Natural Sleep Aid Tips and Remedies


This article is a summary of some of the sleep aid remedies that are described in greater detail and with recipes and instructions at www.sleep-aid-tips.com

Balance and perspective:

At certain times, insomnia may result from stress.

Massage techniques can ease tense necks, aching shoulders and upright torsos, and face massage can be an instant calmer.

Some stress is an inevitable part of life, but when you need to achieve a state of inner calm, a range of meditation and visualization techniques can help you work through your insecurities, worries and anxieties.

With practice, stress can be diminished so that it is no longer a cause of sleepless nights.

A calm environment:

Lack of sleep can also be exacerbated by external factors such as noise, a "busy" atmosphere in the bedroom, or simply the wrong type of mattress.

By making the best of your physical environment, you can reduce or remove many of these detrimental factors.

Following the principles of feng shui you can arrange your bedroom space to best effect and remove clutter that can clog free-flowing "chi" or energy.

Choosing a calming room décor and lighting scheme can soothe the senses, while establishing a bed-time ritual can make sleep a pleasant and comforting experience to look forward to.

Pampering treatments:

In view of the many demands made by daily life, it is essential to find time to switch off from cares and worries in the evening, and indulge in some personal quality time.

However busy you are, you should take time to wind down before trying to go to sleep, otherwise your mind will still be buzzing with the concerns of the day.

Surrounding yourself with gentle candlelight and sinking into a hot bath laced with aromatherapy oils or herbal sachets can go a long way to soothe and prepare your body for sleep.

Essential oils such as lavender and clary sage added to the water help to diminish tension headaches and muscular aches, while bath bags or bath salts made with chamomile help to ease stress.

You can also use the natural energies from flowers and herbs as a base for warming foot baths, soporific sleep pillows and effective sleep tinctures.

Bedtime snacks:

You ate dinner at 6pm; it's now 11.30pm and you're ready to go to bed, but now you're feeling hungry and thirsty again.

What do you do? Instead of raiding the refrigerator for a substantial and perhaps indigestible meal, it is better to opt for a light snack, such as toast with a topping and perhaps a hot, comforting beverage.

Try to avoid tea and coffee as they are stimulants and will tend to keep you awake if you drink them late in the day.

Instead, herbal teas prepared for their sedative properties may be sipped in the evening, while warm, milky drinks are ideal for consumption before bed - milk contains peptides that calm the system.

The occasional hot toddy can also provide a delicious way to wind down, and this is particularly good on a cold winter's evening, especially if you are suffering from a cold.

Calming the psyche:

Sometimes it is difficult to sleep due to excessive emotions, such as fear, excitement or anxiety. Crystal therapy can help to calm heartache; choosing the right stones can also calm restlessness and anxiety, and help to regulate sleep patterns.

Crystals can be helpful when bad dreams and nightmares are keeping you awake, as can techniques such as visualizing a guardian angel or spiritual protector. When you have perplexing or mystifying dreams, it can be very helpful to write down what happened before you forget, so that you can ponder and try to analyze them later on.

Working towards an understanding of your dreams adds an enjoyable richness to what can be the fascinating pageant of sleep.

Exercise to relax:

Keeping the body moving is essential for good sleep - without exercise, you 3will not be physically tired enough to rest at night. Aerobic activities such as walking and cycling exercise the heart and tone the muscles, while some specific yoga techniques provide an excellent way to stretch and relax.

Instant fixes:

If all else fails and you are still awake in the dead of night, try some or all, of these quick insomnia cures:

• Lie on your back with your knees propped up on a small pillow
• Sleep with your head pointing in the direction North
• Get up the same time every morning and go to bed at the same time every night for a week
• Visualize yourself in a peaceful place, such as a field full of wildflowers with a gentle breeze blowing, or near a gently flowing stream where you can see fish swimming past you.
• Visualize a boring scenario, such as a lecture you have no interest in
• Read out loud the names and numbers from the phone book
• Reserve your bedroom and the bed as a place for sleep only
• Wiggle your toes gently until you fall asleep
• Rub your stomach lightly
• Cut up a mild onion, place in a jar by the bed and sniff before retiring.
• Think of ten wonderful things that have happened to you today
• Squeeze all your muscles together tightly for a few minutes and then relax.
• Threaten yourself that "If I am not asleep within the next 10 minutes, I will get up and?" clean the oven, or clean the fridge?.whatever you really hate doing? When your brain knows you really mean it - this will scare you to sleep to avoid a nasty chore!

Avoid these sleep deterrents:

• Drinking excessive alcohol
• Smoking cigarettes
• Drinking caffeine
• Taking long naps in the afternoon
• Watching disturbing films prior to bed
• Reading mentally stimulating books prior to bed
• Playing video games
• Listening to fast paced or loud, stimulating music.

About the Author:Helene Malmsio is an student and advocate of self help strategies for improvement in all areas of life, including health.


More Resources

About Candida, Its Symptoms & Treatment
Candida is a fungal infection affecting the moist external area of the body like mouth, nostril, in side folded skin and vagina basically of a parasitic fungus. There are many types of Candida fungus like Candida Parapsilosis, Candida Tropicalies, Candida vini and sub-types named after the infected areas like Cutaneous Candidasis, Thrush, Vaginal Candidiasis, Penile Candidiasis, Pulmonary Candidiasis, Esophagus Candidiasis, Invasive Candidiasis and the treatments for respective infections are identified.
Water Therapy: Therapeutic and Esoteric Properties for Your Home Spa Smart Bathing
Something New Interesting About Water Therapy."The more I find out, the moreI find out I need to know"Water therapy, or hydrotherapy, or balneology is a powerful natural tool you can use at your home spa.
Three Steps to Get Rid of Hemorrhoids
Constipation, Hemorrhoids or Piles, and inactivity go hand in hand. If you have been constipated for quite a while, chances are you have hemorrhoids.
Natural Remedies For Treating a Cold
Sometimes it can be hard to escape that shivery feeling that happens when you get too cold. A good immediate remedy for this is to wrap yourself up in a douvet and stick a hairdryer up it, (making sure the air flow is not restricted) until you feel warmed up.
Exploring the Mystery of Aromatherapy Through Biotechnology
Aromatherapy originated in Ancient Egypt. About a hundred years ago, a pharmacist from France used an innovative method which led to a breakthrough in aromatherapy techniques.
Aromatherapy for the Mind, Body, and Spirit - Sandalwood Essential Oil
For over 4000 years, the Sandalwood tree has played a significant part in Eastern culture as a material for art and artifacts, a medicine, and a divine aroma. Sandalwood products are obtained from the sandalwood tree (Santalum album), which is a member of the Santalaceae family native to southern tropical Asia.
The Making of Essential Oils - Steam Distillation, Absolutes, and CO2s Explained
Aromatherapy Goes 'High Tech'New methods of essential oil extraction are entering the mainstream of aromatherapy, offering new choices in oils never before available. With the new labels of 'CO2' and 'SCO2', along with the traditional 'steam' and 'hydro' distillations, 'absolutes', and 'cold pressing', a little education for the aromatherapy enthusiast can go a long way in essential oil selection.
Hypnosis Cures For Nail Biting
One little-thought-of application for hypnosis is to help people stop their nail biting habit. While this may not be on par with splitting the atom, it is a serious problem for people who always seem to find themselves gnawing their nails.
How Toxic Is Your Home?
We like to think of our homes as being a safe place to be--a refuge from a dangerous world. Yet some of the exposures that you have day-to-day that are most hazardous to your health and the health of your family happen right at home.
Sheepskin Underlays, For a Better Sleep
Sheepskin a better sleep If you want a better sleep, consider that when medical researchers report on the best padding available for increased comfort and reduced stress, they are referring to sheepskin. One reason sheepskin makes for a better sleep is because sheepskin padding redistributes weight over a larger surface area than do other materials.
Six Smoothie Recipes for Constipation and Acne Relief
I recommend drinking a morning smoothie if you have constipation or if you have skin problems like acne. Drinking a high fiber smoothie relieves and prevents constipation.
Hidden Benefits of Reflexology
The holistic therapy of reflexology has been used over the years to promote physical health and wellbeing in many thousands of people from all walks of life, but there is also a subtler aspect to its benefits that can be applied to the more vulnerable amongst us, to expand awareness and enhance everyday living.When a client asked if she could bring her sister, who had learning disabilities, for a reflexology treatment with me, I was only too glad to concur.
Health Benefits of Green Tea
For over 3000 years, the Chinese have been using green tea to treat all sorts of ailments, such as headaches and gastronomic problems. With a growing number of scientific data, there is no doubt that green tea is as essential for maintaining good health.
Know About the All Purpose Holistic Medicine
Understanding what holistic medicine is:Holistic Medicine is a wellness-based approach to medicine. It emphasizes the need to look at the whole person, including analysis of physical, nutritional, environmental, emotional, social, spiritual and lifestyle values.
Getting into The Zone with The Alexander Technique
Have you ever attempted to perform a simple act and completely failed? From completely mistiming a shot to losing balance at a crucial moment, the outcome may have fallen short of our intention and expectation. In contrast there are times when everything goes just right, every act is carried out to perfection with little perceived effort.
Hypertension, An Alternative Approach
For many years high blood pressure has been defined based upon actuarial tables prepared by life insurance companies. By that definition, blood pressure of 140/90 is borderline hypertension in a person 40 years of age.
An ADD Case Study: What Does it Mean to Fail?
Josh is a client of mine who is a junior in college. He's very smart.
Human Health Modification Using Sun Light and Frequency
Human behavior could be modified using light preferably real sunlight. A person could rest in a hammock while a large fan would rotate at a prescribed speed.
Olive Oil: One of the Original Seven Wonders?
Is Olive Oil one of Nature's seven original wonders?According to several resources, Olive oil IS nature's wonder drug. Olive oil is composed of and up to 30mg of Vitamin E, contains Provitamin A (carotene), has up to 83% Monounsaturated Fatty acis (oleic), contains up to 20% Polyunsaturated unfatty acis (Linoleic), and also has up to 23.
Natural Pain Management
Life in today's hectic society is going more and more in the direction of fast food restaurants, sugar in foods you would never think should be there, trans fatty acids, preservatives and pesticides which we consume in large amounts every year. We even go so far as to invent foods, such as artificial sugars, which your body (in my opinion) does not recognize as actual food.

More Alternative Information:

Related Articles

Aromatherapy - Part III: Esoteric & Spiritual applications
The Way Essential Oils Effect the Etheric Body or Psycho-spiritual LevelThe historical use of aromatic oils and resins goes back many thousands of years in human history and traverses many cultures and civilizations on our planet.In China, incense was burned to purify the atmosphere and rid the environment of evil spirits, in India, incense was and is used in all temples of all persuasions to sanctify the devotions; in Mexico, incenses were used in rituals to induce trance-like states in the participants to make them more accepting in their role of living sacrifice to the Gods; in Northern Europe the Druids used incenses which were sacred to the Earth Mother; the Greeks and Romans also used essential oils and fragrant herbs in all aspects of their daily lives, and many of their practices were learned from the Egyptians and Mesopotamians who were without doubt, the absolute masters in the Art of "Aromatherapy".
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine, over 2000 years old, is an ancient form of medicine. Consisting of acupuncture, moxibustion (moxibustion - using material made up of "moxa-wool," in a form of a cone or stick; moxibustion is used to treat and prevent disease by applying heat to pints or certain locations of the human body), herbal medicine, acupressure, cupping, therapeutic exercise and nutrition, traditional Chinese medicine is notated by its principle of internal balance and harmony, or "chi," (life force) regulation through energy channels.
Holistic Methods: Hemp Seed Oil and Aromatherapy in Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Aromatherapy is a well known holistic method for healing, but when boosted by the quickly penetrating carrier hemp seed oil, the healing potential is magnified exponentially. No other carrier oil can take the beneficial medicinal qualities of aromatic essential oils as quickly through the epidermis as hemp seed oil, so if your lotions and salves are missing it, you're not doing your body justice, but it's not too late?.
Neuro Emotional Technique
NET or Neuro Emotional Technique is one of the newer "power therapies" and stress reduction techniques that along with TFT (Thought Field Therapy), and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) have become popular in the last ten years. These therapies seem to work quicker than traditional talk therapies.
Types of Hair Loss Treatment Currently Available
The hair loss treatments outlined here cannot provide definitive cures for all hair loss conditions, but they do represent regimes that many sufferers have found useful. In other words, they are examples of potential solutions that many patients have chosen after honestly assessing the causes of their hair loss together with their expectations.
Homemade Bath Products...the Pros and Cons
When you surf the Internet to find proper bath products for your home spa bathing you can see many websites offering homemade bath product receipts:" Why to pay more for expensive bath products if you can make your own products?Forget (give up) these expensive bath products at bath (drug, department etc) stores?You can make your own inexpensive bath product at home etc?etc?etc?"Is it right? Yes and No?Let us describe three main levels of natural bath products depending on several factors. Each level differs from others by complexity of composition, structure, technology, therapeutic value and results, biological activity of ingredients etc.
Amazing Artemesias
Artemis - Goddess of the herbalist - gives her name to a genus of marvelously aromatic, safely psychedelic, highly medicinal, dazzlingly decorative, and more-or-less edible plants in the Asteraceae family. I love Artemis, and I love her plants.
Using the Subconscious for Pain Relief - What's In It For You?
If you're in chronic pain, you probably want 7 things. If you can learn to use visualization statements to program your subconscious, you may be able to attain most or even all of them.
Plastic Acupuncture?
Plastic Acupuncture, abbreviated as (P.Ac) is not really a new development.
Air Purifiers, Are They Worth The Money?
When you suffer from allergies or asthma, you may think it may be a good idea to purchase an air filtration system for your house. But one legitimate question would be: is it worth paying the money? Experts say that it can ease your symptoms, but that is true only if you make other changes in your environment, too.
Achieve Instant Calm
For instant calm, try one or more of the following simple calming exercises, herbal allies, or movements, and can give you more details on how and why they work: Unfreeze yourself: Curl up in a fetal position (on your side with keens drawn up), breathe deeply, and hum. You may want to rock back and forth.
How to Use a Footbath with Herbs
Recently I read a book by William L. Fischer called "Hidden Secrets of Super Perfect Health at Any Age", Book II, 1986.
Pros and Cons of Isopropyl Alcohol
Recently, the term "isopropyl alcohol" has been liken to poisonous snakes and ferocious beasts, what exactly is isopropyl alcohol? Where is it used? What are its characteristics? Is it dangerous? Perhaps too many reports have caused public panic, and therefore, direct associations with isopropyl alcohol have been made, such as with the aromatherapy bottle, and controversies arises; such reports have led to over-generalized and inadequate knowledge of isopropyl alcohol, knowing some aspects but not the others.Dr.
Lumie Dawn Simulation Wake Up Clocks - The perfect Start To Your Day!
Light plays a crucial role in the synchronisation of your circadian rhythm - (sleep/wake patterns). The suns daily cycle of light and dark regulates many of the bodys important hormonal and biochemical processes.
Storing, Handling And Using Essential Oils
Pure Essential Oils are a natural product and contain no preservatives or additives. A few of them can also be quite dangerous if not handled correctly.
A Stitch In Time Saves Nine - Prevention not Cure
It is a sad fact that most people pay little attention to their health until it is at risk. It is only then that people truly realise that health and wellbeing is far more important than money, and that all the money in the world cannot always buy health.
A 100% Drug Free Hemorrhoids Solution!
Did you know every year 25 Million people in the USA are suffering from Hemorrhoids by age 50?Health Information Website: http://mdchoice.com/Pt/consumer/hemr.
Too Clean-A Critical Look At The Alleged Link Between Asthma and Cleanliness
Americans are ridiculed around the world for our attention to cleanliness. Recently some natural health experts have suggested that the growing problem of childhood asthma is directly related to our obsession with clean homes and a handful of studies seem to confirm their suspicions.
Arthritis Pain: Why Visualizations May Be Able to Provide Relief
Over 100 different types of arthritis exist, but by far the most common are the "osteo" and the "rheumatoid" varieties. Both may be subject to influence by your subconscious through the use of visualization statements.
Are You Really Overweight?
If you are overweight, you know it by how you feel, how your clothes fit or how you look. But, by how much are you really overweight? And how much weight do you need to lose? One measure of how much you should weight is by determining your Body Mass Index, BMI.