How To Get Rest the Night Before the Wedding

by Brittany McComas

When it comes to getting some rest the night before your wedding, some of you might be planning wine and a Xanax. Others might reach for edibles (not something I would have guessed. In researching this article, I even had one bride tell me she planned on masturbating). If you’re the type of person who is about to pass out sitting up one minute, and the moment you lay down in total darkness you start thinking about the places you’ve been in alphabetical order.

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You’re not alone. Your wedding day is like Christmas for adults! So, how do you get solid sleep without waking up every five minutes thinking you’ve been out for eight hours?

Food For Thought

Reach for sleepy foods. Having a killer dinner packed with sleep inducing eats, with your girls, is one way to kick start your brain into going to bed. While your instant thought might be to reach for tryptophan-filled turkey, instead go for some snore-inspiring tapas.

• Apricots stuffed with goat cheese and almonds
• Berries and yogurt
• Cherry and pistachio rice pudding
• Hummus and pita with fresh veggies
• Mini-peanut butter & banana bites on whole grain toast
• Turkey & cheese on pretzels or bagel bites

The Perfect Drug

When it comes to really getting your brain to shut down and get 8 hours of hardcore sleep you might need a relaxing sleep aid. Over-the-counter options include:

• Melatonin (this Melatonin Ultra by Schiff has been perfect for me, since it includes 5-htp and GABA which help relax and calm your body as well)
• Benadryl
• Tylenol PM
• ZZZquil
• Rescue Remedy Sleep

All of these are perfectly legal and safe. If you take a regular medication, just Google it to make sure there are no interactions. Be sure to give yourself a good eight hours when you pop one of these, as you will get some sincerely deep sleep.

Drink Yourself To Sleepy Town

Sorry wine lovers, I’m gonna stop you right there. Funnily enough, being drunk will only give you a massive hangover and make you look like you haven’t slept. Why? It’s a superficial sleep when you pass out. Drunk sleeping is not sleeping. We can’t have that on your wedding day. In lieu of disgusting amounts of wine, try sleepy tea! My favorites are:

• Snore and Peace Tea by Clipper
• Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Extra
• Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night

Don’t completely cut the booze out. Go on and have a glass of wine, just not the whole bottle.

Aromatherapy

A little aromatherapy is sure to induce relaxation, thus putting you in a better mind to fall asleep. Turn off all devices (yes that means your phone) 30 minutes before bed. Rub essential oil of lavender on your temples, then get ready to do some meditation or even try Yoga Nidra.

Yoga Nidra

Once your body is ready for sleep, you can induce it even more so with a little Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra puts you in a deep state of meditation. While the goal isn’t sleep, it’s a great way to get your mind completely calm and ready for bed. Check out this sweet video: Yoga Nidra For Sleep.

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