Originally published October 20 2010
Lifestyle Habits Bring Deep, Restorative Sleep
by Danna Norek
(NaturalNews) Sleep is a precious commodity in today's fast paced, anxiety-filled world. High quality, consistent sleep is vital to your health in ways that many people don't yet realize. For this reason, it is important that you follow a few simple rules to ensure you get consistent, high quality hours of rest every day.
Not only can your lifestyle habits help you get the best sleep possible, but there are also a few natural remedies that will help when you just can't seem to relax.
The first habit to practice before bed is to avoid any bright lights. That means no bright computer screens, and no sitting close to a bright television. Reading is probably one of the best pre-bedtime activities you can partake in which facilitates relaxation and drowsiness.
Make sure your bedroom is as dark as it can get at night. The reason for this is that light interrupts the body's process of making melatonin. Melatonin is a naturally occurring chemical that our bodies produce; it relaxes us and supports normal sleeping patterns.
Another big sleep disruptor is noise. If you live on a noisy street or have any other audible disturbances that typically happen during the night, try a water machine or a soft noise machine to block out any loud noises. Quality of sleep matters just as much as the quantity, so it is important to minimize nightly sleep disturbances.
Sufficient exercise is also a prerequisite to sound sleep. Studies have found that those who work out consistently tend to get better sleep when compared to those who lead sedentary lifestyles. Physical energy expenditure during the day is one of the best ways to ensure a peaceful resting time at night.
Exercise essentially works off excess energy that may keep you awake at night. You should never work out before bed though, as this can have the opposite effect.
If you have practiced these lifestyle habits, and you are still having problems achieving deep, satisfying sleep, there are some natural remedies to try.
The first and perhaps most well known natural sleep aid is melatonin, the natural chemical mentioned earlier. This organic compound comes in supplement form, and many swear by its sleep inducing capabilities. It also can help you to sleep more soundly during the night, and therefore to wake up feeling more refreshed.
Kava kava is another natural remedy that can be used as both a sleeping aid and an anxiety remedy. This can either be taken in supplement form or can be steeped as a tea. Be careful not to over do it on this one, as it has been known to cause strange dreams if too much is taken. However, its mood soothing and muscle relaxing properties are a great preparation for sleep.
Chamomile is another natural relaxant that may be taken as a tea to help relax the body and mind to prepare for sleep. Chamomile has natural sedative and anti spasmodic properties, which makes it the perfect pre-bedtime tea.
Sources :
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/melatonin...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39509907/ns/heal...
http://www.kickbackwithkava.com/
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/ch...
About the author
Danna Norek is the owner and primary contributor for several natural health blogs and websites, where she frequently shares her experiences and knowledge on herbal supplements, natural remedies, vitamins, and healthy lifestyle habits. You can find information on a 100% natural, chemical free deodorant here at Natural Effective Deodorant and an all natural sebum-neutralizing, SLS, paraben and chemical free Acne Soap with lavender, lemongrass and tea tree essential oils here at All Natural Acne Soap.
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