There’s no better feeling than waking up refreshed after an excellent slumber. Unfortunately, many of us struggle with falling asleep and staying there throughout the night.
Restful sleep is crucial for living healthier, but achieving that sleep naturally is just as important.
Breathe In
Meditating right before bedtime is one of the most natural ways to get a good night’s sleep. Meditation increases your sleep hormones (serotonin and melatonin), brings down your heart rate and blood pressure, and activates the part of your brain responsible for initiating sleep.
If you need to fall asleep quickly, a simple breathing routine calms the mind and benefits your body in the same way that meditation does.
Tune Out
Our eyes constantly encounter screens throughout our daily lives. The harmful blue light emitted from our phones, televisions, and computers overstimulate our brains and makes sleeping challenging.
Turn off screens around the house well before you go to bed, giving your brain quality wind-down time—plugin your phone instead of scrolling through the news or social media while you prepare for slumber.
Tap into your body’s inherent circadian rhythm even further by creating a pitch-black sleeping environment. If possible, awake to natural light from a window or skylight.
Top Off
Eating before bedtime is traditionally frowned upon, and for a good reason; heavy late-night snacking can cause nasty side effects, like heartburn or coughing, detracting from your restful sleep.
However, it’s natural to have a small and nutritional snack right before hitting the sack if feelings of hunger prevent you from sleeping. In short, moderation is key when nighttime snacking.
Do not indulge in a late-night alcoholic brew or caffeinated drink. Alcohol inhibits the secretion of crucial sleep hormones and causes elevated symptoms of snoring and sleep apnea. Caffeine overstimulates your nervous system and leads to restless tossing and turning.
Roll-On
Essential oils, extracted from plants and organic matter, have risen in popularity recently as a natural way to get a good night’s sleep. Aside from smelling lovely, these aromatherapeutic oils benefit your brain’s limbic system organically.
In part, your limbic system affects breathing and heart rate, two factors that, when elevated, can impair your ability to achieve restful sleep. Utilizing roll-on essential oils right before bed will encourage your body to calm down and sleep.
Fun fact: surgeons sometimes give patients lavender oils before and after administering anesthesia as the aromatic essence makes going to sleep and coming awake easier on the body!
Follow these tips and reward your hard-working body and mind with consistent and helpful sleep every single night!
MORE OF THIS
Get the best stories from our magazine every month, plus an advanced copy of the next issue. Subscribe now.
