Q: Keep lights dim an hour before bedtime, and turn off all overhead lights, night lights, and lamps when you go to bed. Any bright light (not just electronic devices' screens) can trick your body into thinking it's too early in the day for sleep. If you want to read or write before bed, try using a small book light rather than a desktop lamp or overhead light. Bluish light can keep you awake, so go for a bulb that gives off a warm glow. Red light bulbs are a great choice. If you have a bright clock, use the dimmer option to lower the brightness of the screen. Additionally, turn it away from the bed so you won't be tempted to check the time. If you can, keep noise in and around your room to a minimum at night. For example, if you have an old-fashioned clock that ticks loudly and keeps you awake, replace it with a silent one. If you share your home with anyone else, request that they keep noises like talking, music, or TV shows at a low volume while you are trying to sleep. Lowering your core body temperature helps induce sleep, so try lowering your thermostat. Setting the temperature between 60 and 70 F (15.5-21 C) could do the trick. Set it low enough that it feels cooler than room temperature, but not so low that you're shivering. Ideally, you want to sleep so that your neck is in a straight line with your hips. Try placing a pillow between your knees to keep your hips in a neutral position. If necessary, buy new pillows if your current ones aren't keeping you comfortable and aligned. Try to sleep on your back or side. These positions are best for your spine and can offer more restful sleep. Sleeping on your back or spine also keeps your airways open, which can help alleviate symptoms of sleep apnea. If sleep apnea is preventing you from getting a full night's sleep, talk to your doctor. They may recommend a sleep study for you to see if you need a CPAP machine. It's tough to fall asleep if you live near a busy road or hear other annoying sounds after bedtime. You could get a white noise machine or play recordings of nature sounds, like waves crashing or humpback whales singing. You could also listen to soft, relaxing music, like classical music or contemporary ambient tunes. Try not to fall asleep wearing headphones, since they could slip around and wake you up after you fall asleep. Use a music playing device with speakers instead. Your sleeping surface might be keeping you from drifting off to sleep. If your mattress is too firm, getting saggy, or pokes you, flip it over or cover it with a foam pad. If you have scratchy or uncomfortable sheets or blankets, get softer ones. If you're on a budget, look online or in outlet stores for high quality products at affordable prices. Look for sheets with a high thread count. The higher the thread count, the softer the sheets. Staying in bed doing nothing when you're having trouble falling asleep can stress you out and keep you wide awake. If you've tried to doze off for about 20 minutes with no luck, try reading a little. Reading in bed can distract you from your thoughts and help you feel drowsy. Read from a print book instead of something with a screen, if you can. The light from electronic screens can keep you awake.
A: Keep your room dark. Minimize distracting noises. Cool off your room. Adjust your pillows to keep your body aligned. Try using a white noise machine. Invest in a mattress pad and new sheets. Read a book in bed if you can't fall asleep.

Q: You want to have two times the amount of wax flakes than your jars' ounces. For example, an 8 oz jar will need 16 oz. of wax flakes. Use a heat-resistant glass measuring cup with a handle, such as a Pyrex cup, to measure and then later melt the flakes. When choosing wax flakes, soy based wax burns longer than paraffin and some people prefer it as a natural ingredient. Make sure that you buy wicks that are meant for soy candles if you choose to use soy instead of paraffin wax. All you will need is a medium sized pot or saucepan and a stovetop range. Place the measuring cup on the side of the pot and fill the pot with water. You want a lower level of water so that the water doesn't splash into the wax as it boils. You don't want a full rolling boil because that may cause the wax to overheat. Stir the wax with a wooden spoon as it melts so that all of the flakes are equally liquefied. You want to keep the temperature of the wax between 150-180 F or 65-80 C. Do not leave the wax unattended. This is so that it doesn't overheat but is mostly for safety. At these temperatures wax can burn skin easily. Break off small pieces of non-toxic wax crayon pieces to add a hue to the wax. A little bit goes a long way, so add the crayon in increments of a 14 inch (0.6cm) piece at a time. You can test out the color intensity as you go by dropping a little wax onto some parchment paper and letting it cool as the wax finishes melting. Once it reaches these temperatures and is fully melted, set the measuring cup aside. Let the wax cool down to 125 F or 50 C. You cannot add the essential oils or scents at a higher temperature because the scent can evaporate away. For every 16 oz. of wax flakes, use ten drops of essential oils. You can mix and match scents and oils for a unique candle. For scent ideas, reference your own favorite candle scents or smell different oil combinations to determine what meshes and what clashes.
A:
Measure out your wax flakes. Make a double boiler to melt the wax. Turn the stove to a low to medium heat. Test the temperature of the wax. Add color to your candle. Take the wax off the stove. Add the essential oils.