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  • Trouble Sleeping? Try These Life-Changing Natural Sleep Aids!

    Trouble Sleeping? Try These Life-Changing Natural Sleep Aids!

    You’re finding it tough to get to sleep at a reasonable hour. Even when you do manage to get to sleep, you’re finding it difficult staying asleep for the full six to eight hours you need to get good rest. You’re sick of waking up groggy and tired and you’re looking for something to help you get some decent sleep. Well, you’ve come to the right place! Here are some of the best natural sleep aids to help you sleep soundly.

    Natural Sleep Aids

    Almost half of us are sleep deprived – but not because we don’t want to sleep. Sometimes we simply can’t fall asleep or stay asleep due to a range of biological forces and lifestyle choices. You know how it goes: You put your head on the pillow and it appears as though the mind suddenly goes into overdrive.

    Regularly sleeping fewer than seven hours per night increases the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, unhealthy eating habits that can lead to other chronic illnesses. Increased and better sleep, on the other hand, can lower levels of stress, and improve mental clarity and memory. Improved sleep also affects our immune systems, encourages better eating habits and weight management.

    Meditation for Sleep

    Healthy sleep has more to do with quality of rest than quantity of hours.Sleep meditations help create the inner conditions needed for a truly restful night. Because when we settle the mind, we rest the body—and that restfulness is what makes it easier to wind down and drift off. The mind’s tendency to get caught up in thoughts is perhaps strongest at bedtime, when we suddenly stop and be still. Meditation trains us to be less in our head and more aware of the present moment.

    Most Americans don’t sleep enough, and this can lead to fairly serious mental and physical health problems. Meditation for sleep is a specific, guided experience that offers a natural sleep aid all on its own, allowing us to let go of the day—everything that’s happened and everything that’s been said — so that we can rest the mind while simultaneously resting the body. That’s why using guided meditation apps, such as Headspace as a tool for better, deeper, longer sleep can be a game changer, especially if you’re someone who has insomnia. Try it, it can change your life!

    Exercise

    Our first natural sleep aid is really quite straightforward: get plenty of exercise throughout the day. Nothing can keep you awake quite like being full of restless energy and having no way to burn it off. When you’re feeling restless, anxious and full off too much energy, it’s time to hit the gym and burn those emotions along with some calories.

    Not only will this help you to feel better and burn off some anxiety, it’ll also help you sleep better. Your mental state is likely to improve just from a routine of exercise, along with your physique. When you’re constantly hitting the gym and getting into great shape, you’ll find it much easier to get to sleep and sleep through the night.

    Good Diet

    This one goes hand-in-hand with the exercise step. Get a better diet going! Try to eat bigger meals earlier in the day, and then taper down to a smaller dinner. If you can, try to not eat within four hours of when you’re trying to get to sleep. This keeps you from getting too stimulated before laying down for bed.

    Another thing to look out for is your caffeine intake. Make sure you’re not having caffeine within six hours of when you’re trying to sleep. If you drink energy drinks, stop! Those are terrible for you. Likewise, don’t drink sugary, caffeine-filled sodas all day, either. If you need a pick-me-up in the mornings, black coffee is a fine way to do it, but switch to tea later in the day to taper down your caffeine intake.

    Melatonin Supplement

    Alright, we’re certain you didn’t come to this article for us to tell you “eat better and work out,” so here’s something you might not have tried yet. Melatonin is a hormone your body creates when it’s later in the day and it’s time to get ready for bed. Often, insomnia is caused by a lack of this hormone in the body, so supplements can help regulate healthy sleep.

    Melatonin is also great for those who have to sleep during the daytime for work. While we don’t recommend shift work like this, it’s often hard to choose one’s own schedule. If you have to sleep during the day and work at night, melatonin supplements are a great way to pull that off.


  • Trouble Sleeping? Simple Tips for Getting Better Sleep

    Trouble Sleeping? Simple Tips for Getting Better Sleep

    It’s hard to get good sleep these days. There are a million little distractions all tugging at your attention. How is one to get some decent rest? Today we’re going to break down some of our simple tips for getting better sleep at night. Remember, the better the sleep you get, the healthier you’ll be.

    Getting Better Sleep

    Caffeine

    Try to avoid caffeine later in the day. While there are lots of benefits of caffeine, you still don’t want to drink it within six hours of going to bed. Caffeine amps up your body’s nervous system, making you much less likely to get good sleep.

    Stop Napping

    Nothing throws your body off more than taking long naps in the middle of the day. These long naps can seriously confuse your internal clock, making it harder for you to get to sleep or stay asleep. This results in a negative spiral, where you’re napping longer to make up for all the sleep you’re missing at night. Your best bet? Stop napping altogether.

    Get Out More

    Try to get out more during the daylight hours. Spend time out walking, in the sun, burning calories and wearing yourself out. When your body is exposed to more sunlight and activity, it makes your circadian rhythms react accordingly.

    Your circadian rhythms are the natural functions your body goes through to help you sleep well and wake up on time. Modern life, especially if you don’t get out enough, can lead to disruptions in your rhythms. So, try to get out more to encourage your normal body’s day/night rhythms.

    Less Blue Light

    You should also try to take in less blue light during the evening. Blue light makes your body wake up more, as it looks like light from the sun’s own rays. This makes your circadian rhythms work against you and keep you up later!

    Consider turning on Night Mode on your phone, installing a blue-light filter on your laptop, or even buying blue-light filtering glasses.

  • How to Get Better Sleep: Conquer Your Restlessness

    How to Get Better Sleep: Conquer Your Restlessness

    Inability to fall asleep or stay asleep all night is rather common. Over half of all adults in the US report that they often have difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep. If this is you, maybe you’re looking for some good ways to fight restlessness that don’t involve medication. Here are some of our top tips.

    Fighting Restlessness

    Hit the Gym

    After a long day at work, you might be feeling mentally tired. If your job isn’t physical, however, this might not extend to your body. If your body is still pumped up and ready to get out energy, then you’re likely going to find it hard to sleep.

    Consider getting a gym membership or getting into jogging. When it comes to your body’s energy, you need to figure out how to get it burned down effectively. The last thing you need is to be up late with restless energy just because you didn’t hit the gym.

    Quit Caffeine

    The cup of coffee in the morning hits just right, huh? Well, quit drinking it. Caffeine can seriously disrupt your body’s circadian rhythms, which could be contributing to your sleeping problems. If you have trouble sleeping, stop ingesting a chemical that wakes you up. It’s that simple.

    Lights Out

    That TV in your bedroom has got to go. If you’re laying in bed watching TV, you’re not sleeping. “Resting your eyes” isn’t sleeping. Take the TV out of your bedroom, because all its doing is making you restless. The bedroom should be where you sleep, that’s it. Don’t make it a place where you do recreational activities.

    This goes for your phone, computer and other distractions, too. If you’re constantly checking your phone or scrolling while you’re in bed, stop it. Put a hard bed-time on yourself that you stop electronics use after.

    Bottom Line

    Take control of your own space and your own sleep. This is no one’s life but yours, so live it for no one else. It’s time to take back your space and take back your sleep. Don’t let negative behaviors spill over into your sleeping habits. You’ll feel so much better when you’re well-rested.