This week we speak to the wonderful Amelia Baerlein who is the co-founder of APOTHEM, a brand dedicated to bringing high-quality CBD and the natural powers of botanical extracts to the world. We chat to Amelia about how she finds balance in busy periods, her go-to sleep tips and her love affair with Nature.
How did the idea for APOTHEM come about and what was your key driving force to founding it?
I’ve always been interested in cannabis, botanicals, and adaptogens. Back in 2018, Tony (my co-founder) and I were chatting about natural ways to help manage his daughter’s psoriasis, and we stumbled across CBD. We fell down a rabbit-hole of looking into the properties of CBD and fell in love with the plant and molecule. After months of research we started sharing CBD with friends and family and received incredible feedback. As a result, we founded APOTHEM in 2018, and launched at the end of 2019.
Life as an entrepreneur is non-stop. How do you create a healthy balance between work and time for yourself?
I really lean into Nature. Running a business is tough, and has been quite challenging over the past few years with Brexit and the pandemic, but I’m fortunate enough to live in Mallorca so I am really connected to Nature. It’s my sanity!
I spend a lot of time in the mountains hiking and walking, and these bring me such a sense of calm. Mallorca is an absolutely stunning and spiritual island that allows me to find balance through nature.
Running a business every day can be stressful and overwhelming. How do you manage stress?
If I feel stressed or anxious, I head straight to the beach. The ocean is the most powerful being and the moment I’m surrounded by it I let my shoulders drop and I allow Nature to take over. I just step away from everything.
What are your go-to tips, tricks or techniques to help you stay in-tune with your mind and body?
It’s so important to understand our body and hormones. I believe in overall balance but it has to start from within, what food you eat and what supplements you take. I’m a big reishi fan, I have it every day and I love my chaga tea. When you want to sleep well, you’ve got to eat well. Be mindful about what you eat, and when you eat.
I love reflexology, acupuncture and Chinese medicine. I also discovered reiki last summer and it blew my mind. I get a sense of where my body’s at, what my energy is like, my anxiety. My technique is to work with others to help me understand how my body’s in and out of tune which comes down to balance.
What are your top tips to improve your sleep?
I think there’s such a pressure about what your sleep should look like, which creates sleep anxiety - and there’s nothing worse than stressing about sleep.
Creating an environment is so important. Make your bedroom your sanctuary, a place where you can drop your shoulders, wind down with relaxing smells (lavender is my favourite), and sleep in a safe, warm environment. Find out what works for you. For me - it’s sleeping in absolute darkness.
Do you have any evening routines you can share that help you wind down and prepare for sleep?
I love a bath! I use our calming bath salts to unplug and release any lingering tension. It gives myself an opportunity to relax and unwind.
If I ever struggle to get to sleep, I listen to podcasts. It’s about escapism and story-telling. It allows me to distract myself and focus on something completely different because I think at times silence can be your worst enemy.
Check out APOTHEM on their website or Instagram.