Dream Pillows for Better Sleep

Dream Pillows are the latest tool in my arsenal for a better life. Sleep is important. Like really important. Sleep allows your body and mind to recharge. It gives your body a chance to heal and repair itself.

Health professionals tell us that its important to have between 7-9 hours of sleep in every 24 hour time span. Everyone has their own magic number. For me its 7 hours. Less than 6 and I can’t function, more than 8 and I’m groggy and lethargic the rest of the day.

Sleep does more than just recharge your mind, though. Studies have shown that good sleepers eat fewer calories during the day, have improved physical activity and strength and a better immune system .

They also show that people who don’t get enough sleep every night have a higher body weight, which leads to higher risk of heart disease and stroke. A lack of sleep affect the way our body metabolises sugar as well as how well our insulin works.

So how do we get better sleep?

This is the question that led me to my latest craft. I am the Crazy Plant Lady so my thoughts went straight to lavender. Lavender has a very relaxing energy. It doesn’t make you sleepy but it calms the mind which allows you to get sleepy.

I used to use lavender scented baby soap when the minions were little. Then as they got older, I put lavender scented plug-ins in their room. Now that they can actually make their beds, I’ve opted to make them lavender filled dream pillows.

My Dream Pillow Blend

Of course I’ve also made my own magical blend for myself.
The pillows themselves are made from cotton fabric from my stash. I added some fun vinyl graphics because I love using the cricut machine.

However, the magic is in the herbs. I’ve done some research and played with a few blends. This is my go-to right now.

Lavender was a no-brainer. It’s always worked in the past and I keep it on hand for magical workings. Lavender is calming and soothing. It also relieves headaches.

Chamomile was my second choice because it also is one of those herbs that tends to be calming and smells sweet. When I was young my mom sometimes gave me chamomile tea before bed if I couldn’t sleep. You can read more about Chamomile here.

The final herb in my blend is mugwort. Mugwort is my favorite ‘magical’ herb. It is known to encourage dreams and more importantly, to help you remember your dreams. You might find it helpful to keep a dream journal when using mugwort for sleep.

Dreaming is a sign of good sleep. It suggests that you’ve relaxed enough to enter that dream state. I like to thing of dreaming as a way to ‘defragment’ our dreams.

Making Dream Pillows

Making dream pillows is fairly straight forward. Sew two pieces of fabric together leaving an opening to fill with herbs. Then sew that opening closed.

I’ve also add rice to give the pillows a little weight. Some people like to add poly fill or wool roving to give the pillow more heft.

If you don’t sew, you can pick up one of those little draw string bags, I suggest a cotton fabric like muslin since the weave is fairly dense. Organza bags tend to let the tiny herb particles escape.

Fill the bag with your chosen herbs, tie it closed, and stick it in your pillow case at night.

The scent lingers for years although they will diminish over time. I suggest you store your dream pillow in a plastic bag if you’re not using it. This will help keep the herbs fresh and fragrant longer.

Some other herbs to use:

• Hops: calming restful sleep
• Calendula: relaxation
• Lemon Balm: relieves stress and anxiety
• Catnip: Deep sleep (especially good for children)
• Mint: enhances clarity and vividness of dreams (Use a small amount.)
• Rosemary: Deep Sleep

*I also should note you should avoid adding chamomile if you have an allergy to ragweed.

Muggle ways to promote restful sleep

Dream pillows can promote a more restful sleep but don’t discount other more mundane ways to improve your sleep.

Being active during the day helps. I don’t want to say exercise because the word implies hard work. Being active doesn’t have to be hard. Standing, stretching, short walks, taking the stairs, and other common daily movements will help you sleep better during the night.

Fresh air and sunlight. It’s easier and more enjoyable to be outdoors when the weather is nice so spend some time outside to see if it helps you sleep better. I personally find myself wandering outside in ugly weather as well.

Avoid consuming caffeine and sugar before bed as these can both keep you up.

Following a bedtime routine will train your brain to go to sleep.
I think the one thing that I struggled with for years is just getting to bed. I still catch myself wandering around the house, tidying up, checking doors and lights instead of going to bed. Once I got into a routine (that included making it to bed at a reasonable time), I found it much easier to fall asleep.

What do you have to lose?

If you need herbs, I have mugwort, lemon balm and mint in our Etsy shop.
If you don’t want to make your own I have ready made dream pillows with a variety of herbal blends available here. More designs and blends will be coming in the next few months.

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