Do you have trouble sleeping at night? You’re not alone. An estimated 30-48% of adults suffer from insomnia. Even if you don’t have insomnia, you may have nights where anxiety and intrusive thoughts keep you awake. Guided sleep meditation can help you relax and get into the right mindset for sleep. Try these YouTube sleep meditation videos to get a better night’s sleep tonight.
10 YouTube Sleep Meditation Videos
There are countless sleep meditation videos on YouTube. These are some of the most watched and loved by users:
1. Guided Sleep Meditation YouTube – Let Go of Anxiety
This sleep meditation video from Jason Stephenson will help you let go of the anxiety that may be stopping you from falling asleep at night. The guided meditation itself is soothing, but so is the imagery – an ethereal cave with magical mushrooms, crystals, dancing moonlight and calm water. The speaker walks you through a full-body relaxation exercise that will help you let go of tension and drift off into a peaceful sleep.
2. Relaxing Deep Sleep Music
Tranquil Relax’s deep sleep music and meditation video features beautiful, calming imagery, with glowing butterflies, shooting stars, a full moon and water. While this video doesn’t have a guided meditation, it does feature relaxing music tracks and tranquil animations.
3. Guided Sleep Meditations for Insomnia
Silent Rhythm’s sleep meditation video has soothing music and serene animations. A full moon, a gentle stream and shooting stars help you slip into a deep state of relaxation. But it’s the calming music that will really help you fall asleep and stay asleep. The video offers nearly 12 hours of sleep-inducing imagery and sound.
4. Restful Sleep Guided Meditation
Fall asleep in minutes with this guided meditation, which will help you stay grounded and connected to the universe. The guided meditation lasts about 20 minutes, but the soothing music will continue for three whole hours to help you stay in a deep sleep.
We love the imagery in this video, too, which has a warm, fiery glow.
5. Meditation for Quality Sleep
This guided meditation from Lavendaire will help you let go of stress and prepare your anxious mind for a night of deep, restful sleep. It’s a short video (just over 20 minutes), but it goes through a whole-body relaxation exercise to help you get ready for proper sleep. The speaker’s voice is so soothing and relaxing.
6. Restorative Sleep Meditation
Here’s another great guided sleep meditation that will help quiet your busy mind and get your body totally relaxed. This 2-hour-long meditation also has beautiful imagery to make the experience even more immersive and relaxing. A sailboat, seagull, butterflies and calm night seas make this meditation video one of our favorites to listen to and watch.
7. Solid Sleep Meditation
If you’re suffering from sleep deprivation, this guided meditation will help you relax your mind and body. The guided meditation lasts an entire hour and is accompanied by surreal animations of galaxies, a magical door and a rowboat. The extended guided meditation, which feels almost like hypnosis, may help people who have a much harder time falling asleep.
8. Guided Sleep Aid Story
If you find that guided meditation doesn’t improve your quality of sleep, then this sleep story might. This sleep story for grown-ups takes you to a cabin in the woods, where you’re asked to immerse yourself in a calming, peaceful and safe environment surrounded by nature. The speaker helps paint a vivid picture that really helps create a restful mind before bed.
9. Improved Sleep Guided Meditation
This guided meditation will help improve the duration of sleep and your sleep habits so that you wake up feeling more refreshed. Like the guided story, this meditation video helps you paint relaxing images in your mind, making it easier to drift off to sleep. Although it’s only about 12 minutes long, this guided meditation will help you calm your mind to fall asleep quickly.
10. Guided Meditation for Healthy Sleep
In this bedtime meditation, you will learn to let go of pain and shift your focus to the present moment. Going through a full-body relaxation exercise will help get your body into the right state for sleep. This 3-hour meditation video also features relaxing animations of a cabin in the woods. It’s a video you can come back to time and time again to continue improving your sleep routine.
YouTube Meditation Music for Sleep
Along with guided meditation videos, you can also find videos that feature relaxing music for sleep. These videos are great for people who don’t enjoy meditation at bedtime or find that meditation doesn’t help them fall asleep. Some of the most watched and loved sleep music videos include:
Deep Sleep Music
This video from B Relaxation has 24 hours of relaxing music and a soothing animation, with a gentle breeze blowing the trees and a candlelit lantern. The music is piano-based and changes throughout the video, so it’s not a constant loop of the same melody.
Restful Sleep Music
This soothing relaxation video features music by Peter B. Helland and gorgeous video imagery of nature. From sheep running along the hillside to a field of flowers and waterfalls, the videos are just as calming and soothing as the music itself. The 3-hour-long video is sure to help you fall asleep and stay asleep.
Restful Mind Music for Better Sleep at Night
This video uses relaxing music and delta waves to help you enjoy improved sleep and wake up with a rested mind. You get 8 full hours of relaxing music and nothing else. Delta waves range between 0 and 4 hertz, and they’re associated with deep stage 3 sleep.
How to Use YouTube Sleep Meditation Videos
The great thing about sleep meditation videos is that they are simple and straightforward. Just press play, listen and fall asleep. But if you really want to get the most out of your nightly guided meditations, you need to create the right environment and bedtime routine. Here are some tips:
Use Headphones
Guided meditation and relaxation videos are best enjoyed with headphones. In fact, most of these videos will recommend using headphones while listening. Why? Because they allow you to fully immerse yourself in the content without interruption from background noise.
Create a Quiet, Dark Sleep Space
Headphones certainly help keep noise levels down, but creating a quiet sleep environment can further help you get into the right mindset for sleep. Along with minimizing environmental noise, do your best to make your space as dark as possible.
Blackout curtains are a great way to create a dark room. If you don’t plan on watching the animations on the videos, you can also try using a sleep mask. A sleep mask will help block out light for an even more restful night of sleep.
If you have trouble sleeping at night, these YouTube sleep meditation videos will help you get into a more relaxed state – both mentally and physically. They’re free to use and you can come back to them time and time again to enjoy a restful night of sleep.
You may have an excellent location for storage, but what about your seed storage box? What you store your seeds in is just as important as the environment itself.
We’re going to share some seed storage box and seed organization and ideas to make your seed-saving adventure a success.
7 Seed Storage Box Ideas
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1. Bead Storage Boxes
A bead storage box can easily become a seed storage box. The compartments are just the right size to store your seeds. Just make sure that you’re either:
Buying a dark-colored box
Storing a clear box in a dark place (closet, basement, etc.)
Essentially, these are just photo album pages. In fact, you can probably use an old photo album to hold your seed packets.
No matter whether you upcycle an old album or buy a new one, make sure that you’re careful not to crush your seeds when they’re stored away.
3. Metal Seed Storage Box
Metal boxes are also great for storing seed packets because they’re durable and easy to carry around. You can repurpose an old metal box you have at home, or you can buy one designed for seed storage.
Look for boxes that have compartments for easy organization.
If you’re saving your own seeds, you may want a box that also comes with seed envelopes, like this cute box from Amazon:
But really, any metal box will work for this purpose. Just make sure it’s big enough for your seed collections.
If you have seeds from different varieties of plants, you can use file tabs to keep your packets organized. And when planting season comes, you’ll be able to find what you need quickly.
For many people, mason jars are their go-to seed storage box. Why?
Many gardeners already have them on-hand
They’re made of glass, so there’s less concern about pests
They’re easy to stack and store
The biggest concern with mason jars is that most are clear, so you’ll still need to tuck them away in a dark place. However, you can now find amber-colored mason jars that come in a smaller size for easy seed storage.
Photo storage boxes can also be repurposed as seed storage boxes. They’re a great way to not only keep your seeds safe, but keep them organized, too.
Photo storage boxes can usually hold 50-100 photos, so you should be able to fit at 5-10 seed packets inside. So, if you have different varieties of tomato seeds, for example, you can keep all of your packets in one photo storage box. It’s a great way to keep your seeds separated and easily accessible.
You can buy packs of individual photo boxes, or you can buy an all-in-one storage solution like this one:
If you’re looking for a creative way to store your seeds, apothecary vials are a great idea. They’re just the right size for storing seeds, and the cork creates an airtight environment.
Just make sure that you have a box or dark place to store your vials and keep them organized.
Have you ever seen a seed library? We love them just because they’re great for the local community, but they can also give you a great idea for storing your seeds. Most are kept in card catalogs that make it easy to find what you need and keep seeds organized.
You can recreate this seed storage idea at home, and it’s a great option if you have a big seed collection.
If you have an old dresser, you may be able to transform it into a card catalog.
We’ve shared some great storage box ideas, but what about seed organization? Keeping your seeds organized inside of your box will make it easy to find what you need when it’s time to plant or start your seeds.
Here are some great ideas for keeping your seeds organized inside of your seed storage box.
File Tabs: File tabs are a great way to categorize your seeds and keep different varieties in one easily accessible place.
Cardboard Dividers: You can upcycle old cardboard to divide your seeds into categories. Label each divider to make it easy to find the seeds you need.
Rubber Bands: If you’re looking for a simple way to keep similar seeds together, rubber bands are a great solution. If you already have rubber bands lying around, this is an idea that won’t cost you a dime.
These seed storage box and seed organization ideas will help you keep your seeds safe and protected until you’re ready to plant them. Just make sure that you’re keeping them in a cool, dark and dry place regardless of what container you’re using for storage.
Looking for vegetarian protein snacks? Put those boring protein bars down and give these snacks a try.
If you’re a vegetarian trying to boost your protein intake, you know how difficult it can be to keep things interesting. These high-protein snacks will give you the variety you crave without sacrificing your goals.
8 Vegetarian Protein Snacks
1. Greek Yogurt with Fresh Fruit and Hemp Hearts
Here’s a healthy snack that’s loaded with protein and other beneficial nutrients:
1 cup of Greek yogurt (17g of protein; 100 calories)
1 tablespoon of hemp hearts (about 3g of protein; about 55 calories)
1/2 cup of fresh fruit (berries, bananas, or peaches are great options)
Add a 1/2 scoop of your favorite protein powder if you want extra protein. Stick to plain, no-fat Greek yogurt to keep your calories in check. Flavored yogurts are loaded with sugar. Fresh fruit will add flavor and subtle sweetness along with fiber.
2. Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is another excellent source of protein for vegetarians. In fact, a half-cup of small curd cottage cheese has 12 grams of protein and just 100 calories.
So, cottage cheese is a great option if you’re looking for high protein vegetarian snacks that are also low in calories.
Stick with plain cottage cheese and add your own toppings for a satisfying snack any time of day. What’s great about this delicious snack is that you can make it sweet or savory. Here are some great mix-ins ideas:
You can also add a half-scoop of protein for an extra protein boost and flavor.
3. Bean Salad
Beans are healthy protein snacks for vegetarians because they’re loaded with plant-based protein and fiber.
For example:
1/2 cup of black beans has 7.6 grams of protein
1/2 cup of split peas has 8.2 grams of protein
1/2 cup of chickpeas has 6.3 grams of protein
While you can buy pre-made bean salad, it’s best to make your own at home using simple ingredients. It takes just minutes to put together, and you can easily make enough for a few days.
Here’s a simple bean salad recipe that uses healthy ingredients:
2 cans of low-sodium beans (black beans, white beans, chickpeas and fava beans are all great options)
1/2 cup fresh tomatoes, diced or quartered
1 bell pepper
1 cup fresh greens (spinach, kale, chard, etc.)
1 bunch of green onions
1/2 cup feta cheese
Fresh basil, cilantro and/or parsley
Juice from 1 lemon or 1 lime
1 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Feel free to add whatever fresh veggies you have on hand. The more colorful the salad, the healthier it will be. And if feta isn’t your cup of tea, add parmesan, pecorino or gouda cheese –they’re all high in protein.
4. Egg White Muffins
Egg whites are rich in protein and low in calories. In fact, the whites from one egg have four grams of protein and just 18 calories.
Egg white muffins are a great way to add more protein to your diet. Liquid egg whites make it easy to maximize the protein benefits of egg whites without wasting yolks.
The recipe above also includes cottage cheese, which will add extra protein.
5. Protein Bites
Protein bites are a great option if you want a simple snack that can help boost muscle growth and satisfy your sweet tooth. These vegetarian protein snacks are usually no-bake, so they’re so easy to put together. And you can make a big batch at once to snack on throughout the week.
Chickpeas are a staple in a plant-based diet because they have a meaty texture and are rich in protein. But if you roast chickpeas, they turn into a crunchy, satisfying snack that’s hard to resist.
Best of all, they’re still high in protein and low in calories. So, it’s a guilt-free way to add protein and satisfy your need for something crunchy and salty.
Roasting chickpeas is easy, especially if you use canned beans.
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
Mix one can of chickpeas with two tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Spread the beans out on a cookie sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
Once your chickpeas are done roasting, you can toss them with spices, herbs or other ingredients for an extra flavor kick.
Here are some ideas:
Lime, ginger, turmeric and black pepper
Nutritional yeast
Paprika, chili powder and maple syrup
Dried onion, thyme, garlic powder, pepper and dill
Cinnamon and sugar
You can also add a handful of nuts or seeds to add some extra protein and healthy fats.
But pumpkin seeds also contain other beneficial nutrients, like zinc, copper, magnesium, iron and selenium.
You can eat a handful of raw or roasted pumpkin seeds for a quick snack on the go.
You can also roast your own pumpkin seeds and add some herbs or spices for flavor. Here are some ideas:
Cinnamon sugar
Salt and pepper
Honey, brown sugar and vanilla
Garlic and fennel
Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning
8. Apple Slices with Peanut Butter
If you need a simple snack to add to your daily diet, the classic apple and peanut butter is a great go-to option.
Apples are loaded with fiber and other beneficial nutrients. Peanut butter is rich in protein and fat.
Just two tablespoons of peanut butter have:
8 grams of protein
188 calories
16g of fat
If you’re not a fan of peanut butter, you can swap in just about any nut butter.
Almond butter has 3.4g protein in 1 tbsp
Sunbutter has 2.8g protein in 1 tbsp
Tahini has 2.6g of protein in 1 tbsp
Keep in mind that while nut butters are rich in protein, they’re also high in calories and fat. So, limit yourself to just one or two tablespoons for this snack.
Plant-based protein snacks don’t have to be boring. These eight vegetarian snacks are rich in protein and flavor. Add them to your diet to reach your goals without getting bored with your food.
If you have a backyard garden, there’s a good chance that you have at least one type of squash growing either in the summer or fall. In fact, there are more than 100 types of squash. Along with butternut, acorn, zucchini and the beloved pumpkin, you have Hubbard, kabocha, spaghetti squash, sweet dumpling and dozens of other squash varieties.
Each variety produces seeds that you can save, dry and store for next year’s planting. Let’s look at how to prepare your seeds for storage and answer some questions about squash seeds.
Do Zucchinis Have Seeds?
Yes! Zucchinis do have seeds. This popular summer squash is easy to grow, but you’ll need to sacrifice a few crops to save the seeds.
When you harvest zucchini to eat, you’ll notice that they have small seeds at the center. The seeds are easier to see if you cut your zucchini into slices instead of quarters or half-moons. Unfortunately, these seeds are immature and not ready for drying or saving. Seeds are best harvested from zucchini that are left to grow to full maturity.
Other varieties of summer squash have similar seeds, including yellow zucchini, crookneck squash, ball squash and pattypan.
In fact, all varieties of squash have seeds. With careful prep and the right timing, you can harvest seeds from any of the squash varieties you grow in your garden.
While you can save and dry seeds from the squash you buy at the store or farmer’s market, they may not breed true. The varieties you buy in the store are likely hybrids and may not produce exactly the same fruit. Sometimes, it’s fun to experiment, so there’s no harm in going this route as long as you know what to expect.
How To Save Seeds from Squash
No matter your variety, it’s important to know how to harvest and save squash seeds to prepare them for drying. The process you use will generally depend on whether it’s a summer or winter squash.
Saving Seeds from Summer Squash
Summer squash includes:
Green zucchini
Cousa squash
Chayote squash
Yellow zucchini
Luffa squash
Pattypan
Round zucchini
Crookneck squash
Zephyr squash
Yellow straightneck
Romanesco squash
To save seeds from summer squash, you’ll first need to let the fruit mature beyond its edible stage. At this point, your fruit should be huge with tough skin.
Slice open the squash. You may need a sharper knife to pierce the tough skin.
Scoop out the seeds and pulp. Compost the rest of the fruit.
Place the seeds and pulp in a clean container, and fill it with just enough water to create a wet mass.
Allow the seeds to sit in a cool, dark place for 1-2 days.
At this point, the seeds and flesh should have a funky smell, and the seeds should easily separate from the pulp.
All of the viable seeds will have sunk to the bottom of the container, while the pulp and unviable seeds will be floating.
To remove the viable seeds, dilute the mixture by adding more clean water.
Pour off the liquid, floating seeds and pulp.
Remove the seeds that are at the bottom of the container, and place them in a clean sieve or fine screen.
Spray the seeds down to clean them off one last time.
Now, they’re ready for drying.
Saving Seeds from Winter Squash
Types of winter squash include:
Butternut
Acorn
Pumpkin
Hubbard
Kabocha
Banana squash
Buttercup
Carnival
Delicata
Spaghetti
Sweet dumpling
Turban
Candy roaster
Winter squash tend to have larger seeds than their summer counterparts, which are much easier to harvest and dry for storing. Their seeds are also great for snacking, so you can save some for roasting if you have more than enough for planting.
To save seeds from winter squash:
Split the squash in half.
Scoop out the seeds and pulp.
Place the seed/pulp mix in a colander or sieve.
Use the sprayer on your faucet to help separate the seeds from the pulp, or use your fingers to separate them.
Once separated, give the seeds one last rinse in the colander or sieve.
Now, they’re ready for drying.
How To Dry Squash Seeds for Planting
Now that you’ve harvested and cleaned your seeds, it’s time to dry them and get them ready for storage.
The drying process is the same for both summer and winter squash varieties.
After cleaning, lay the seeds out on wax paper or a paper plate to dry out overnight.
The next day, carefully transfer the seeds to trays lined with paper towels and allow them to dry out for another 2-3 weeks.
Make sure your seeds are spread out in a single layer to promote good airflow.
Check on the seeds regularly and turn them to ensure all parts of the seeds have a chance to dry out.
Keep your seeds in a cool, dry and dark space while they’re drying.
Once fully dry, you can store your seeds in a safe place until they’re ready for planting next growing season.
Not sure how to store your seeds? Check out our detailed guide!
Sunflowers add cheer and beauty to your garden, and even when they reach the end of their lifespan, they still give back by producing tons of edible seeds.
A single sunflower can produce a bounty of seeds – 1,000-2,000.
You can roast these seeds for snacking or plant them next year to keep your garden cheery.
Where Do Sunflower Seeds Come From?
Did you know that sunflowers are actually made up of thousands of tiny flowers? Their heads are made up of tiny blooms, sometimes up to 2,000. Their petals are considered separate flowers.
Sunflower seeds come from the magnificent and unique flower heads of sunflowers.
As the growing season comes to an end, sunflowers reach the end of their lifespan. If you let them die back completely, their flower heads dry out and their seeds are ready for harvesting.
Harvesting and drying sunflower seeds is almost as easy as growing them. But you have to know when to harvest them for best results.
When To Harvest Sunflower Seeds
No matter what you want to use your sunflower seeds for – planting, eating or feeding the birds – it’s important to harvest at just the right time.
Typically, seeds are harvested anywhere from mid-September through October.
But how do you know when to harvest your plant seeds? Here are a few signs to look for:
The flower petals have dried out and fallen off. You should be able to see the sunflower seeds on flower heads.
The backs of the sunflower heads are yellow-brown, and the flower heads are drooping.
The seeds have hardened and turned black with stripes. If they are still a milky color, they are not ready for harvesting.
If you’re unsure whether your sunflower heads are ready for harvesting, pull a few seeds to see how far they’ve developed.
Sunflowers are vulnerable to pests and critters when they’re at the end of their lifespan, so while you’re waiting for your seeds to mature, consider covering the flower heads with brown paper bags, netting or even cheesecloth. Keep your protective covering in place with a rubber band or twist tie so that you don’t lose any seeds.
How To Harvest Sunflower Seeds
The best way to dry and harvest your sunflower seeds is outside on the sunflower head. Once your flower heads have dried out completely:
Cut the stem just below the flower head
If you haven’t already done so, place the flower heads in paper bags.
Hang your flower heads up to dry for a week.
How To Dry Sunflower Seeds Indoors
If you’re worried about critters getting to your seeds before you do, you can harvest them a little earlier and allow them to mature in a dry spot.
Wait until the outer seeds have matured, and then cut the stalk about a foot below the seed head. Once cut, simply hang and dry the heads for a few weeks. Make sure you hang them in a place with good air circulation that’s protected from insects and rodents. You may want to keep the seed heads in a paper bag to catch loose seeds.
Harvesting the Seeds
Once your seeds have had a chance to dry thoroughly, it’s time for the fun part – removing them from the flower head.
To dislodge the seeds, you can:
Rub the seed heads together
Rub the seeds with your hands
Use a brush with stiff bristles
Make sure you’re doing this over a large bucket or basin to catch all the seeds. This step can get messy!
Once you’ve harvested all of your seeds, allow them to dry overnight on a paper towel. Spread them out in a single layer on a flat surface to allow for good airflow.
How To Store Sunflower Seeds for Planting
Now that your seeds have been dried and harvested, it’s time to store them away for planting. It’s important to keep your seeds dry, cool and away from sunlight while you wait for next spring.
Keep your seeds in airtight containers or a paper envelope inside of a plastic container.
The refrigerator or freezer can help keep your seeds cold until they’re ready for planting.
Using a silica gel pack can help wick away any remaining moisture from your seeds.
Many sunflower varieties produce seeds that remain viable for 1-2 growing seasons. If you continue to harvest and save seeds each year, you can continue planting sunflowers for years to come.
