Licence to sleep: The best natural sleep aids

Sleep deprivation has been linked to heart disease, weight gain, depression, mood swings, and more. Fortunately, there are natural ways that you can help improve your quality of sleep. Read on to discover.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis helps one relax and get into leisurely sleep. A trained hypnotist or hypnotherapist employs a technique called induced relaxation to put the subject into a state of intense concentration or focused attention. This is a step-by-step instructional procedure with verbal instructions and repetition.

It works by allowing the conscious part of your brain to tune out while the subconscious remains active. Hypnosis also aids in letting go of tension from any stressful situations during the day so that you can feel more refreshed when trying to go to sleep.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the use of natural scents for health benefits including getting better sleep. It works by using certain essential oils known for having a relaxing effect on people. Commonly used essential oils include lavender, the Roman chamomile, vetiver, and rosemary.

Place a few drops of the oil on your pillow or around your room and inhale as you sleep.

You could also go for diffusers or candles to help distribute the scent throughout your room, especially if you do not like strong smells.

When choosing essential oils for the diffuser, consider people with allergies, children, and expectant women.

Breathing techniques

When it comes to sleep, one of the most important things is calming down and relaxing your body. This can be achieved by doing breathing exercises before bedtime. Deep breaths or controlled exhaling for short periods of time can make your body feel more relaxed and ready to wind down after a hard day's work, making it easier to go to sleep. There are different types of breathing exercises including diaphragmatic breathing, alternate nostril breathing, and relaxing breathing exercises.

Yoga

Yoga can help you relax and fall asleep faster, which is why it works as an excellent natural sleeping aid for many people. In addition, yoga increases flexibility and blood circulation throughout your body so that there are no tense muscles or stiffness during the day. Yoga poses that enhance sleep include leg up the wall and child pose yoga.

Food and diet

What you eat will affect how well you rest at night. Avoid eating large meals right before bedtime and foods that may cause an upset stomach or acid reflux such as spicy dishes, caffeine-rich drinks, etc.

Cherries are a good source of melatonin that can help with sleeping. Cherries also have antioxidant properties. Best eaten in the evening before bedtime, they're handy for people experiencing insomnia or other types of disrupted sleep patterns. In addition, consuming foods rich in melatonin such as fish, eggs, tart cherries, and nuts improves your sleep quality over time.

Magnesium is also good for relaxing the body and enhancing sleep quality. Foods rich in magnesium include greens, nuts, wheat germs, and whole grains.

Beverages such as chamomile tea

Drinking herbal or green tea provides a relaxing effect that can help you sleep better at night. This is because they are rich in antioxidant compounds known for their soothing properties and reducing stress and anxiety. Taking these before bedtime is a good way to get rid of extra energy and tension that might prevent you from falling asleep.

Examples of sleep aid beverages include chamomile tea, peppermint tea, valerian root tea, and passionflower tea.

Drinking milk is also an option. Tryptophan content in milk has been shown to improve relaxation when converted to melatonin, making it a healthy alternative for sleep.