Natural Sleep Aid Remedies
There may be several reasons why you are not getting the recuperative sleep you need to maintain good health. You may have an uncomfortable mattress, or your room may be a messy jumble of boxes and things that need sorting. Also, your bedroom may not have the proper feel that is needed to induce sleep; busy wallpapers, distracting paintings or loud colored paint can interfere with sleep. All these things are aimed at getting your attention and not letting you relax.
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Take Time to Unwind
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An hour before you go to bed run a warm bath, and place a big fluffy towel on a warm towel rail. Add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the running water because lavender is known to induce relaxation and sleep. Soak yourself in the bath, and do whatever you want to do, whether it is reading a book, listening to music or simply soaking and relaxing. Dry off with the warm fluffy towel, and make a warm glass of milk, also known to induce sleep because it contains L-tryptophan, an amino acid found in milk and turkey that makes people feel tired. The brain converts L-tryptophan into serotonin, a natural sleep inducer.
Nature's Sounds
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Buy some CDs containing sounds of nature like the ocean, a babbling brook, jungle sounds, whale sounds or birdsongs. Play a CD at bedtime and fall asleep listening to these natural sounds. These sounds have a hypnotic and evocative effect on the brain and may induce sleep.
Softness
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Concentrate on "soft" when you decorate your bedroom. For example, soft drapery that goes down to the floor, a nice shag-pile carpet and a warm fluffy bedspread with big puffy pillows can help welcome sleep. Soft furnishings like an overstuffed chair or soft throw cover should also be in the room. When you enter your bedroom, your mind should instantly "switch off" the rest of the world. Low lights in the form of recessed lighting are an added comfort that will help induce sleep.
Visualization
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Lie in bed comfortably in a relaxed position, and visualize yourself lying on a soft sandy beach with the sun streaming down warming your body. The breeze cools you as you relax and drift away to dreamland. Visualization can be a powerful technique to help you relax and set aside your worries.
Herbal Teas
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A cup of valerian root tea after your evening meal and another cup just before bed is all the natural sedating effect you will need to bring about a full night's recuperative sleep. You will feel refreshed and ready to face the day in the morning. Drinking a cup of chamomile tea before bed is also known to be a natural sleep inducer. Chamomile tea will help sleep come naturally, enhancing your ability to sleep all night.
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