Tips on how to Biohack your Sleep to improve Performance & Longevity with Elizabeth from Baloo Living!

Elizabeth is the CEO + founder of Baloo Living, a weighted blanket brand inspired by our bodies' innate healing abilities and natural balance. It is the only eco-Friendly, luxurious weighted blanket made with lead-free glass microbeads and soft premium cotton that's cool and breathable for year-round use. The deep pressure stimulation of a Baloo Blanket feels like a firm hug, massage or swaddling designed to soothes the nervous system, alleviates stress and anxiety, and increases serotonin production - the happy hormone.

Elizabeth bounced around several different industries before getting to where she is today. After graduating from University of Texas with a marketing degree, she held roles in politics, advertising, and finance before working for a startup tequila brand and ultimately in children’s book publishing at Scholastic. Throughout all her experiences, she still felt like she had a lot of untapped energy, drive and ambition to give that wasn’t being utilized. So, she quit. She said she felt like a huge failure and decided to go to the one place in the world that she felt really good – Bali. When she got there, it was an unlock. She said she was able to get out of the typical corporate grind for productivity and reconnect with what made her joyful. That’s where she got the idea to start Baloo.

Questions and topics we dive into today include:

1. Baloo Living’s Founding Story – How Elizabeth launched the brand after an extended trip to Bali shortly after losing her full-time job in NYC
2. How weighted blankets are a proven remedy for insomnia, anxiety, overall health and help athletes recover and repair.
3. How can the way you start your day impact your sleep
4. Tips to improve your sleep during the day
5. How to create a sleep hygiene routine before bed and a sleep cave!

What is your sleep routine?

Here is what me (Debbie) is doing right now to optimize her sleep!

1. Waking up naturally (when possible) without an alarm with the sunrise
2. Exercising – moving outside with the fresh air, time in nature and morning sunlight
3. Intermittent fasting and time restricted eating (11-4) weekdays with once a week a little longer 20-24 hour fast when possible (rest days usually Sunday afternoon to Monday afternoon meal to meal).
4. Not eating in the evenings and avoiding eating 3 hours before bed (more of issue on weekends)
5. Not exercising hard in the evenings – challenge now with a class I take on Wednesdays 6-7pm but it’s the only time I can make my friend Todd Durkin’s boot camp! So, I take extra melatonin, use the Bio Mat and cold shower before bed- plus need more time to wind down so bedtime is later.
6. A few nights a week we do “sleepy time” Yin Yoga (Travis Eliot), or I try to use the Bio Mat (Matt) and Normatech (Norm) before bed to help recovery and relaxation (PNS)
7. I close the blinds and make the rooms dark and cold– lights off or dim)
8. No caffeine after 12pm…and no alcohol (I rarely drink alcohol 1-3x/month) close to bedtime as it will mess up your deep sleep for sure!
9. I write in my gratitude journal each night three things I am grateful that day as well as sent intentions for the next time plus I read at least three pages… it doesn’t sound like much but that is my goal before I fall asleep!
10. Unplug your Wi-Fi or at least keep devices out of your bedroom (including no T.V.) and put everything into AIRPLANE MODE!
11. Set boundaries when you are off-line and unavailable …no emails, social media, text or phone calls 1-3 hours before bed. We are connected enough ALL day long and always online.   Disconnect to connect to you and your family.
12. Create the sleep cave and spa like environment -try using essential oils as Vibrant Blue Oils as…

Circadian Rhythm® Blend:  “Struggling to fall or stay asleep? You might be physically exhausted, but your brain won’t shut off.  So, you lie awake, willing your brain to turn off so you can finally fall asleep. Your struggle ends right now.”

Adrenal® Essential Oil Blend: “The Adrenal® blend is designed to balance the extremes, calming the adrenals when too much cortisol is released and supporting them during periods of adrenal fatigue.”

Parasympathetic® Essential Oil Blend:  “Turn on the body’s ability to heal with this all-natural essential oil blend made from a synergistic combination of clove and lime essential oils. Melt away stress, elevate mood, boost energy, improve digestion, and regain focus with Parasympathetic®.”

Learn more sleep tips in myrecent sleep biohacking blog post here where I shared information from Oura ring, WHOOP and other articles into one blog post!  

Learn more about Baloo Weighted Blankets:

1. https://balooliving.com/
2. https://www.instagram.com/balooliving/?hl=en
3. https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmanette/?hl=en