Since about 40 million Americans have chronic sleep disorder, it is no surprise that 1 in 25 people use sleeping pills, according to the CDC. Sleep deprivation symptoms can be debilitating, and often cause sufferers a great deal of anxiety. It often results in irritability, mood swings, prolonged exhaustion, and in some cases, depression.
While sleep aids, such as Ambien or Lunesta, do help people get a better night sleep, several others wonder how to sleep better naturally. If you are willing to stick to your guns, here are 3 ways to improve your sleeping habits and get back to feeling refreshed in the morning.
- Meditate Before Bed. This might sound a bit foreign if you have never attempted yoga or relaxing breathing techniques. The aim of meditation is to calm the senses, and bring your mind to a standstill. Often times, a racing mind is one that is unwilling to let you sleep. By practicing mindful meditation, you can reduce the pace of your thoughts, and focus on sleeping. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine also released a recent report that found a decrease in insomnia in patients that practiced meditation as a relaxation technique.
- Draw a Warm Epsom Salt Bath. A hot bath can also relax your body because the steam loosens your muscles, but with the addition of salt, particularly Epsom salt, you will likely get a better night sleep. Epsom salt is made up of magnesium sulfate, which can help to soften your skin and release any tight muscles. Additionally, the National Academy of Sciences states that the majority of Americans are magnesium deficient, which can lead to stress-related illness, and chronic fatigue among other medical issues. So, the reintroduction of these into the body can also be good for your overall health. You may want to add in a little aromatherapy into the bath as well, such as lavender oil, which is known to neutralize stress hormones.
- Keep a Strict Schedule. This might the hardest one to follow, but it could be the most important. Like children, you will respond well to routine. You will benefit from keeping a rigid sleeping schedule, and making sure that you stick to it as much as possible. By doing this, your body will automatically begin to shut down at a particular hour, and also wake up at the same time every day. When you throw this internal clock out of whack, your body has no choice but to respond accordingly. With a little practice, your body will get the National Sleep Foundation recommended 7-9 hours of sleep a night.
Getting a better night sleep is crucial to remaining calm, cheerful, and performing your daily tasks to the best of your ability. By implementing these tips you will find that you sleep better at night, and that the effects of sleep deprivation begin to fade, one by one. See more.