It’s a very common trait for us, humans, to experience insomnia in some degree. This prevalent sleep disorder can present difficulties when it comes to falling asleep and also staying asleep too.
It’s important to get your mind and body in the right place to enjoy soundful sleep, and although the amount of sleep you need will vary from the next person, the average adult requires between seven and nine hours of sleep each night.
Read on to find out more about how you can harness the advantages of having a regular, consistent sleeping pattern will offer you and what the benefits can be for you through these holistic remedies.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness meditation has been around for a very long time but has found some notable ‘fame’ and come to the fore in recent times. This is a really good thing and the slow, steady breathing that you are required to do while sitting quietly can serve to make a positive change in your life.
Mindfulness practice will have you observing your body, breath, feelings, thoughts, and sensations as they peak and through like a wave in the ocean and the health benefits that come with this style of meditation definitely help to promote good sleep! In fact, mindfulness is on hand to help not only to reduce stress, but also improve concentration, and boost your immunity.
A study in 2011 discovered that meditation significantly helped to overcome insomnia and improved overall sleep patterns.
Ideally, 15 minutes in the mornings or evenings is long enough to participate in mindfulness and you can always extend the sessions if you’d like.
Yoga
An age-old holistic remedy for improving sleep, among other things, is yoga. Research found that enjoying yoga had a positive impact on sleep quality. What’s more, yoga also has the ability to lessen feelings of stress, boost physical functioning, and improve focus on a mental level.
Aim to facilitate a style of yoga that hones in on breath-centric exercises and moving meditation as opposed to tasking physical movements that feel more like a strenuous workout. Restorative yoga and yin are super options!
By choosing slow, controlled movements, you are opening the door to remaining both present and focused in doing so.
Exercise
We all know that exercise boosts overall health; with its capability to augment mood, provide you with increased energy, assist in weight loss, and support higher-quality sleep.
During a study in 2015, researchers established that exercise significantly contributed to decreasing insomnia. Additionally, the participants in the study also displayed lowered symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Exercise should be moderate and needs to be undertaken for half an hour, five days a week. Find something you enjoy doing, or try something new that interests you as this will make it easier and more pleasant. Think about the condition your body is in, and exercise in line with what you can cope with to start.
Lavender oil
Many people use lavender to make a room smell better, but it can be used to effectively improve mood, lessen pain, and help increase the quality of sleep.
It’s been known to use lavender and other essential oils to overcome the odour of a new mattress; something you tend not to experience with an organic mattress, but also other fragrances that can consume bedroom spaces.
You can also take lavender capsules, which have been shown to be highly effective. It’s recommended that you consume 20 to 80 mg of lavender orally on a daily basis, or as advised. You may wish to add lavender essential oil to a diffuser or spray it onto your pillow. Lavender tea is also an option.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a naturally occurring mineral and it has been shown to aid in muscle relaxation and the alleviation of stress which are both thought to seriously assist in affecting insomnia in a positive way.
Experts advise that men can take as much as 400 mg of magnesium per day, while women can take up to 300 mg on a daily basis. One recommendation is to split your dosage up by consuming your magnesium in the morning and then around an hour before bed in the evening.
You can also choose to try adding a cup of magnesium flakes to your bath in the evening time, as this allows your skin to absorb the magnesium.
It’s worth noting that you shouldn’t consume magnesium supplements on a constant basis and you should give yourself a break for around three days every two weeks to avoid ill effects of over-consumption.
