Category Archives: Things We Like

Transitioning Your Bedroom for Fall

A photo showing the Barcelona wood bed with a side table and sunflowers

You walk into your local home store on a late August afternoon, overheated from the thick humidity outside. You begin your browsing only to come upon a new tabletop display featuring the blacks, oranges and skeletons of Halloween. Most of us are still trying to soak up the last bits of summer radiance in August, and the hues of Autumn displayed in the stores are pretty shocking. But the truth is, fall is right around the corner. And it doesn’t have to be a bad thing-with fall comes some of the finest home decor. Read on for some tips on transitioning your bedroom to embrace the change of seasons.

Layer Light Textiles
As the nights get (a little) cooler, layer some lightweight blankets on your bed. The extra texture will bring in the fall coziness without being too heavy. As the weather gets even colder, you can switch out the light layers for the thicker knits we all associate with fall.

Add Some Warm Lighting
As the sunset comes earlier and earlier, add some soft, warm lighting around your bedroom. It’s great for late summer nights, and even better for the chilly fall evenings in.

Decorate with soft whites and deep colors
It’s time to ditch the bright hues of summer and embrace some more neutrals that can easily be added to as the seasons change. Start with some light neutrals, greens and deep blues and transition to the more classic oranges and yellows later in the season.

Bring in some nature
This is a great time of year to bring in some clippings from outside in small vases, or add seasonal plants like mums or hydrangea. Sunflowers are a great choice for this time of the year. As the months go on, switch out green cuttings for pinecones and gourds.

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Sleepy Holiday Music Playlist

Post by Jessica Schoenenberger

I love the holidays. Possibly more than the average person. I want everything around me to be festive and magical. But even so, the holidays can be stressful. Check out this playlist of laid back, quiet holiday music to help you take a breath and get some good sleep, but still be festive about it.

It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas, the fruit bats
The Christmas Song, She & Him
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Jack Johnson
All I Want for Christmas, Matt Costa
Baby It’s Cold Outside, feat. Norah Jones, Willie Nelson
Angel (Holiday), Jack Johnson
Winter Wonderland, James Taylor Chris Botti
Christmas is Coming Soon!, Blitzen Trapper
Xmas Time is Here Again, My Morning Jacket
We Need a Little Christmas, Ages and Ages

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Beat Insomnia with These Herbs

Post by Tracy Kaler.

Counting sheep again? Insomnia plagues millions of Americans, so know that when you’re wide awake and staring at the ceiling at 2 a.m., you are not alone. If lack of sleep due to stress (and not because of a medical issue) is affecting your sleep, consider going the natural route. For some, herbs can provide enough relaxation to catch up on missed beauty sleep. Here are nine to try.

For years, Passionflower has been used to treat anxiety and sleep irregularities. The herb contains Flavanoids, which help relax nerves, making it one of the top choices to treat insomnia. Available in tea, capsules, or tincture.

Valerian root has long been used to remedy sleep disorders and is considered safe in small doses. You can find valerian at your neighborhood health food store, and some drug stores sell the herb too. You can tell valerian by its putrid odor.

Most often used in combination with valerian, hops has a sedative effect, and that could be all your body needs to fall asleep.


Even the scent of lavender is enough to relieve sleeplessness for some insomniacs. Try a lavender tea, massage essential oil into your skin, or add it to your bath water.


California Poppy is a natural sedative. This sleep-promoting herb will ease your mind until you drift off into dreamland.


While chamomile might not be potent enough to address chronic cases of insomnia, it does have a mild tranquilizing effect for those occasional sleepless nights.

Have you had any luck with herbs for insomnia?

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Sleep Habits from Around the World

Post by Tracy Kaler.

It may come as a surprise, but different cultures possess different sleep habits. Spend any time in other countries, and you’ll soon figure out that although everybody sleeps, we differ in our sleep habits and patterns.

In FRANCE, people sleep an average of 8.8 hours per night. Studies show that more sleep contributes to healthier, happier, and even thinner people, which might explain why the French spend so much time at the table eating but tend to be thinner than those in some other countries. Eating fresh food and skipping fast and processed food might also have something to do with that theory.

Folks in MEXICO like to keep their bedrooms tidy – 82% make their bed every morning, more than any other country in the study. And in the UK, one third of all Brits tend to sleep in the nude, which helps regulate body temperature.

According to the sleep tracking app, , Sleep Cycle, POLAND has the latest average bedtime at 12:55 a.m. SOUTH AFRICA has the earliest wake-up time at 6:24 a.m. and South Africans average only six hours of sleep a night because they hit the hay rather late at 12:20 a.m.

Many Mediterranean countries take siestas or midday naps, but even in SPAIN, that tradition isn’t as common as it once was.

A lot parents and babies around the world do sleep together. In fact, in some cultures, it’s unheard of to allow babies to sleep alone, so cosleeping is expected. Eventually, young children are weaned to sleep in their own beds.

Unfortunately for SINGAPORE and JAPAN, sleep deprivation is on the rise. In JAPAN however, SIDS and infant mortality rates are incredibly low, which might be attributed to the acceptance of cosleeping (children sharing a bed with parents). In the US, cosleeping is not as socially accepted as it is in some other countries.

Generally, few of us in the world are getting enough sleep on most days of the week. It turns out, though, that Sundays are the happiest mornings because most countries wake up feeling refreshed and in a great mood. At least we have that much in common.

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To Nap or Not to Nap?

Post by Tracy Kaler.

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You woke up far too early this morning, or you’ve been burning the candle at both ends and you’re completely exhausted. Your meeting got canceled so you have an hour mid-day to rest, but should you take a nap?

Most experts will confirm that napping is good for your health, but if you find yourself napping regularly and for the wrong reasons, then that’s another story. If you have a need to nap even though you get a good night’s sleep, or if you’re suffering from chronic insomnia and end up catching shut-eye over your lunch hour, then naps might not be the best solution. You could have another health issue that you’re not aware of, so a doctor’s visit might be in order.

Are you overworked or do you have too much on your plate?

Stress and anxiety can cause fatigue at any hour of the day, prompting an afternoon slump which will lead to naps. Lack of sleep can cause mid-day sleepiness as well, and encourage naps even if you’re not a routine napper. If this sounds like your scenario, then napping would only be a temporary fix. You’ll need to get to the root of your stress or insomnia, and then you probably won’t feel the need to nap any longer.

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Did your parents nap?

Apparently, the gene pool plays a role in whether we take naps or not. Chances are, if your mom and dad were nappers, you could very well be a napper too. If you are one of those natural nappers, catching a short snooze during the day could be essential to your well-being. A nap could last anywhere from 15 to 90 minutes, but even the shortest sleep could recharge your battery and boost productivity.

What if you’re not a habitual napper?

That’s okay because everyone’s body is different and you might have enough energy to make it through the day without putting your head down for 30 minutes. Don’t sweat it if you can’t sleep mid-afternoon. You’re not alone, and falling asleep during the work day could have the opposite effect on you. You could wake up more tired and even groggy after a short rest. Stick to your sleep schedule and however many hours you’re getting each night, and leave the napping to others.

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