My Wellness & Personal Care Library

For perspective, on the date I am creating this page, I am a 47-year-old female. I have always lived in the Northern Illinois region. I moved a lot as a youth and continued moving around as an adult. I think I counted 13 moves in total. I bought my home in Elgin, IL, in 2006, and moved to Chicago around 2008 (rented out my home during that period). I moved back to my house in Elgin in 2012 and have not moved since. This is the longest I have lived anywhere, and it feels good to finally feel like I am on solid ground. I sincerely hope that something I do or say eventually helps you find your way home. 

Until 2025, sleep was never a problem for me. I could sleep anywhere, anytime, through anything—my only issue was not getting enough because I stretched myself too thin. Then everything changed. It’s common for women my age to develop sleep issues, but common doesn’t mean acceptable. Sleep is how your body repairs itself, and by early 2025, I was lucky to get five hours a night. I started taking naps in my car during lunch breaks just to function. No matter how exhausted I was, I couldn’t sleep through the night. As a problem solver who loves research, I knew I had to find a solution. 

The most impactful change was buying an Apple Watch and downloading a sleep app. I’d been wearing the watch for months, so it had plenty of data to analyze when I downloaded the app. When I follow the app’s guidance, I’m well rested. Sleep is a science, and everyone’s needs are different. My bedtime is around 8 PM because I wake up between 3:30-4:00 AM. Sounds crazy, but it works for me. 

RISE (sleep app). If you would like to try this app, here's a referral link: https://web.risescience.com/offer/gift30 The amount of detail, tools, and instructions it provides is incredible. 

In progress

In progress

In progress

In progress