A Better Night’s Sleep Series: Sleep 101

Everyone has, at one time or another, had a problem with getting a better night’s sleep. A good night’s sleep can be very elusive. How to get a better night’s sleep 101 may be just the cure.

· Get up with the sun. A few minutes spent in the early morning sunshine can help you get your biological clock aligned with nature. The early morning sunshine will help your body stimulate and release the wakeful hormone called serotonin.

· Eat your dinner before 6:30 at night. Eating before this time allows your body to digest your meal before you try to rest for the night.

· Make your bedtime 10 P.M. The optimal time for sleep is between 10 P.M. and 6 A.M. Your body is more adaptive to the regular cycles of nature including daylight and darkness. Going to bed at 10 P.M. will help your body understand it is time to rest. If the current bedtime you have is later than 10 P.M. then gradually work backward a few minutes at a time until you are at the 10P.M. bedtime target.

Many herbal teas have relaxing properties.

· If you have a problem getting to sleep at 10 P.M. Start to cut any of the stimulants you take out of your diet. This includes caffeine products like coffee, chocolate cake and black teas. Cutting them out in the morning will also help you to get a good night’s sleep. Stimulants can take a long time to be eliminated from your body so cutting the stimulants out all day will help you get a better night’s sleep.

· For those active minds that will not be quiet no matter how tired your body may be, you may need to turn to other tricks. This can include meditation or prayer to help quiet your mind. Make these mind calming techniques as simple and easy as you can. Examples of these simple tricks or techniques can include trying a repetition of a thought or phrase or focusing on your breathing in and out. Relaxing music can also be a simple and easy trick to calm and soothe an overactive mind at bedtime.

· Try an herbal bath to soothe the daytime nerves. Try balm leaves that have been boiled and steeped for twenty minutes. Drain the balm leaves and add to a warm or tepid bath. A relaxing night time bath should not be hot or it could stimulate your body instead of relaxing it.

· Herbal teas that you drink many times throughout the day can also help you get a better night’s sleep. Some good herbs include catnip, cowslip, German chamomile, hops, passion flower, valerian, balm, linden and Melissa. These can be found at many health stores or herb stores. You may also be able to buy any of these herbs on the Internet. Some herb teas can be bought at your local grocery store.

· Try taking a supplement of Inositol to help induce sleep. You should take about 1-3 grams of inositol about an hour before you go to bed. This is a natural remedy that can help you relax and fall asleep.

· A warm glass of milk and a small turkey and cheese sandwich about a half hour before bedtime can help you get a better night’s sleep. Trypotphan is found in both turkey and cheese and can give your body a natural relaxant to help you sleep.

· Massaging the soles of your feet with mustard oil can also help you to relax and gain the elusive better night’s sleep that you have been craving.

As always, consult your physician before taking any kind of sleeping aid or supplement.