Natural Remedies for Sleep Disorders
Sleep disorders vary in the nature of their causes but the result of a sleep disorder is tiredness, listlessness, irritability, lack of concentration and an overall malaise towards the world in general. Many people do not want to take medicine to relieve sleep disorders since the medicine may have side effects even worse than the sleep disorder. So many turn to natural remedies to get the sleep the body needs.
-
Lifestyle Changes
-
Drink less caffeinated drinks since these act as a stimulus. Take warm relaxing baths instead of showers when possible. Turn off the TV and the phone at least 15 minutes before bedtime so you can let your mind wind down from the day's events. Install room-darkening shades to keep light out of your bedroom. Sleep on your side or stomach instead of on your back to prevent your tongue from blocking your airway and waking you up.
Routine
-
Go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every morning. Soon you will find that the body expects to sleep at this time and you will find it next to impossible to stay awake past your bedtime. Develop a relaxing bedtime routine, which could consist of a 15 to 20 minute meditation session to relax the stress of the day away. Think soothing thoughts and listen to calm music as you drift off to sleep. Performing these actions every night signals to your body that it is time to go to sleep.
-
Herbs
-
Many herbs contain sleep-inducing properties. Try passionflower, Valerian, Jamaica dogwood, hops or Californian poppy to induce sleep. These herbs also help relieve pain and promote general restfulness (see Reference 2). Chamomile and balm help in the digestive process. If the foods you eat keep you awake at night, try these herbs for relief.
Diet and Nutrition
-
Begin a weight loss program if you are even slightly overweight since the extra weight can cause constriction in throat jarring you awake. Avoid too much food in general, since the digestive system will work overtime digesting this food, which may interfere with sleep. Avoid spicy foods that may cause heartburn, especially near bedtime since the heartburn may keep you awake. Another point to remember is to drink at least eight glasses of water a day, however, drink this during the main part of the day. One should strive to drink little after dinner since this can result in getting up in the middle of the night, which interferes with sleep (see Resources).
Exercise
-
Develop an exercise routine such as a brisk 30-minute walk every day (see Resources). Daily exercise promotes sleeping at night as long as the exercise is not done close to bedtime. Instead of a walk, try taking the steps up to the office instead of the elevator. Park your car at the far end of the parking lot and walk to your destination.
-
