'til noon…whoops! Ryan got me this onefor Christmas and it's supposed to help reduce wrinkles while you sleep too!

♥ Pillow Mist is a must! I may take it a little far when I spray our entire bed, but I take my sleep very seriously.

♥ The right bedding changes everything. There is nothing worse than itchy, fuzzy sheets that make you over heat. Or a pillow that goes completely flat the second you lay your head down. It may seem minor, but it makes a HUGE difference. I use 100% organic cotton sheets (Mine are from Boll & Branch) because they're SUPER soft and actually adjust to your body temp.

♥ Melatonin is a last resort for me, but it definitely helps when you're getting stressed out just thinking about your lack of sleep.It's anatural hormone secreted by a gland in the brain that's super safe to take and will help you sleep more soundly.

Let me know if you already do any of these little sleep rituals or if you find they help you. Ps… I know they will!And on that note, my cozy cuddly bed is calling! See you girls on SnapChat! {LoveSweatAndFit}