When was the last time you had a decent sleep? We live in such a busy world now that it has become rare to have a blissful sleep every night, instead we process thoughts, ideas, jobs to be done….the list goes on.
During sleep our body repairs cells that have been damaged by free radicals so when the body is sleeping, metabolism is slowed down and our bodily systems like the nervous and digestive system becomes inactive. This is why sleep is so important because the body needs to rest and rejuvinate.
Firstly, go to bed when you are tired rather then sitting in bed tossing and turning. Make sure you end the night in a relaxing manner so put your computer away, turn your TV off and for the last half hour to an hour read a book, magazine or listen to music. Let your mind rest and if it’s still racing (like mine) write your ideas down whether it’s your shopping list, ideas for work or even just organizing your schedule for the following day. You’ll be amazed how good it feels to let go of your thoughts.
Ensure that your room is dark and free from noise. If you can’t avoid the noise then it may be a good idea to buy ear plugs.
Some helpful herbs:
- Chamomile tea before bed is a great way to relax the body and assist with sleep maintenance. All you need to do is steep a teabag in hot water for about 10min then slowly drink it half an hour before you go to bed. It’s a beautiful nourishing herb that not only works as a sedative but it also has the ability to work as an anti inflammatory, antimicrobial, vulnerary and antiulcer.
- Clinical studies performed in the past decade indicate that valerian works best to promote natural sleep after at least two weeks of daily use. Valeriana officinalis is an anxiolytic (alleviates anxiety), mild sedative, hypnotic and may help with sleep maintenance.
- Humulus lupulus, (hops) is another beautiful herb to help with sleep onset and maintenance due to its sedative action. Historically hops was famous for producing the bitter flavour in beer!
- Passiflora incarnata, commonly known as passionflower has been used for centuries as a popular sedative. Several studies have demonstrated that this herb has anxiolytic and sedative actions, which is why it’s useful for sleep restlessness and insomnia.
Don’t forget that breathing techniques are also an important aspect of assisting the body to promote sleep. Deep breathing (from the diaphragm not the chest) allows the body to breath in more oxygen, which then passes through the lungs and into the bloodstream. Oxygen is very important for cellular respiration, cell metabolism and proper brain function. Deep breathing can alleviate anxiety, stress and help with insomnia by inducing sleep.
