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7 Sleep Tricks that Won’t Keep You Up at Night

Ever had one of those nights when you just can’t get to sleep?  And the harder you try the worse it gets right? There’s nothing more frustrating than tossing and turning all night and paying for it the next day. Sleep is also a critical part of looking and feeling your best. The next time you need a little help try these 7 Sleep Tricks to help you get the z(s) you need.

Meditate

Meditating can help put your mind and body in the right mood for sleep. You can even do it while you’re laying down (which is perfect)! Even if you’ve never meditated before there are apps for your phone that can guide you. One of my favorites is Insight Timer. It’s free for the iPhone or Android and has guided meditations specifically for sleep.

Turn Down the Temperature

There’s something about a cool room that can help you fall asleep. Studies have shown a cooler core helps induce sleep. Warmer temps seems to cause more restless sleep.[1]

Put On Socks

Along with a cool core, warm extremities can help you drift off to deep sleep. It seems that wearing socks dilates your blood vessels allowing for better blood flow and providing the right temperature for optimal sleep.

Drink Herbal Tea

Having a cup of herbal tea 30 minutes before bed can help calm your mind and body and prepare you for sleep. Choose a tea with no caffeine and look for teas specifically blended for sleep. Many will have natural ingredients like Chamomile, Valerian, Peppermint, that work to promote sleep. [2]  Personally I like the Yogi brand teas.

Read a Good Book


There have been a lot of articles and discussion recently about how the blue light from phones and computers can interfere with sleep. So instead of watching TV or checking Facebook try reading. A nice heavy book can help your eye lids feel heavy and get you ready for dream land. I’m yawning just thinking about it.

Tense Your Muscles

Progressive muscle relaxation is an old but proven technique for helping you relax and fall asleep. It helps you physically relax and, by concentrating on each muscle group, prevents a wandering mind from keeping you awake.

“Progressive muscle relaxation is a relaxation exercise in which you systematically tense and then relax all the muscle groups of your body,” explains Phil Gehrman, PhD

read more at – http://www.everydayhealth.com/sleep/insomnia/tips/guide-to-relaxation.aspx

Use Aromatherapy and Essential Oils

Using calming and relaxing essential oils can help you fall asleep and get a good night’s rest. Use specific oils shown to help with sleep. You can use a diffuser, linen sprays and other techniques to get the benefits of essential oils. I’ve used oils from Path to Perfect Health and simply put a drop in my palm to breathe in before bed. It really is very relaxing.

What Have You Tried?

Getting enough quality sleep helps your body function optimally. That helps you look and feel your best with plenty of energy to take on your day. What did I leave out? Do you have a technique that helps you get a good night’s sleep? Leave a comment below and share!

References

  1. Ask Science: Is Cold Weather Good For Sleep? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.amerisleep.com/blog/ask-science-is-cold-good-for-sleep/
  2. Tea That Helps You Sleep: The Best Bedtime Drinks. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nosleeplessnights.com/tea-that-helps-you-sleep-looking-beyond-chamomile/
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