Natural Remedies to Put an End to Sleep Insomnia

Sleep is crucial to your health just like food and water. A good night’s sleep makes your body physically and mentally rejuvenated. Sleep is vital for the brain to function better as it also helps improve your concentration, productivity, and performance. But, unfortunately, there are many people who experience short-term and long-term insomnia. This is a common sleep disorder that makes it difficult for one to fall asleep. The amount of sleep that is required varies from person to person. But the standard duration of healthy sleep is about seven hours a night. Counting sheep might not be the right remedy for chronic insomnia. Before you decide to gulp down sleeping pills that are harmful to your health, here are some natural remedies to help you sleep better.

What is Insomnia?

While we have briefly mentioned about insomnia, let's delve into some details for a better understanding. Insomnia quite literally is the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep through the night. It is defined by the quality of sleep more often than the quantity itself. There are various types of insomnia. Acute insomnia is short lived and is caused due to the personal circumstances like the night before an exam or an interview. It’s a disruption caused in your regular sleep pattern. Chronic insomnia is disrupted sleep that occurs frequently and can be caused due to shift work, medications and so on. This may eventually lead to a long-term pattern of insufficient sleep, which is even more dangerous.

Natural Remedies

1. Yoga and mindful meditation

Yoga and mindful meditation go hand in hand. There have been many studies proving the effectiveness of these techniques to attain quality sleep. It helps reduce stress, improves your physical health and boosts your mental focus. As for mindful meditation, which is also a part of yoga is all about practicing slow and steady breathing pattern. This helps improve concentration and boost immunity too. Take 15 minutes off your busy schedule to relax and meditate.

2. Inhale lavender before bed

This technique of using the aroma of lavender to your sleep benefit has a history that dates back to 2,500 years. The aroma of lavender oil has a powerful effect on your mood and sleep. Lavender essential oil is one of the few oils that scientists have actually done extensive research on as it relates to insomnia. A 2015 study found that after eight weeks of inhaling lavender nightly, 100% of the women who participated had a significant improvement in their sleep quality.To use, place a few drops of diluted lavender oil on your wrists and sniff, you'll be amazed how it helps you attain a blissful sleep. An alternative option to applying lavender oil on your skin, is to burn aromatherapy oils in a burner or diffuse through the air with a calming pillow mist such as our sleepy head room and pillow spray with lavender, frankincense and chamomile which helps you drift off to a good night’s sleep. A recent study* we did on volunteers with chronic insomnia caused by anxiety, PTSD etc found sleep quality was dramatically improved in 90% of the participants. A pillow mist is a great way to take advantage of aromatherapy which will help ease anxiety and help your mind and body to relax. 

3. Blue light

You might think browsing your phone until you catch some sleep might be a great idea, but it isn't. Blue light emitted from your smart device makes your brain feel tired. It is essential to manage the exposure of blue-light to protect your sleep and health. Blue-light emitted from your device restrains the production melatonin which affects the circadian rhythms of your sleep-wake cycle. It's always ideal to keep your phone away for an hour before you are trying to get some sound sleep.

4. Drink a Cup of Chamomile

This is one of the common solutions to insomnia and great relaxation aid. For ages, chamomile tea has been one of the best natural remedies to not only reduce inflammation but also anxiety and treat insomnia. This tea is a mild tranquilizer which has a certain calming effect to it contributed by an antioxidant called apigenin. It's a great before bedtime habit to inculcate to reduce stress and anxiety as well as better sleep.

5. Use high-quality essential oils

Essential oils are oils extracted from the leaves, flowers, and stems of plants. There are several essential oils known to help you sleep better but the most important ones are rose, geranium, frankincense, vetivert, ylang ylang and lavender. From helping digestive problems to relieving anxiety and depression, you'll be amazed by the health benefits of these essential oils. You can either add a few drops of one of these essential oils on your pillow or get a cold diffuser to fill your room with the aroma of calm atmosphere mist. You can also add a few drops of the essential oil to your bath and enjoy an aromatherapeutic effect. Take advantage of aromatherapy and attain a good nights sleep!