Give the gift of a good night’s sleep

With so many people experiencing insomnia that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called it an epidemic, the gift of sleep is the perfect offering for everyone on your list this holiday season. And while money can’t buy better sleep, there are some inexpensive items to help your loved ones enjoy a nourishing night of sleep and dreams. Here are some of my favorites:

• Eye rest. An eye mask is the perfect gift for anyone–and you can’t have too many. I stock up on eye masks in different fabrics (cotton, terry cloth, satin, etc.) for different seasons and moods (silly, practical, or cozy). Not only do they keep out the light, but the gentle pressure on the eyes is comforting, and when our eyes are still, our thoughts settle down, too.

• Dreamy creams. A tube of luxuriously scented lotion is a small treat that offers a lot of comfort and joy. Besides feeling great (and smelling great) massaging cream into your hands or feet before bed helps move your attention away from your busy brain (worrisome thoughts are the biggest impediment to sleeping soundly) and down to your extremities. Choose a natural, locally-made lotion when possible. I recommend soothing and relaxing rose or lavender-scents.

• A book of one’s own. Writing before bed helps clear your thoughts for a good night’s rest, and writing dreams in the morning is a great way to start the day. I prefer a book with soft, flexible covers that’s small enough to fit easily on my bedside table. There are plenty of designs to choose from, and all that’s really important is to have plenty of blank pages to fill with your hopes, thoughts, and dreams.

• The write implements. A special pen makes a great gift to go with that bedside journal. Better yet, throw in a fun pencil (personalized, eco-friendly, giftable options are all available), too. Pencils are great because when you write dreams in the middle of the night you don’t want to worry about your pen’s ink backing up as you record dream snippets at 4 a.m.—plus in the morning you can erase and correct any illegible words that were scrawled in the dark.

It’s a little too big to stuff into a stocking … but you’ll still want to stock up on plenty of copies of The Mindful Way to a Good Night’s Sleep for everyone on your list! It’s a treasure trove of great tips, techniques and essays on how to sleep, dream, and wake up well.

Praise for The Mindful Way to a Good Night’s Sleep:

“Soothing as a lullaby, Gover’s latest work is the print version of being tucked into bed with a warm glass of milk. Bringing her yoga and mindfulness training to shed light (or perhaps dark) on how to get a good night’s rest in this 24/7, go-go-go world, the author asks us to slow down and contemplate the value and importance of how we spend one-third of our lives. Both science facts and quotes from poets lace the pages with reasons why we would want to sleep better and explore our dreams. Gover provides a linear progression of nuts-and-bolts advice on how to get to sleep, stay asleep, experience lucid dreaming, remember dreams, keep a dream journal, and wake up with a smile. It’s all told with gentle prose that makes this book delightful and inspiring as well as practical. VERDICT For anyone who has ever had trouble falling or staying asleep or who is at all interested in interpreting their dreams.” — Library Journal, starred review

“Gover’s approach to sleep and to waking up, both literally and metaphorically, is gentle, insightful, and mindful. Her beautifully designed book is packed with up-to-date research and information on dream interpretation, journaling, navigating nightmares, lucid dreaming, and creative approaches to sleep problems, but it’s also a sweet, tender book. Gift it to someone you love—it will touch the recipient’s heart, and may help him or her enjoy many nights of deep, restful sleep.” — Foreword Reviews