BURN A CANDLE

A mother by day and a writer by night, I sometimes find it hard to switch my brain to creative thing at the end of a long day of wresting with teething, grocery lists, and dirty dishes.

Recently I have begun a new evening ritual.

Once Henry quiets down in his crib and I have tidied up the living space, I light a candle.

The flame's bright shudder and the glow of melted wax relaxes and eases my mind into a creative dimension. This simple routine has become a sort of addiction for me. If you struggle to loosen your mind at the end of a day, or just need to detox from a long day at work, try clearing your work space, and burn a candle.

(Stay tuned for a simple candle making project).

CLEAN YOUR BEDROOM

I have spent many nights over the years tossing in bed until those painful hours when the sun wakes and peeks above the window sills. As a light sleeper, I have learned to make changes in my evening routine that help me grasp a sound night's sleep.  One of the simplest changes being tidying up the bedroom.

The realization that I could not sleep soundly in a messy room occurred after Joseph and I were married. Dirty clothes littered the floor, we still hadn't sorted through Joseph's junk things, and we'd stumble over piles of un-used decorative items, and the wedding gifts that we hadn't yet taken the time to organize. I couldn't sleep, because even after the lights were out, all I could see was the list of unfinished tasks strewn about the room.
We've worked hard to remove clutter from the bedroom, and have begun tidying it up each night before shoveling covers over our heads. And sleep truly eludes me less often in a clean and peaceful room.

(Joseph, on the other hand, could fall asleep on a bed of bricks.)


more on sleep:
the myth of the eight hour sleep
TV before bed?
secrets for a better night sleep
my current dream bed