Monsters under the bed donât stand a chance! Hereâs a story you can adapt for your own kiddos to let them know this monster spray works!
âI met a monster once and had just one question for him, âWhy do you and your friends come visit my kids and scare them!â
His answer, âWe donât mean to scare them... we just like playing with their toys while they sleep.â Feeling sorry for him but defensive of my kidsâ sleepless nights, I asked if we could come to an agreement. âIf you smell the aroma of Valor, promise you wonât come in the kidsâ room. And this goes for ALL children. Okay?â He agreed! And all little monsters now flee when they smell Valor, the blend of courage... good for monsters to move on and kids to sleep well.â
Thatâs my story and Iâm sticking to it! So when my nephew called and asked for this magical âMonster Sprayâ because he was scared to sleep, I knew I could hook him up.
Specific directions that go beyond the imagination- 10 drops Valor in a 6 oz. spray bottle. Spritz three times under the bed. Twice on pillow and/or on stuffed security animal.
Sleep tight little babies! And monsters, if youâre reading this... remember your promise to flee from the aroma of courage.
How do you help your own little monsters sleep?
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sleep
What if I told you that you had a magical, happiness chemical at your disposal. Itâs free. Naturally occurring inside your body, and easily runs off of minimal pep. And the best news⌠no products required.
S E R O T O N I N
First is serotonin and what causes it to be low? Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (some say hormone) that controls your bodyâs function to sleep, regulate mood and agression.
âŚcausesâŚ
â˘Stress- prolonged periods of stress (especially a traumatic event) . Think about running out of the house with a hot cup of coffee (home being your body in a normal state, coffee being your happy hormones). I donât want to stress you out by giving a stressful example⌠but really, most of our lives are not constructed well for rest and self care.
â˘Nutrition- Serotonin isnât just produced in the brain, itâs also produced in our stomach (your second brain). If youâre not eating good foods and digesting well, your serotonin production is off track.
â˘Nerve Damage- âYouâre getting on my last nerve!â said the Momma so stressed out. Nerve damage isnât just caused by stress, but also by toxic substances you might come into contact with daily: fragrances in your home/car/skin care, drugs, pesticides on food and used in gardening. Think about what youâre putting on your body (largest organ) and breathing in, it could be damaging the nerve cells that make neurotransmitters like serotonin. Youâll hear this labeled as a carcinogen or endocrine disruptor (not on the product label, of course. that would be too easy!) Check out Environmental Working Group to see where your products stand.
â˘Depression- been a little or a lottle SAD this season? Even if you donât suffer from depression symptoms seasonally or all the time, your serotonin could still be low. But do know that if you find your moods fluctuating beyond your control or have trouble getting out of bed during the day, you could have low serotonin.
âŚ.improveâŚ.
â˘Sleep- Insomnia or just trouble getting to sleep can be from lack of serotonin production throughout the day. Have a routine and goal every night to get in bed. Wash face. Brush teeth. Apply oils. Go potty. Turn off tv. Sleep by (10? 11? 8?) Whatever you need, depending on when you get up. Just like babies need a routine, you still need to baby your body and get good sleep.
â˘Negative Thoughts- say this over and over, â⌠whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthyâmeditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.â Philippians 4:8-9 The renewing of your mind is a consistent, constant process. Give yourself grace in negative times and make it a point to lay this scripture foundation on your heart.
â˘Exercise- I might be the last person to tell you how to work out. So, I wonât. Momercise is my workout of choice. Daily movement. What feels good. Set a goal, then mini goals to get there. Want to run? How many days? Mark it on the calendar. Set out your clothes and shoes the night before. Set your alarm. Do it.
â˘Sunshine- This past winter, I needed a heavy dose of sunshine, literally. For that reason, I will recommend only one product. Vitamin D. I take 10,000 IU a day in a capsule. Also, diffusing citrus oils or taking cod liver oil is helpful. Since itâs spring now, get outside! Wear a hat for that cool wind, get your hands in the dirt pulling weeds and planting. Take a gentle walk in the sunshine. You will see a difference! Even if youâre just sitting on your front porch steps letting the sun hit your face.
â˘Eat Well- Nutrition is key. I talked about the neurotransmitters of Serotonin being found in the stomach. If youâre eating a lot of what I call âheavy foodsâ (breads, fast food), and foods containing tryptophan (turkey meat and milk) will decrease serotonin production. Consider how many fruits and veggies you get into your diet daily. Add in one or two more per meal and see how you feel! And as always, drink at least 1/2 your body weight in oz of water per day.
â˘Breathing- Prayer. Meditation. Yoga. Taking 5 minutes, three times a day to sit without thoughts, emptying your mind, and taking in deep breaths is helpful! Delivering oxygen to your brain and cleaning your blood while detoxifying. One of serotoninâs functions is to help control breathing. You are teaching your body what it feels like to rest and allow it to work these many functions. Serotonin is purposefully produced and you will find yourself more peaceful after practicing just a few times a day.
I did find this article in the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience about increasing serotonin without drugs. For our family, we treat the root cause, always, first before moving onto a drug. Mostly, medications arenât needed as our bodies are miraculously made to heal and produce whatâs needed under the right circumstances.
Do these tips seem helpful? What can you start today to help increase the magical, happy chemical?