Monday

"I move through today with quiet confidence."

Welcome to Monday! Today, we're chatting about:

• Wellness Postcards: Iceland

• Nighttime habits for better sleep

• This drink is helping people sleep

• How to make the most of a rainy day

• How to reduce stress and stay focused

Wellness Postcards: Iceland’s Everyday Escapes

Welcome to Wellness Postcards, a new series exploring self-care destinations and wellness rituals around the world. First stop: Iceland, where slowing down is built into everyday life.

A big part of Icelandic wellness culture revolves around geothermal bathing. Visitors often head to Blue Lagoon for its mineral-rich waters and volcanic scenery, while locals also love spots like Sky Lagoon, known for its ocean views and seven-step bathing ritual that includes cold mist, steam, and sauna time. Smaller public pools throughout the country are also part of daily life and often serve as social gathering spaces.

Wellness in Iceland also means leaning into nature, even during colder months. Travelers hike waterfalls like Seljalandsfoss, walk black sand beaches near Reynisfjara Beach, or spend quiet afternoons exploring Reykjavík’s cozy cafés and bookstores. Long winter evenings often revolve around warm lighting, comfort food, and slowing down indoors instead of constantly staying busy.

Maybe that’s what makes Iceland feel restorative. The wellness culture isn’t centered around optimization. It’s built around warmth, nature, recovery, and making space to breathe a little deeper.

See you next week for another Wellness Postcards escape inspired by slower living around the world.

Why Better Mornings Start the Night Before

A good morning usually starts long before the alarm goes off. Sleep experts say the habits leading up to bedtime can shape everything from mood and energy to stress levels the next day, and the goal is less about perfection and more about giving the brain a chance to fully power down.

One of the biggest shifts? Creating a real wind-down window before bed. That can mean dimming lights, avoiding work emails, putting away screens, stretching, reading, or even listening to calming audio instead of scrolling. Experts also recommend keeping sleep and wake times relatively consistent, even after a rough night, since regular schedules help support the body’s internal clock.

The environment matters too. Cooler temperatures, softer lighting, and a quieter bedroom can help signal to the nervous system that it’s safe to relax. Some sleep specialists also suggest using the bed only for sleep whenever possible, so the brain stops associating it with stress, multitasking, or doomscrolling.

Maybe the most comforting reminder: one bad night doesn’t ruin everything. Experts say responding to poor sleep with a little less panic and a little more compassion can actually make it easier to rest the next night too.

This Drink Is Helping People Sleep

If you’ve been tossing and turning at night or waking up feeling groggy, you’re not alone. Many struggle to get a full night’s rest, leaving them feeling drained, frustrated, and sluggish. Poor sleep can affect everything from your energy levels to your mood, making it harder to face the day ahead.

That’s where Som Sleep Recovery comes in. Unlike traditional sleep aids, Som Sleep is a nighttime recovery drink formulated with 5 simple, science-backed ingredients that support deep, restorative sleep without the grogginess the next morning. Trusted by 100+ professional teams, Som Sleep helps you transition naturally into deep sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.

Why Som Sleep Works:

• Promotes deep, restorative sleep: Wake up refreshed and energized

• No morning grogginess: Get a good night’s sleep without the drowsy aftermath

• 5 ingredients, zero sugar, and drug-free: A natural, non-habit forming way to support sleep

• Professionally used: Trusted by 100+ Sports Teams

• Fast-acting: By Day 30, 94% of users fall asleep in less than an hour

Som Sleep is simple to use. Just add one packet to your drink of choice before bed. With 4 delicious flavors, it’s something you’ll actually look forward to.

As a Note To Self reader, get 15% off your order when you subscribe today.

Fix your sleep, boost your energy, and make every day more productive with Som Sleep.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Thank you to Som Sleep for sponsoring Note To Self. 

A Better Way to Spend Rainy Spring Days

Rainy spring days can make everything feel a little slower. Energy dips, plans change, motivation disappears, and suddenly the couch starts looking like the only reasonable option. Experts say that’s partly because reduced sunlight can affect mood, sleep, and energy levels, especially after several gloomy days in a row.

Instead of fighting the slower pace, mental health experts recommend leaning into softer routines. That can look like cooking something comforting, reading, journaling, stretching, doing a puzzle, or finally watching the movie that’s been sitting on the list for months. Even small activities can help interrupt the sluggish, stuck feeling rainy days sometimes bring.

Oddly enough, going outside can help too. A short walk in a rain jacket, sitting on a covered porch, or cracking a window for fresh air can support mood and help reset the body’s internal clock. Staying connected also matters. Calling a friend, spending time with family, or even hanging out with a pet can help rainy days feel cozy instead of isolating.

There’s also something comforting about letting a gloomy day just be a gloomy day. The sound of rain, warm lighting, clean sheets, a slower evening. Sometimes the mood shift starts when the pressure to “make the most of the day” disappears.

The New Trick to Reducing Stress Without Losing Focus

Trapped in the cycle of workplace burnout making it hard to focus, leading to more stress? You need CBDistillery’s new Daytime Calm gummies. With 50mg of CBG, shown to increase focus and reduce stress, each gummy is formulated for daytime focus and stress support – and code COOL saves you 25%.

Keep Your Cool

Wellness Round-Up

Parting Thoughts

• ✅ Did You Know: Caffeine can stay in your system for up to 6-8 hours, potentially impacting sleep.

• 🌅 Sunset Of The Day: Sunsets are more than beautiful—they’re actually good for your mood. Got a favorite one? Reply to this email with your best sunset or sunrise photo for a chance to be featured!

• 💭 Final Self-Care Thoughts for Today: Rest isn’t something you earn at the end of a long day. It’s something your body needs to function, think, and feel its best.

Enjoying Note to Self?

Know of a great self-care tip or article you'd love to share with the community? Want to send us pictures of you completing one of your self-care rituals? Email us at [email protected]!