Blog

Questions? Feedback?Olark live chat software

Tag Archives: relax

Remember to Relax – 7 tried and true ways to clear your mind

As things begin to return to what we know as normal life, the hustle and bustle of our everyday routines have worked their way back into our schedules. Coming off almost 2 years of ‘not as busy as usual’ may seem a little different right now but it won’t be long until busy-busy is just old hat again.

As your life returns to its pre-pandemic ways, you will need to remember that you still need “you” time to relax. You don’t want to forget this important part of maintaining a healthy mind, body, and soul. Here are 7 simple ideas that don’t cost anything that you can incorporate into everyday life to make sure you get in that critical relaxation time you need.

Nap. Sleep is an essential part of rebooting your entire system. A short nap in your favorite pajamas can do wonders for your state of mind and is second-to-none when it comes to the ultimate relaxation technique.

Use aromatherapy. Lavender, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Ylang-Ylang, and lemongrass are all very popular aromatherapy scents used to enhance your relaxation techniques. These scents activate certain sensory triggers that put you at ease and make your mind relax.

Take a bath. There is nothing better than a good soak in the tub to wash away the day’s commotion. Add relaxing essential oils to your bath water and turn on some soft music to really enhance your soak. Even 30 minutes of you-time in the soothing water can make all the difference in the world.

Read a book. Want to get away from it all for a little while? Put your nose in a good book and put your mind somewhere else.

Meditate. You may already incorporate meditation into your daily routine, and if so you know how well it works. If meditation is new to you, we recommend doing some research online and picking the technique that best fits your needs. It’s an incredible way to relax and it amazing way to calm your mind.

Spend time with a pet. Studies show that spending time with a pet is one of the most relaxing things you can do. It’s also a win-win because you are getting quality relaxation time and your pet is getting some extra love from their favorite human!

Have a hot beverage. Even 15 minutes alone with a cup of warm herbal tea is better than nothing at all. If you want to try something a little different, add some raw honey to hot water with a slice of lemon and drink it just like that. This concoction is relaxing, has amazing immunity benefits, and taste delicious

You may have your own way of relaxing but we encourage you to mix it up a bit and try different things. When you look forward to something, you’re more likely to actually do it.

10 Bedtime Rituals to Help You Decompress

Leave a reply

Your work schedule, the kids’ school schedule, Halloween, Thanksgiving, holiday shopping… is anyone else beginning to feel the crunch of this busy season? It’s as if the lazy days of summer are actually a rest period so we have the energy to make it through the marathon holiday season of the fall and winter.

As we approach this busy time of year, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of self care. The more hectic our schedules get, the easier it becomes to move your health and happiness to the bottom of the list. Apart from drinking enough water and eating our veggies, our most basic health requirement is sleep. We hope these simple bedtime rituals will help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

PJ Salvage ‘Think Pawsitive’ Classic Flannel Pajama Set in Antique White

Bedtime Rituals to Help You Get a Good Night’s Sleep

1. Make a to-do list.

Your to-do list can be as simple as few things you want to accomplish the next day, like clearing out your inbox, paying your phone bill, or tackling the first step of a project at work. By writing down each task, you’re actually creating an action plan for the day. This allows you to rest easy knowing that you will wake up with purpose and direction.

2. Stretch before bed.

Try a incorporating a simple yoga practice into your nighttime routine. The stretching will soothe aching joints and muscles and the breathing techniques will help you exhale all the stress you’ve accumulated throughout your day. This 7-minute bedtime yoga sequence is so simple you can do it your pajamas, no spandex required.

3. Try micro journaling.

Journaling is a healthy, reflective practice that allows you to acknowledge your successes and note areas for improvement. Micro journaling is simply writing down three things that went well that day and three things that didn’t. This practice gives your day closure, sealing it in the past. This keeps you focused on the positive and prevents you from dwelling on the negative, silencing that end-of-day chatter that keeps you up at night!

4. Take an evening stroll.

If you can slip away for twenty minutes, take a walk around your neighborhood. Studies have shown that walking, especially in green spaces like a park, can have the same stress-relieving effects as meditation. This would be a great time to think about what you’re grateful for today and what you want to accomplish tomorrow. The key to a restorative walk is to do it unplugged — no ear buds! After a hot shower, you’ll go to bed feeling rested and refreshed.

5. A cleansing soak.

Whether it’s a long leisurely bubble bath or quick a 5-minute foot soak, wash away your stress in the tub. Immersion in water is known to be very therapeutic, especially when you combine it with the relaxing effects of aromatherapy. In the evening, add lavender oil to the water to promote a deep sleep. After you towel off, wrap yourself up in a warm fluffy bathrobe to create a spa experience.

Munki Munki Women’s Fluffy ‘Polar Bear’ Fleece Robe

6. Unplug and open a book.

An hour before bed, unglue yourself from screens: television, phone, and computer. Put on your softest, comfiest pajamas and curl up in bed with a good book. The light from these screens has been shown to disrupt our sleep patterns. Not only will reading at the end of the day help you get to sleep faster, avoiding the glow of your electronics will help you stay asleep longer. Check out our fall classics reading list for ideas.

7. An evening cup of tea.

Simply the act of making a cup of tea can be a meditative practice. Waiting for the water to boil. Prepping the tea bags if you’re making loose tea. The scent of the water hitting the dried herbs. Get in the habit of making a cup of herbal tea before bed. Chamomile, jasmine, and mint are soothing herbal teas that won’t keep you up at night.

8. Adult coloring books.

Adult coloring books have been all the rage in the last few years, used mostly as a stress-relieving technique. Coloring is an easy way to be crafty and creative, no matter how much time you have at the end of the day. Coloring stimulates areas of the brain that most of us non-creatives don’t use every day, making it a soothing and helpful brain exercise that promotes creative problem solving. The perfect pre-bedtime activity.

9. Meditate for 5 minutes.

Meditating for as little as five minutes each day can reduce anxiety and promote restful sleep. There are many guided meditations available online, so you can learn breathing techniques and practice helpful, relaxing visualizations. Meditating is a great way to clear your mind before bed, especially if you find that overthinking keeps you up at night!

10. Invest in comfortable pajamas.

We know, we know… to someone with a hammer, everything looks like a nail! Believe it or not, investing in comfortable sleepwear will help you get to sleep faster. When you were a kid, pajamas weren’t just something to wear after your bath — they also acted as a signal to tell you that it was bedtime, mentally preparing you to wind down. The same logic can be applied as an adult. A ritual as simple as putting on pajamas says, “My day is finished. It’s time for me to rest.”

We hope these ideas for bedtime rituals help you get a great night’s sleep. For more sleep tips and ideas for family fun this fall season, visit The Pajama Company Blogat thepajamacompany.com/blog.

The Best TV Shows to Binge in Your Pajamas

Leave a reply

We in the Northeast have endured another blizzard, but more pajama time is A-OK with us! Snow days and quiet Friday nights are perfect for binge-watching gripping television shows in the comfort of your living room. If you tend to binge-watch your television shows, you’re not alone.

It may seem counterintuitive in this age of short, quippy social media posts and funny cat videos, but humans have a psychological urge to watch entire seasons of television from start finish — no matter how dark, twisted, and complicated the storylines. According to Netflix, three out of four viewers watch the entire first season of Breaking Bad in one sitting!

Psychologists believe that we binge-watch because we crave an escape from our busy lives. As it turns out, occasionally binge-watching television shows can help alleviate symptoms of stress. So put on your coziest pair of pajama pants, pop some popcorn, and stream one of these binge-worthy TV shows. Doctor’s orders.

Put on your pajama pants and get ready stream.

Top 10 TV Shows to Binge-Watch Right Now

1. The Americans

Nothing is what it seems on The Americans. To their unsuspecting suburban neighbors, Philip and Elizabeth Jennings are the most boring couple you could possibly imagine. But to anyone who gets in their way — including the FBI — these undercover Russian spies are quick, efficient, and deadly. If you like intrigue, action, ‘80s nostalgia, and brutally honest depictions of marriage, you’re going to love The Americans. Stream on Amazon.

2. Brooklyn Nine-Nine

If you like to laugh and love a little action, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is the breakout hit for you. Starring SNL funnyman Andy Samberg and acting veterans Andre Braugher and Terry Crews, the TV show follows the hijinx of the NYPD’s fictional 99th Precinct. The plot revolves around the professional and personal life of Detective Jake Peralta (Samberg), an immature but talented police officer. Hilarity ensues. Stream on Hulu.

3. Westworld

For the sci-fi fanatics, Westworld is a thriller that takes place in a technologically advanced Wild West-themed amusement park populated by android hosts. Westworld caters to high-paying guests, who may indulge in whatever they wish within the park without retribution from their hosts — including murder. The series begins as a routine update in the hosts’ programming causes unusual deviations in their behavior, concerning park staff. A few of the hosts become sentient and learn the truth about themselves and the world they are forced to live in. Stream on HBO Go.

Gina Rodriguez and Andrea Navedo in pajamas for a scene in ‘Jane the Virgin’

4. Jane the Virgin

Jane the Virgin follows twenty-something Jane Villanueva as she navigates the aftermath of an accidental artificial insemination in her very Catholic household. With plenty of family drama, comedic relief, a steamy love triangle, and crime lord, the telenovela satire packs a lot entertainment into each and every episode. Perfect if you were a fan of the old series Desperate Housewives.

5. Orphan Black

Sci-fi is clearly coming back to mainstream television with shows like Westworld and this hit, Orphan Black. The Canadian series raises questions about the moral and ethical implications of cloning. Con-artist Sarah Manning, one of several identical clones, assumes the identity of one of her fellow matches, police officer Elizabeth Childs, after witnessing her suicide. Viewers can watch the entire plot from start to finish, as all five seasons are now available for streaming. Stream on Amazon.

6. Peaky Blinders

If you enjoyed The Godfather trilogy, know that Peaky Blinders is essentially the British version. Inspired by a real-life gang that operated in Birmingham, England during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the story follows Tommy Shelby, the gang’s reluctant but passionate leader, who must take over his family business (Michael Corleone, anyone?). Each season is just six episodes, making it very easy to devour in one sitting. Stream on Netflix.

7. Friends from College

Friends from College is a “coming of age” story for a new generation. This intense all-too-real dramedy starring funnyman Keegan Michael Key will resonate with many tightly knit college groups who have tried to keep their youthful connections rolling into their 40s. Filled with anti-heroes, beautifully acted, and endlessly entertaining, each of the eight half-hour episodes can be watched in one evening. Stream on Netflix.

8. Bob’s Burgers

Is it just us, or is everything on television these days dark and twisted? Take an extended break from reality and stream every season of the funny adult animated series Bob’s Burgers. We promise that you will fall in love with at least one of the adorable cast members who feature voice talent from legend H. Jon Benjamin (Archer), Kristen Schaal (Last Man On Earth, The Daily Show) Megan Mullally (Parks and Rec, Will and Grace), Jordan Peele (Get Out, Key and Peele), SNL alum Bill Hader, and Aziz Ansari (Parks and Rec, Master of None) to name a few. The plot follows the hilarious antics that take place in and around Bob Belcher’s family business, Bob’s Burgers. Stream on Hulu.

9. Silicon Valley

A surprise hit from producer Mike Judge, best known for King of the HIll and Beavis and Butt-Head, is Silicon Valley, a witty live-action comedy starring Thomas Middleditch and Kumail Nanjiani. The story follows the day-to-day struggle of Richard Hendricks (Middleditch), a Silicon Valley engineer trying to build his own company within the quirky valley tech bubble. Stream on Hulu.

Golden Globe winner Tracee Ellis Ross wears a lot of cute pajama sets as her character Bo Johnson in the hit comedy series ‘Black-ish.’

10. Black-ish

Network after network is producing gloomy, depressing content but Black-ish on ABC is a much-needed standout family sitcom. Loosely based on the family life of creator Kenya Barris, the show doesn’t shy away from discussions of family, race, gender equality, or politics, but addresses these hot-button topics in a way that is timely, relatable, and approachable. The plot follows family man Andre Johnson (Anthony Anderson) as he struggles to maintain a sense of cultural identity while raising his children in a predominantly white, upper-middle-class neighborhood. Every episode is smart, sweet, and guaranteed to make you laugh until your belly hurts. Stream on Hulu.

For more ideas for how to unwind in your pajamas this season, visit The Pajama Company at our blog, thepajamacompany.com/blog.

Netflix Hibernation: The Best Movies to Stream Right Now

Leave a reply

Raise your hand if you need a long weekend! I don’t know about you guys, but we’re totally pooped out from that gym membership we’re sporadically using now that it’s February. President’s Day is right around in the corner just in time for a little R&R in your pajamas. Even better? Netflix just added a slew of movies to its collection, so we’re going to give you ten excuses to stay in bed this weekend.

Ready to hibernate for the winter? Check out the latest prints from PJ Salvage, pictured above.

Categories

Blog

The Pajama Company Blog

Tag Archives: relax

Remember to Relax – 7 tried and true ways to clear your mind

10 Bedtime Rituals to Help You Decompress

Bedtime Rituals to Help You Get a Good Night’s Sleep

The Best TV Shows to Binge in Your Pajamas