Did you know that we spend 33% of our lives asleep? I know we all want to live as much life as we possibly can but decreasing this percentage is a big no no. It's really important to get enough sleep so you can give your body enough time to self-heal. Sleeping is just as important as eating and breathing. Without deep sleep, you're more likely to get sick, feel depressed and gain an unhealthy amount of weight. Um, no thank you.
With that being said, nothing is more aggravating when you know everything above but your body just won't cooperate. Some people miserably suffer with bad cases of insomnia and need to seek out medical attention. Before resorting to pills that you may not need, try these natural sleeping aids and remedies. Sleep can be very fragile so every little bit helps!
1. A glass of warm milk. It's not a myth, it's true! Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid that is also found in turkey. The tryptophan is converted to serotonin in the body, calms the body and consequently, induces sleep.
2. Exercise. Try yoga - meditation causes instant relaxation. Regular exercise during the daytime reduces stress and enhances the quality of your sleep. Do not exercise right before bedtime. It can energize you and you will be bouncing off the walls.
3. Wholegrain cereals, pulses and nuts contain Vitamin B, which is proven to be effective in curing insomnia.
4. Stick to a fixed schedule for going to bed and waking up (6-8 hours is optimal for adults). Your body doesn't like surprises.
5. Avoid refined sugar, white flour, chocolates, high fat foods etc. is very essential. A high intake of salt can worsen insomnia so make sure you restrict the intake of salt in your diet to a max 5g/day.
6. Chamomile can be used as a natural sleeping aid. It comes in different forms so you can either brew as a tea or simply put under your pillow.
7. Avoid caffeine after noon.
8. Avoid TV and computer screens an hour before bed.
9. Try and avoid naps.
10. Take a hot bath or shower. The temperature drop from getting out of the bath signals your body it's time for bed.
1 comment:
33% of my life sleeping sounds too steep a number. I wish there was a way to make the most out of my life, but sleep is too important.
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