Healthy Choices to Make Before You Go to Sleep Tonight

It's the same routine: slip into your pajamas, brush your teeth, and get ready for bed. But are you missing 

some crucial healthy to-dos that will help you get a jump-start on the next day? Before you go to bed tonight, make sure you add these to your list to make your bedtime the healthiest it can be!

Get Ready For the Next Day

Make mornings easy by getting your workout clothes, healthy lunches, and snacks ready for the next day. You'll save time in the morning, save money by not having to eat out, and stay motivated by preparing for the next day's workout.

Choose a Healthy Snack

Can't get to bed because of those distracting hunger pangs? Don't forgo food if you're hungry — just make sure you pick the right snack. Check out a few low-calorie late-night snacks that just take a little prep.

Nix the Afternoon Caffeine

Even if you're not downing an espresso shot right before bed, a caffeine hit in the afternoon can still affect the quality of your sleep later. Caffeine can keep you more alert than you want to be and also decrease levels of the sleep hormone melatonin in your body. Craving a warm drink in the afternoon? Opt for herbal teas that won't leave you wired.

Stretch It Out

Before you completely drift off, spend a few minutes working on your flexibility. Stretching before bed will not only help you perform better during your workouts, but it will also relax your body and mind to help you drift off to sleep. Try our series of seven stretches you can do in bed.

Turn It Off

Your mind, the TV, that annoying blinking computer light. To get a good night's sleep, make sure you're relaxed and not distracted. That means blocking out any noise or light pollution, taking time to let your mind wander, and otherwise making your bedroom a relaxing environment.

“Pajamas just make people happy”.

“Pajamas just make people happy”.

So what’s the connection between pajamas and happiness, anyway?

When you get down to it, its all about simple pleasures. Lots of people chase happiness, thinking the next thing they attain or goal they reach will finally, once and for all, make them happy. Goals and desires are a part of life, but when we're constantly looking down the road, we're missing what’s right in front of us: the simple things that make us happy right now.

Here are just a few of the reasons why we believe pajamas can add to your happiness…

Comfort & Relaxation
Getting cozy in your pjs after a long day at school or work can be so soothing. Its a signal to your body that its time to slow down. Giving ourselves time to recharge is key in maintaining inner peace and happiness.


Family Time
Being at home in your pajamas usually means time with family: pancake breakfasts, movie marathons, or just hanging out! We know that connection and belonging – whether it be with family or friends – increases our well-being and joy.

Being Yourself
Pajamas give you another way to express yourself, and maybe even in a way you wouldn't normally during daily life. You get to wear what ever you want. Piggy pjs? Superman underoos? Fuzzy frog slippers? Its all about YOU and what makes you feel good!

So how about you: what is your simple pleasure?

6 Signs It’s Time for a Pajama Day

Time to have some fun and hopefully some relaxation too. But we know that sometimes holiday weekends can get away from us – booked up with family events, picnics, parties, etc. By the time you’re done running around, you wonder: what happened to my long weekend!?!

If you're feeling overworked and exhausted, its the perfect time to consider taking an extra day off just to do nothing. We call it a Pajama Day. It can take a few days to unplug and decompress, so tagging an extra day off onto a long weekend is a great idea.

Just in case you need a nudge to recognize when some down-time is called for, here are 6 tell-tale signs a Pajama Day needs to be in your immediate future!

1. Little things set you off.

You feel irritable and cranky. Little things annoy you that normally wouldn't, a sure sign of anxiety. Time to get out of your head and into those PJs!

2. You feel really negative.

Its that niggly, critical voice in your head and its seems to have gotten louder lately! Its not saying very nice things and you can’t seem to shake it. Your prescription? A little Pajama Perspective is in order, my friend!

3. Your productivity has taken a dive.

You feel like you’re spending more time staring at the computer screen than actually working. It’s taking you double the time to get something done than it normally would. The reality is that there’s only so much work you can do and creativity you can muster, before you just need a break.

3. You’re not sleeping well.

You’re exhausted, but you feel like you can never quite catch up on sleep. You toss and turn at night thinking about work projects and wake up feeling just as tired as when you went to bed. Yup, its time!

5. You’re not feeling well.

You’re starting to feel achy and your body’s just not right. Your shoulders are tense and your stomach may be tight. You might even feel a cold coming on. Chronic stress takes its toll on the body, and some rest is what you need.

6. You dread Sunday night.

Sunday evening rolls around and all you can think about is the fact that you've got to start the work week all over again. Ugggggh. Yup, you've caught it…its the Sunday blues and its time to break the cycle…