This week on the podcast, I have a conversation with Monica Le Baron, the author of Sleep Simplified: Simple Tools To Reduce Anxiety, Finish The Stress Cycle and Sleep Like a Queen. Sleep is crucial for overall health and affects many aspects of our well-being, including metabolism, immune system, brain function, and mood. If you struggle with insomnia, the good news is that you can improve your sleep with some simple yoga therapy practices like the ones we’ll be talking about in this episode. In this interview, Monica shares her knowledge about sleep in such a warm and relatable way, including her own story of recovering from insomnia and depression. She provides insights into the types of yoga practices that are good before bed, including how she uses Yoga Nidra (or “yogic sleep”) practices. You’ll hear about: the four stages of sleep and how many hours you need each night what sleep has to do with setting healthy boundaries why you need to “complete the stress cycle” and how it helps to savor a mantra or affirmation like you would savor chocolate cake or guacamole. Monica also emphasized looking at internal reasons for the habits that impact sleep, not the just surface manifestations like phone use or caffeine intake. And, she offered examples of some reflections and practices you can use all day to set yourself up for better sleep at night. Give this episode a listen, and take a step towards improving your sleep, energy, mood, and health! ------- Guest Bio: Monica Le Baron MBA, C-IAYT, is the award-winning and bestselling author of Sleep Simplified: Simple Tools To Reduce Anxiety, Finish The Stress Cycle and Sleep Like a Queen. As a certified yoga therapist, she helps women with sleep disorders get a good night’s rest. Her passion for helping others was sparked after burning out at her corporate job and using yoga therapy techniques on herself to heal from insomnia, chronic pain, stress, and anxiety. When she’s not helping ambitious women get their beauty sleep, you can find her reading a good historical novel or hiking the mountains of her hometown in Chihuahua, Mexico. ------- Be sure to check out the episode page on my website at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast for the link to Monica’s yoga nidra practice, and additional resources. Learn more about Monica Le Baron at her website https://monicalebaron.com/ Find her book Sleep Simplified in English or the Spanish language edition Simplifica tu Sueño, which was just released in the last few weeks!  Thanks so much for listening! Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache). P.S. As I mentioned during this episode, there is a special workshop coming soon! Join me for Movement That Unlocks Mindfulness online on April 13th, and learn to meditate in a way that works for you. We'll explore gentle Mindful Movement practices, as well as variations of traditional meditations that don't require complete stillness. Workshop Info: https://movedtomeditate.yoga/events/