Experts say that you should spend roughly one-third of your life sleeping. But what happens when we can’t achieve that goal? The irony of a good night’s sleep is that the harder we try to achieve one, the less likely it is to happen. So, let’s look at some ways to help you fall into a restful night of sweet dreams.
Take a look at your daily routine and you may discover what’s causing your sleeping issues. Are you under a lot of pressure or stress? Have you changed your diet or used a new medication? Think about the activities you’re involved in especially during the early evening hours to the moment your head hits the pillow. The goal is to increase your awareness about what you’re doing and see if it could be interrupting your sleep.
Are you playing catch-up with your work or having unresolved issues loop in your mind? If so, your mind may be on overdrive and unable to turn off.
Do you find yourself consumed with your work, or routine chores like laundry, house-cleaning, grocery shopping, and cooking? It’s valuable and imperative that you schedule in downtime for relaxation, and a time to stop for the day/night. Unresolved issues need to be addressed during waking hours so they can be released when it’s time to turn our mind off and sleep.
If you’re having trouble sleeping, but don’t want to poison your body with harmful sleeping pills, there are a number of natural sleep aids you could try instead. Read on to learn more about the best natural sleep aids that could have you sleeping like a baby again in no time at all!
Here are some of the best organic sleep aids available:
Lavender is an age-old remedy for insomnia. Lavender oil also works well in the bath.
Spray a calming lavender essential oil mixture into the air. Sprinkle a few drops of lavender oil on a cotton ball and slip it inside your pillowcase. Or, keep a lavender plant on your nightstand. Vanilla has similar effects.
Chamomile, which you can drink as a tea, has an amazing calming effect and promotes better sleep.
Chinese medicines & acupuncture can both help you get a better night’s sleep. Speak to your local Chinese herbalist, naturopath, or acupuncturist to tailor a treatment plan to suit your needs.
Try a natural sleep supplement. A small amount of valerian, an occasional small amount of melatonin or a homeopathic formula might help you shift your body’s habits so you can fall asleep and stay asleep with more ease.
It can be difficult to properly wind down from a busy, stressful day. Look into these tips and create your best technique that can help you transition into a more relaxed state and prepare you for sleep.
Advice about sleeping usually starts with telling you to go to bed and wake up on a consistent schedule because your body likes to slip into routines. In reality that’s much easier said than done.
If you have a day job, you pretty much have to get up when the alarm goes off. On the other hand, your bedtime is up to you, and that’s where your plans can get off.
For all your good intentions, you may find yourself binge-watching TV or shopping online until the wee hours. Then, you feel rotten the next day, and resolve to turn over a new leaf. Unfortunately, you spend the next night chatting on the phone with your BFF.
Remember it is most helpful to have a vision of your big goal (getting to sleep) and find small obtainable steps towards it. Begin by finding ways that work for you to gradually get into bed earlier. What you need are some new habits to break the cycle. Check out this list of things you can do to help you go to bed earlier and wake up fresh in the morning.
Decide on a schedule and rituals leading up to the time you want to be in bed. Make a commitment to yourself:
Turn off electronics at least a half-hour before bed. The light emanating from backlit screens like cell phones, tablets, and e-readers can trick your body into thinking its daylight and time to be awake. Your phone, tv, and electronic devices emit “short-wavelength enriched light” a/k/a/ blue light. This interferes with sleep because blue light seen at night contains photo-sensitive retinal ganglion cells which causes the body to produce less melatonin (which helps you sleep).
A few things to try if you resist shutting your screens off: there are apps that alter the specific rays emitted. Use the “nightshift” on your iPhone or invest under $10 for blue light blocking glasses on Amazon. Also check that your window covering blocks out any distracting light, if not, install room darkening shades or use an eye covering. Exposure to light causes your body to produce hormones that increase alertness, while darkness does the opposite.
Take a warm bath. Sitting for a few minutes, or a long soak, in warm water can help your muscles and mind relax and prepare for a restful sleep. Pouring in a calming bath oil such as lavender, or even better, Epsom or Himalayan Salt gives a very calming effect.
Take deep breaths through your nose, allow your stomach to expand, hold them for five to eight seconds, and exhale slowly through your mouth. Do at least four of these deep breaths after you switch off the lights, and you’ll feel your body and mind relax.
Make a Gratitude list. Focus your mind on what you can be grateful for and appreciate it, even more, especially the small things you haven’t noticed. Count your blessings rather than sheep and this will help you fall to sleep. Be grateful for the day that is ending, and know you did your best.
Don’t try to sleep. If your focus is on the struggle, you will get more struggle. Absorb yourself in a mindless magazine or book that is mildly entertaining or even a bit boring. Listen to an audiobook, find some white noise or nature sounds or:
Play a lullaby. Music is so effective at putting babies to sleep that there’s a whole category of songs for this purpose, regardless of your age. Any favorite slow, calming music will help distract your mind and hold it in peace. Karen Olson has effective music designed to help you fall asleep.
There are a time and season for everything. At the end of each day, let go of any of the lists in your head and know that tomorrow will be another beautiful day filled with opportunities to discover new things. Accentuate the positive and allow yourself to rest, you deserve it!