From guided meditations to bedtime stories, you’re bound to find something you love in this list of podcasts for your bedtime routine. So, take a moment to give each one a listen. Find the voice, stories, or meditations that soothe your soul and help you gently drift off to sleep. Sleep Meditations and Stories –…
In our fast-paced, cellphone, laptop, always-on-the-go world, finding moments of relaxation and rejuvenation can be quite challenging. And while the traditional power nap is the perfect solution for some, it may not suit everyone’s needs. What if we told you there’s a way to feel refreshed without falling asleep? It’s a deep relaxation technique called…
Sleep is a precious commodity that we all crave, and desperately need to give our minds and bodies the rest they need to function properly. But, as many couples will tell you, sharing a bed with a partner can sometimes turn it into a nightly battle. She hogs the covers, he snores, he comes in…
One of the cardinal rules of sleep hygiene is to turn your sleeping environment into a space that’s comfortable, dark and conducive to sleep. So, once you’ve turned off your devices, eliminated the sources of blue light that surround you, performed your favorite bedtime ritual (like taking a hot bath and journaling), there’s nothing quite…
Our pandemic puppy will be three years old next month. If you’ve been following Can’t Sleep at Nite for a while, you may remember me sleeping with the dog when we first brought her home that first night because I was worried she’d be scared and lonely. After that first night in our home, she…
In today’s fast-paced world, the struggle to achieve restful sleep has become all too familiar for many. Countless individuals find themselves seeking reliable information and effective solutions to combat the relentless grip of insomnia. However, with the abundance of information available online, it can be overwhelming to sift through countless resources on insomnia, wondering which…
After a long and hectic day, there’s nothing quite like a soothing bath to help you relax and unwind before bedtime. By creating your own DIY relaxation bath recipes, you can transform your bathroom into a tranquil oasis and indulge in some well-deserved self-care. In this article, we’ll explore five delightful homemade soaks and bombs…
Are you struggling with insomnia and looking for natural ways to improve your sleep quality? Incorporating regular physical activity into your routine can be a game-changer. Exercise not only benefits your physical health but it also has a profound impact on your sleep patterns. In this article, we will explore the top 7 exercises for…
Wait what? Yes. I said ‘bed of nails’. Okay, not a bed covered in steel nails exactly. But rather a mat covered in hard plastic spikes. Intrigued? Read on. Are you tired of feeling restless and constantly tossing and turning at night? Do you suffer from muscle tension and back pain that keeps you from…
Loop Earplugs : Product Review Loop Earplugs are among the 10 fastest growing Shopify brands in Europe. They’re also the bestselling earplug on Amazon US and have been featured in NY Times and Wired. With four different models to choose from, Loop Earplugs have a 4.6/5 satisfaction score and over 60,000 online reviews. So, I…
One of the cardinal rules of sleep hygiene is to ‘avoid caffeine, alcohol, large meals, foods that induce heartburn, and drinking a lot of fluid for several hours before bedtime.’ The key to that last bit about fluid intake is the words “a lot”. In fact, having a warm drink before bed can help relax…
Do you find yourself doodling on every scrap of paper around the house? Do your notebooks margins have more drawings than notes? If so, you might just be the perfect candidate for the meditative and relaxing practice of zen doodling. Whether you’re a lifelong doodler or just looking for a new way to unwind, zen…
When you hear the words mindful meditation, what do you imagine? Does your mind conjure up the image of a Tibetan monk deep in prayer on a mountain top, or do the words simply make you think of the super bendy, patchouli-wearing gals at your local yoga studio? Before I took up mindful meditation, I…
Wearing socks to bed might sound like something only your granny does, or that’s acceptable only in extreme cold, but it can have a big impact on your overall health and well-being at any age and any temperature. While some people might find it uncomfortable, or unsexy, the benefits of wearing socks to bed are…
Our 10-year old daughter crawled into our bed this morning. “I had a nightmare”, she whispered softly, before snuggling up to me and falling asleep. I was surprised at how big she’s getting and reminded that our little girl is growing up. She hasn’t had a nightmare or crawled into our bed in months. Something…
Middle-of-the-night insomnia is a common sleep disorder experienced by people of all ages. But, according to the National Sleep Foundation, insomnia is more common in middle-aged and older adults. Approximately 40% of older adults in the United States have reported symptoms of insomnia. It’s a known fact that sleeplessness affects more women than men. More…
Yoga is a practice that has been used for thousands of years to promote physical and mental well-being. One of the many benefits of yoga is its ability to help us sleep better. Here are the top 5 yoga poses that can promote sleep: 1. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani) Sitting with your legs…
Coffee naps can help reduce the effects of sleep deprivation, making them a great option for shift workers or anyone who needs to stay alert during the day.
There’s no denying it, 2022 left with a bang. From the bomb cyclone that slammed much of the US bringing snow, high winds, and frigid temperatures to the atmospheric river that brought widespread heavy rain, mountain snow and strong winds to both coasts, the last two weeks of the year were definitely exciting, or downright…
Thanksgiving has come and gone and suddenly, we’re less than three weeks away from the holidays. Eek! And if you’re like me, online shopping is a god-send…but it also gives me a false sense of having limitless amounts of time to get all my shopping done. After all, with Amazon, gifts can be delivered to…
Your phone’s wake-up alarm chimes. You chose the one called “Sunny” because you thought it would be the least annoying of the lot. But right now you may as well be listening to nails on a chalkboard or to the device’s default “Radar” tone which is code for “cruel reminder that your day has begun.”…
You’ve probably heard about detoxes for weight loss, bloating, gut health, allergies, and a clearer complexion. You may even have tried a few. But have you tried a sleep detox? A sleep detox is a simple way to detox your body without starving yourself or embarking on a crazy cleansing diet. Deep sleep is…
From boosting athletic performance to helping you sleep more soundly, magnesium is essential for your brain and your body. The mineral helps carry out various chemical and enzyme reactions in the body such as building proteins and strong bones, regulating blood sugar, blood pressure, and muscle and nerve functions. Magnesium also acts an electrical conductor…
There’s a crazy heatwave going on. And it’s been going on for months. According to NASA, and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) the summer 2022 ranks as one of the top 10 warmest summers worldwide on record (records dating back to 1880). In the United States, more than 7000 daily temperature records were broken…
In an average week, I write one to three blogs on sleep health, research, copy edit, or translate for a client or two, spend about 20 hours driving my daughter to and from school and her dance studio, hike 3 miles, walk 8 to 10,000 steps a day, clean, cook (okay, nuking stuff in the…
Sleep is vital for our physical and mental wellbeing, and getting good quality sleep can reduce some of the risk factors associated with serious health problems. The following questionnaire was put together by Dr. Jeremy Sutton, prominent Positive Psychology practitioner, writer and researcher studying the human capacity to push physical and mental limits. Are You…
The cardinal rules of sleep hygiene apply to children and adults alike. Create a regular bedtime routine for yourself and your loved ones, turn off all devices an hour before bed, turn your bedroom into an inviting and comfortable sleep oasis, avoid caffeinated drinks, read a few pages of your favorite book or grab a…
The smell of patchouli brings me back to my childhood. The rich, earthy scent reminds me of my grandmother’s house. She wore Y by Yves Saint-Laurent perfume, a fragrance that combined floral scents of honeysuckle and gardenia, with base notes of sandalwood, and patchouli. Sadly, Y perfume for women has been discontinued, but on the…
For many families, the end of the school years means looser schedules, later bedtimes, summer camp and lots of travel. Camping, RV trips, day camps with early start times, sleepaway camp, domestic and international flights, trips to the family cottage, friends’ rustic cabins or family visits. It’s all very exciting and it completely wreaks havoc…
At the end of a long day, there are few things quite as rewarding as a hot shower, slipping into clean sheets, and letting your mind drift off. And while we could all benefit from a nice, calming bedtime ritual, a third of American adults get less than 7 hours of sleep a night and…
There’s no doubt 2020 was a difficult and challenging year for everyone. We lost loved ones, suffered major financial losses and went from one lockdown to the next never knowing when we would be allowed to see our nearest and dearest, again. Our children stopped going to in-person school. We stopped traveling, eating out or…
Stacey MacKenzie is a former sign language interpreter turned visual artist. She primarily paints animals and the beautiful nature that surrounds her artist retreat in Elgin, Ontario. Her moto is “Playing toward peace of mind.” When I have created a piece, and I am happy with it, or I have made someone else happy by…
With Canadian Thanksgiving already us and American Thanksgiving right around the corner, many of us are turning our attention to the holidays – or simply procrastinating and doing a little shopping instead of toiling away in front of our computers. Looking for the perfect gift for the insomniac in your life? These top 10 sleep…
Stephanie McLean is a former jazz vocalist and stage performer, turned visual artist. Her abstract portraits of performers vibrate with color and artistic energy. Like many of us, she also happens to grapple with middle-of-the-night insomnia. Stephanie and I spoke about her art, her biggest influences and the healing power of making art. Painting and creating…
My father painted that old mill, and the orange barn below, in the last six months of his life. And what’s amazing about it is that I had no idea he could paint. I don’t think he knew he could, either. For most of his life, he was a banker by day and a musician…
CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a practical, short-term form of psychotherapy. It helps people develop skills and strategies to change their negative thinking. The idea is that that negative thinking, or cognitive distortion, is at the root of our issues. It’s not about the events themselves, but how we look at them. So, by doing “homework”…
In the past ten years, there’s been a huge push to normalize talking about mental health as openly as we talk about our physical health. Canada’s Bell Let’s Talk campaign put a spotlight on mental health and aimed to combat the stigma surrounding mental illness. Since then, the campaign has committed $100 million to mental…
At some time or another, we’ve all heard someone say, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”. Heck, I’m sure I’ve been guilty of saying it myself in the past. When something as simple as getting a good night’s sleep seems completely out of reach, it’s tempting to tell yourself you don’t need it. After all, thousands…
Some years back I noticed my parents didn’t share a bed anymore. My initial reaction was concern. Did they no longer love each other? Was this some telltale sign a late-in-life split was imminent? When I broached the subject with my maman, she dismissed my concerns with a few funny and sarcastic comments. “Your dad…
I look into your pale, icy blue eyes. They’re clear and bright like a summer sky. I still can’t get used to the sight of you without the dark horn-rimmed glasses you wore for most of your adult life. Your eyes search my face. I see a flicker of recognition pass through your gaze, and…
Dreams help us process the emotions attached to our experiences – good or bad. January 2020 – Pre-Pandemic Dream I’m walking through a large room, so large it might have been a ballroom at some point. Dark mahogany floors are flanked on either side by walls covered in large paintings, featuring beautiful Dali-esque images of…
It’s the beginning of the end. A few days ago, we received notice from our daughter’s school that kids in grades 3 to 6, will be going back to in-person school. After being home for 50 weeks. 50 weeks! They are going back. Part time. But still. They are going back!!! Woohoo!!! When schools first shut down…
These besties share a bed.
My husband and daughter gave me a weighted blanket for Christmas and it has changed my life. The warm, heavy cover feels like a warm hug and although I still wake up a few times a night, the comforting warmth and sheer weight of the blanket have prevented me from hopping out of bed – as…
There’s no doubt 2020 was a difficult and challenging year for everyone. We lost loved ones, suffered major financial losses and went from one lockdown to the next never knowing when we would be allowed to see our nearest and dearest, again. Our children stopped going to in-person school. We stopped traveling, eating out or…
CBD works with receptors in the body linked to feelings of well-being. Sleepless? CBD products can help with anxiety, insomnia and chronic pain.
Difficulty falling and staying asleep isn’t just the bane of countless adults, it’s quite common in children, too. Here’s my Top 10 list of gifts for sleepless kids.
I slept through the night last night. I still can’t believe it. I slept all night long. Without waking or getting up. Not even once. I slept for a solid eight hours. That never happens. Not even when I was a child. In all my life, I honestly don’t remember not waking up at least…
“It’s not one hour twice a year. It’s a misalignment of our biologic clocks for eight months of the year.” ~ Beth Ann Malow, MD
Coffee is one of the healthiest drinks around. It’s loaded with antioxidants and can reduce the risk of many serious diseases.
Desperate to get your kids to go the f**k to sleep? Sleep apps can help them fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep longer!
When’s the last time someone read you a bedtime story?
When I was a little girl, I would often wake up in the wee hours of the night, to find my father sitting, reading or studying at the large wooden table in our kitchen. He was endlessly curious, and over the years, his many interests included sailing, photography, Japanese gardens and the study of foreign…
Updated October 19, 2021 The alarm on my phone is chiming. Time to get up! The tone I picked because it seemed like the best, least annoying one, now reminds me of nails on a chalk board. “Okay, okay, okay! I’m up!” I mutter under my breath. It was a restless night of tossing and…
It’s 4 a.m. and the sky is pitch black. It’s a moonless night. I listen to my husband and daughter’s soft even breathing. She still occasionally crawls into our bed in the early hours of the morning and cuddles up to us. I don’t mind. In fact, I like it. Some day soon she’ll decide…
As I replay the events of the day in my head – it’s 1:30 a.m. what else could I possibly be doing? – my daughter’s less than impressed plea (actually, it sounded more like an order) comes to mind, “No more pictures!” She was annoyed at me this afternoon for sneaking a pic of her…
While pushing too hard can hurt a child’s ability to self-motivate, guiding a child’s development deliberately and vigorously, with a positive message that builds self-esteem, leads to happy, successful kids.
I’m a mom, writer and photographer. I’m also an insomniac. So, I do all those things on very little sleep. I have a hard time falling asleep at night, a hard time staying asleep and an even harder time getting out of bed in the morning. Always have. I spent 20 years writing and producing for…
4 :29 a.m. The bed is shaking. If I didn’t know better, I’d think someone is off-camera, shaking it, movie-style trying to scare me into thinking the devil is in the house. But it’s ‘just’ an earthquake. A somewhat over-the-top shaker with tremors big enough to make the dining room chandelier swing, but just an earthquake….
While a friend and I were hiking with our kids last week the conversation turned to the fantastical as it often does with children. “If you could have a super power, what would it be?” Before I could answer, the little people in our group launched into a discussion about which superpowers are the best…
Stop drinking coffee after 3 p.m. Turn off all devices at least two hours before bedtime. Don’t exercise after dinner. Don’t think about the past, or stress about the future. Don’t beat yourself up about every little thing you messed up today. Yesterday. In the past 10 years. Ugh… Anyone who is sleepless has heard…
It’s 4 a.m. and I am awake again. As I replay the events of the past few days, I chide myself for having once again broken our ‘no swearing’ rule. Sometimes it’s as though I just can’t help myself. There’s nothing quite like dropping the f bomb to release tension or frustration. At some point…
“School’s out for summer!” Alice Cooper sings. “School’s out forever!” Definitely feels that way. And summer break has just begun. Depending on where they live, kids have been home for anywhere from 2 to 3 months. Thanks, global pandemic. My daughter and her schoolmates have been home for 13 weeks. And whether their parents found…
“Can we get a puppy before I turn nine?” my daughter asks for the umpteenth time this week. “We’ll see,” is my non-committal response. Seconds later I overhear her tell the neighbors’ kids’, “We’re getting a puppy. As soon as soon as the coronavirus is over.” Thinking about puppies, looking at puppies dressed up in…
In early March, parents and educators all over the world, had the important and challenging task of educating our children about the coronavirus, explaining what it means to be living through a global pandemic and teaching them how to protect themselves and others from the deadly virus. And within days, what started as added precautions…
This past weekend my daughter and I left our self-isolation bubble for the first time in 10 weeks and spent two days at a dear friend’s house. She and her daughter have had no contact with the outside world since the beginning of the stay at home order and have been extra careful to follow…
For Mother’s Day my husband and daughter gave me a Yale course on The Science of Happiness. This was a super thoughtful, terrific gift for me. I like learning. And I like school. A lot. Always have. I enjoy taking classes and learning more about the things that interest me – from trying to pick…
My ears are ringing. Again. Still. Always. Tonight the pitch is high and steady. A high E, about four octaves above middle C. The sound reminds me of my waitressing days. When I was at Ottawa U, I worked in a neighborhood resto-bar that was only slightly classier than a tavern. We served pitchers of…
It’s 11 p.m. and my 8-year old is still wide awake. I’ve been sitting in the dark next to her, trying to calm her racing mind, for close to two hours. Sleeplessness runs in the family. “What does your dream tree house look like, Maman? Who lives there with you? My tree house as a…