anxiety and good sleep 2025

HNY!!

Happy 2025! Thank you for continuing to tune into my wee Substack, it really has brought so much creative joy back into my life and I appreciate any and all support!

Today we are talking…*anxiety* and how to sleep so good you dream into galactic realms.

Sharing something personal on social media doesn’t come easily to me, it makes me deeeeply cringe at myself but here we are!! I’ve always believed there’s value in keeping a bit of mystery about yourself on the world wide web. But at the same time, I feel compelled to share because it’s a significant part of my life and I know many others are navigating their own anxiety or depression especially in these bizarre times.

As someone who has had anxiety her whole life including an episode of not being able to leave my house due to horrific panic attacks after a car accident in 2015 (this also involved getting very sick with gut issues, horrible doctor appointments and a long health journey that I am still on), here are my little anxiety hacks that have immensely helped me because maybe we are all feeling a bit of anxiety going into 2025? Only a little!!!%$

a photo I like above via pinterest

Essential oils- if you feel like you are spiraling and can’t shake that tight feeling in your chest, I would suggest taking a deep whiff of an essential oil, I like blood orange for this but lavender or really any potent scent works. This is also great if you have a fear of flying, really grounds you back into your body instead of letting your brain take over.

Ice- icing your chest will get you right out of fight or flight, even holding it in your hand if you are having a moment. Also plunging your face into ice water. Fun fact, I had to drive with an ice pack in LA after my accident!!

Pinterest or a comforting show- this maybe isn’t the best for you because of your phone light lol but if I ever wake up in the middle of the night with anxiety, instead of sitting there letting the feeling take over, I tend to hop on my phone and watch a comforting YouTube or browse Pinterest and it tends to pass pretty quickly this way and I can get back to sleep. It gives you time to suppress the feeling until morning!!

A walk- ideally with your dog. A walk always helps even when it’s freezing cold, I immediately feel better.

Tapping- this was really helpful when I was going through it. I also know many people that tapping has been helpful for. It’s a type of somatic therapy and it really works. Again, helping to get out of the head and into the body. Worth looking into if you are interested and you can teach yourself!

EMDR- I am doing this right now for driving on the highway as a freak accident has completely f’d up my ability to feel at all safe in a car so that’s been really neat!! You can learn more about it here but again a form of somatic therapy.

Writing- I keep a little notebook in my bag and writing or drawing anything can be a form of meditation.

Dog- my dog has been with me through all of this and I could cry even thinking about how much she helps me with her little healing and calming scruffy heart.

Crying- usually if my tight feels chest, it’s nothing a quick cry won’t fix. Put on Manchester by the Sea (Stepmom and Marley & Me also suffice) or read the comments on this song and let it out.

Breathing- I do the 5 second breath in with the 7 second breath out if I am feeling out of breath and it always does the trick, of course meditation is great. I haven’t been good at sticking with it but have heard from many it’s life changing.

Staring at a flame- this is called candle meditation and is for those that struggle with attention span. It’s an ancient Indian yoga practice and I found this easier to get into than standard meditation.

Ginger- ginger tea or raw ginger, this helps with nausea, I swear by it.

Hair brushing ASMR- lol the amount of people I have met that say they also have watched these videos. If you can get someone to actually brush or play with your hair, even better!! Head massages (same with hand and foot massages) puts your nervous system in parasympathetic mode. Goes along with physical touch/massage/being squeezed tightly. This video has 15 million views.

I also use this icy/hot tincture when I fly on my shoulders and it’s very relaxing.

Of course eating well, exercising, talking to a friend or family member, avoiding caffeine, having fun, laughing, getting good sleep, and other healthy habits are the basics but when you’re really in the thick of it, actually doing those things can feel difficult.

SLEEP

Everyone’s sleep varies but for me I NEED to listen to some type of white noise whether that be a fan or a sound machine. I bought this one and I sleep like a BABY.

Nodpod, guysssss if you like weighted blankets, you will love this. It is a weighted sleep mask that goes over your eyes. I usually shove a blanket around my eyes or cover my ears with a blanket, and this thing changed everything. You can move around with it too and have the best sleep ever.

Nodpod

I also have been dabbling with mouth taping at night which I know can be wooo wooo for some but after reading the book Breath by James Nestor it changed my entire perspective. Highly recommend doing this, I have been sleeping so much better and don’t wake up groggy or stuffed up.

Reading before bed with this amber light I have posted about before.

Magnesium foot baths are incredibleeee before bed. Also, just taking a form of magnesium, I like the Moon Juice one or this liquid magnesium glycinate from Pure.

Counting down from 1,000 also works for me when I can’t sleep.

This is all coming from someone who sleeps easily most every night but nonetheless they help get me reach a deep REM and have dreams like I am dimension hopping.

Please share any tips of your own in the comments, love to hear all the tips and tricks.

Something a little different today but felt needed going into 2025. Thanks as always for reading.