Although it is normal for you to have sleepless nights from time to time, regular sleeplessness is a bit more serious. This is called insomnia and may in itself be a symptom of a more serious medical condition like heart disease and depression. Therefore, it is very important to consult your doctor immediately if you find yourself suffering from this condition.
If you are fortunate enough not to have a serious condition as the cause of your insomnia, and your doctor gives you the go signal to self-medicate, you may try any of the following natural remedies for insomnia:
Relaxation Techniques
Learning how to relax is one of the most effective natural methods to fall asleep quickly, lengthen the period of sleep, and ensure that you wake up feeling fresh and well-rested. It is best to perform a relaxation technique about 20 minutes before you go to bed. Here are the most common relaxation techniques that you can take advantage of:
1. Yoga - This technique makes use of a combination of meditation, stretching, and breathing exercises. A study conducted in Harvard University revealed that performing yoga daily for eight straight weeks effectively rids an individual of insomnia.
2. Visualization - This technique involves your imagination. It is done by thinking of a relaxing scene as you lie in bed waiting to fall asleep. For example, you could imagine yourself lying in a hammock that hangs between two palm trees on a tropical island. As you visualize this scene, try to imagine as well how the ocean breeze would feel against your skin and how the hammock would lull you to sleep with its gentle swaying motion. The more vivid the scene is in your mind, the faster you will fall asleep.
Diet
There are certain foods that can actually cause or aggravate sleeplessness, and it is important for you to avoid or cut back on your intake of these foods in order to get rid of insomnia. Caffeine is one substance that you should avoid, especially within two hours of going to bed. It causes not only insomnia, but also restlessness. Caffeine is usually found in coffee, soft drinks, and tea. Sweets should also be avoided at night because they are known to give you a short burst of energy, which can cause sleep interruptions.
As you avoid foods that cause sleeplessness, you should also increase your intake of those that can help you sleep better. Whole grain crackers are good snacks to have before bedtime. Foods that are rich in magnesium content are also advisable because magnesium is known for its sedative properties. In fact, a deficiency in magnesium is one of the common causes of sleep problems. Magnesium is found in legumes, seeds, leafy greens, cashews, almonds, and whole grains.
Aromatherapy
People have used English lavender for years as an aromatherapy herb. Its scent is believed to help people fall asleep quickly. The good news is that research is now beginning to prove this belief to be true. Aromatherapy has been found to work especially well for women, probably because a woman's sense of smell is generally more acute than that of men. You can take advantage of this technique simply by placing a sachet of lavender under your pillow. Chamomille and ylang-ylang are also believed t
If you are fortunate enough not to have a serious condition as the cause of your insomnia, and your doctor gives you the go signal to self-medicate, you may try any of the following natural remedies for insomnia:
Relaxation Techniques
Learning how to relax is one of the most effective natural methods to fall asleep quickly, lengthen the period of sleep, and ensure that you wake up feeling fresh and well-rested. It is best to perform a relaxation technique about 20 minutes before you go to bed. Here are the most common relaxation techniques that you can take advantage of:
1. Yoga - This technique makes use of a combination of meditation, stretching, and breathing exercises. A study conducted in Harvard University revealed that performing yoga daily for eight straight weeks effectively rids an individual of insomnia.
2. Visualization - This technique involves your imagination. It is done by thinking of a relaxing scene as you lie in bed waiting to fall asleep. For example, you could imagine yourself lying in a hammock that hangs between two palm trees on a tropical island. As you visualize this scene, try to imagine as well how the ocean breeze would feel against your skin and how the hammock would lull you to sleep with its gentle swaying motion. The more vivid the scene is in your mind, the faster you will fall asleep.
Diet
There are certain foods that can actually cause or aggravate sleeplessness, and it is important for you to avoid or cut back on your intake of these foods in order to get rid of insomnia. Caffeine is one substance that you should avoid, especially within two hours of going to bed. It causes not only insomnia, but also restlessness. Caffeine is usually found in coffee, soft drinks, and tea. Sweets should also be avoided at night because they are known to give you a short burst of energy, which can cause sleep interruptions.
As you avoid foods that cause sleeplessness, you should also increase your intake of those that can help you sleep better. Whole grain crackers are good snacks to have before bedtime. Foods that are rich in magnesium content are also advisable because magnesium is known for its sedative properties. In fact, a deficiency in magnesium is one of the common causes of sleep problems. Magnesium is found in legumes, seeds, leafy greens, cashews, almonds, and whole grains.
Aromatherapy
People have used English lavender for years as an aromatherapy herb. Its scent is believed to help people fall asleep quickly. The good news is that research is now beginning to prove this belief to be true. Aromatherapy has been found to work especially well for women, probably because a woman's sense of smell is generally more acute than that of men. You can take advantage of this technique simply by placing a sachet of lavender under your pillow. Chamomille and ylang-ylang are also believed t
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