There are a lot of reasons why your slumber might not be as restful as you would like. Life's stresses and your habits, in particular, can work against you so that it seems impossible to sleep restfully. Sure, the occasional sleepless night is perfectly normal, but when you find yourself suffering from a full-blown case of insomnia, then it's time to take action so that you can get the all-important rest you need.
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By implementing just a few helpful tips, you should soon find that you're having much better, restful sleep and waking up much more refreshed. Here are three natural remedies that you can work into your routine so that you can get the sleep that your body needs.
Tip 1: Get Light When Your Body Needs It
Normally our body clock should regulate when we wake up and when we're ready for sleep. Sometimes, however, things get a bit out of whack. When that happens, you may find that you're waking up too early or that you're not tired at night and, instead, end up staying awake too late.
When either of these scenarios happens, you might find that a bit of light therapy can help. The good news is that you don't need to do anything fancy to get light therapy. Really, all you need to do is get outside for a while.
So, if you find that you're waking too early, go for a walk in the late afternoon. Or, if you're having trouble falling asleep at night, plan to get outdoors during the morning hours. In this way, you can try to re-adjust your body clock and correct your sleep patterns naturally.
Tip 2: Meditate Your Sleeplessness Away
If life's stresses have got you down, then it's very likely that you'll find yourself tossing and turning when it comes time to sleep. If this describes you, then one of the best things that you can do is take steps to calm your mind, so that you are more relaxed and receptive to a good night's sleep when it comes time to go to bed.
To do this, simply adopt a regular meditation practice. In this way you will be able to increase awareness, calm your mind, relax your body, and reduce your stress hormone levels.
Meditation may not be a medically proven technique to help you get better sleep, but a small study conducted by The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health does show that mindfulness and meditation may benefit people with chronic insomnia. One thing's for certain, meditation certainly won't hurt and, if nothing else, it will help you to achieve a much better state of relaxation in your life.
Tip 3: Eat, Drink, and Be Sleepy
We all know the phrase "You are what you eat," so it should come as no surprise that your diet can have an effect on the quality of your sleep. For example, caffeine and alcohol can cause insomnia and restlessness, so both are best avoided if you're having trouble sleeping. Including things like whole grains, sunflower seeds, bananas, almonds, dark leafy green vegetables, and cashews in your diet is beneficial since they contain components that will help you sleep. Really, when it comes to food, it's best to just have a healthy diet since this will improve your life in so many ways in addition to helping you enjoy a better night's sleep.
Simple Tips with Restful Results
As you can see, by just following a few easy tips, it's possible to make vast improvements in your quality of sleep. So, just work these small changes into your normal routine and, before you know it, you should find yourself sleeping much more restfully through the night.
