Natural Sleep Aids: Home Remedies for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
Do you have problems falling asleep in a restful, nourishing slumber? You’re not up all night by yourself: Sleep deprivation affects more than 60 million Americans.
Sleep disruption is more than an annoyance that leaves you groggy the next day: it can have a negative impact on your emotional and physical well-being. It impairs your memory, focus, and mood, as well as increases your chances of depression, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
According to Charlene Gamaldo, M.D., medical director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep at Howard County General Hospital, there are simple, natural ways to improve your sleep.
“Getting a prescription for a sleep aid isn’t always essential,” she explains. “There are several natural strategies to improve your sleeping habits.”
Five natural sleep aids for sleep-improvement suggestions
Do you have problems falling asleep in a restful, nourishing slumber? You’re not up all night by yourself: Sleep deprivation affects more than 60 million Americans.
Sleep disruption is more than an annoyance that leaves you groggy the next day: it can have a negative impact on your emotional and physical well-being. It impairs your memory, focus, and mood, as well as increases your chances of depression, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
According to Charlene Gamaldo, M.D., medical director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep at Howard County General Hospital, there are simple, natural ways to improve your sleep.
“Getting a prescription for a sleep aid isn’t always essential,” she explains. “There are several natural strategies to improve your sleeping habits.”
Five natural sleep aids for sleep-improvement suggestions
- Take a sip. No, not booze, which can make it difficult to sleep. For patients who are having problems sleeping, Gamaldo suggests warm milk, chamomile tea, and sour cherry juice. Though there isn’t any scientific evidence that any of these nocturnal drinks help you sleep better, Gamaldo thinks there’s no harm in trying them. Patients who desire treatment without side effects or drug interactions should consider them, according to her.”Warm milk has long been thought to have molecules that mimic the effects of tryptophan on the brain.” This is a chemical component of serotonin, a molecule implicated in the sleep-wake cycle, according to Gamaldo.
Tea made from chamomile flowers can also be beneficial. “Flavonoids in it are thought to interact with benzodiazepine receptors in the brain, which are also implicated in the sleep-wake transition,” she says.
In addition, unlike green tea or Earl Grey, chamomile tea does not contain caffeine. Finally, sour cherry juice may aid in the generation of melatonin and the maintenance of a healthy sleep cycle. - Make an effort to exercise. Physical activity can help you sleep better, however, researchers aren’t sure why. Moderate cardiovascular activity is believed to increase the amount of nutritious slow-wave (deep) sleep you obtain.However, you must time it correctly, according to Gamaldo, because aerobic exercise releases endorphins, which are chemicals that keep people awake. (This is why a run makes you feel so energized.)It can also cause a rise in core body temperature, which tells the body that it’s time to get up and move. If you’re having difficulties sleeping, don’t exercise within two hours of going to bed.
- Melatonin pills can help. “Melatonin is a hormone that is released spontaneously in the brain four hours before we feel sleepy,” Gamaldo explains. It’s caused by the body’s reaction to less light exposure, which happens naturally at night. After it gets dark outside, though, lights abound—whether from your phone, laptop, or television. Unnatural light inhibits the release of melatonin, making it difficult to fall asleep. Melatonin is an over-the-counter substance that can be found in pill form at your local drugstore.Just make sure you buy the same brand every time. “Because melatonin supplements are not regulated by the FDA, the quantities and contents in each pill may vary from one maker to the next.” “Stick to one brand and avoid buying it from an unknown source online,” Gamaldo advises.
- Keep your cool. “Your thermostat should be set between 65 and 72 degrees,” Gamaldo advises. Women experiencing hot flashes during menopause should keep the room as cold as possible and sleep in cotton or breathable textiles.
- Turn off the lights. It is well known that the light from a smartphone disrupts sleep. But what about the light in your bathroom? If you feel compelled to go late at night, don’t turn on the lights. “If you have to get up in the middle of the night, the latest advice is to use a flashlight,” Gamaldo explains, because it causes less visual disruption. Remember that if you wake up for a restroom break, it could take up to 30 minutes for you to fall back asleep. She claims that this is perfectly typical.
Looks like very good.
Thank you for these good recommendations that do not require a prescription drug but rather natural and practical means. I was surprised not to turn on the bathroom light at night, I didn’t think it could also affect me.
1 thought on “Natural Sleep Aids: Home Remedies for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep”
Looks like very good.
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great
“Natural Sleep Aids: Home Remedies for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep” I think this is an very useful article. Nowadays most people using drugs to sleep. If they read this it will help them. So thank you for this remedies.