The U.S. is a sleepless nation: one in four Americans develop insomnia every year. And while 75% of people recover from it fairly quickly, it can be frustrating to go night after night tossing and turning, unable to get quality sleep.
Before you reach for an over-the-counter sleeping pill, however, try one or more of these natural insomnia remedies first. All of these can help induce relaxation and drowsiness to lull you to sleep.
1. Have a Light Healthy Snack
It isn’t true that you should avoid food just before bedtime—although you should certainly avoid certain foods such as anything greasy or that contains sugar or caffeine. Instead, try foods that contain tryptophan, an amino acid that helps your body produce melatonin, a hormone that regulates your sleep cycle. Good sources of tryptophan include turkey, chicken, nuts, and bananas. Or try some cheese and crackers, yogurt, or even a small glass of milk. All of these dairy foods contain calcium which contributes to tryptophan and melatonin as well.
Try also sipping on an herbal tea blend formulated to help you relax and fall asleep faster.
2. Sniff Some Essential Oils
Not only do essential oils smell nice and are all natural, but many of them can help relax you into better sleep. Try adding a few drops to a warm bath before bedtime or using a diffuser to gently disperse them in your bedroom. Here are the top ten essential oils for sleep, including peppermint, bergamot, and lavender oil.
3. Practice Yoga Moves
Although many people consider yoga to be a morning activity, the truth is you can benefit from performing yoga at any time, including just before hitting the hay. In one study, yoga was found to help people 60 and older decrease sleep disturbances and improve their sleep quality. Yoga also forces you to focus on your breathing and the present moment, helping to bring your blood pressure and heart rate down and take your mind off worrying and troubling thoughts.
4. Meditate
Similar to yoga, meditation will help you squelch thoughts that may otherwise keep you awake at night. Mindfulness meditation has been found to improve sleep quality and reduce depression in older adults. You can meditate while lying in your bed, and simply try visualizing that you’re in a pleasant place like a tropical island. Listening to a guided meditation online can help empty your head of negative thoughts and prepare the body for better sleep. Here’s an introduction to meditation 101 to learn about the benefits of meditating and how you can easily get started.
5. Read a Book Instead of Looking at a Screen
Catching up with friends on Facebook can be fun, but staring at a mobile device before bedtime may be compromising your sleep quality. The blue light emitted by many devices can actually trick your body into thinking it’s still daylight and disrupt your hormones so that you don’t feel tired. Avoid entertainment screens of any kind at least an hour before you get into bed, or wear blue light blocking glasses. Reading a book may also help encourage sleepiness.
How much sleep do you need, anyway? For most adults it’s anywhere from seven to nine hours a night. Most health experts agree that you need a minimum of seven hours so that your body goes through all of the sleep stages which is necessary for it to restore itself.
Beat Insomnia Before it Begins
Insomnia can be frustrating, but you can break the cycle by trying some of the natural methods above. If one doesn’t seem to work for you, don’t give up—try some others until you find the tip that works best for you.
Here and Mind Body Complete we offer products, retreats, and events to help women connect fully with themselves and thrive in all areas of their lives. For more health tips and holistic solutions, check out our newest blog posts.
Blog written by guest writer Krista Harper- you can contact her at kristaharper63@gmail.com
