I have anxiety. I’d say it’s pretty mild I’m sure to what other people have but it’s enough to be consuming at times. Majority of the time It creeps up at night and is almost always when I’m about to go to sleep. Nathan and I have somewhat of a system that helps keep my surroundings very calm and serene to at least help tackle one, physical part of the issue. Here are my tips and tricks to chill out:

1. “Hey Google, play rain sounds on Pandora” – My personal favorite instantly makes for a very calming environment. Pandora has radio stations of just rain sounds and it’s so incredibly calming to fall asleep to! We love bossing our Google assistant around, we have this mini one in our living room and it’s all we need in a one bedroom apartment.
   
2. Run A Bath – Water is scientifically proven to put our minds in a calm and meditative state. Leave your phone in a different room and relax in a hot bath. When you are in water and “floating” It registers a change from active brainwaves to theta brainwaves, which are slower. It also is known to foster more creativity so It sounds like a bath a night is just what the doctor ordered. I always add bubbles and oils to my bath, which leads me to my next step…
   
3. Oils! – I have literally been meaning to share my love for essential oils for about three years…it’s fine. Here we are. I’ll save the deep dive for another post but I use several of these oils religiously. Not just when I’m sick but specifically during times that I need to sleep or relax. I have Lavender diffusing at night and I put the Breathe blend on my chest to help before going to sleep. That heavy weighted feeling you get in your chest when you’re stressed? It completely takes that away. Keep in mind these oils will last you a LONG time, I think it’s taken me two years to get through these bottles so it’s well worth the investment.
   
4. Massage – Don’t we wish in moments of stress we could instantly transport to our favorite spa? Well you sort of can! This massager is INCREDIBLE. I received It as a gift and it’s, to date, one of my favorite gifts ever. It has a heat option, does WORK on your shoulders and sometimes after a lot of walking I will put It on my legs too. Trust me on this ones, it’s amazing. Apparently you can also take It in your car, and I respect that level of Kardashian if I’m being honest.
   
5. Tea – I think the act of making and drinking tea is incredibly relaxing and I love routines that are mindless but force you to put your phone down. Add a book and I’m in! I always go for this chamomile tea at night because It is known to be a sleep inducer due to the antioxidant in It called apigenin.

After these five steps not only will you gently doze off to sleep but It will likely be the best sleep of your life. These can, of course, be done at any time of the day, plus or minus a few steps, but I love having these rituals that are all natural to help in moments of feeling overwhelmed and anxious. If you use any of these, let me know if they help! And if you struggle with anxiety in any form, know that you’re not alone and there are ways to help aid It.

Xx,
Anna