There are effective, non-medical treatments for insomnia. You don’t have to pop a pill or visit your physician to get control of your sleeping habits. Instead, you can modify your behavior. These five tricks can help train your brain into falling asleep quickly and not waking up until the morning.
Limit Screen Time
Watching television, using your cell phone or surfing the web before bed are not restful activities. Your mind is kept engaged in what you’re doing, your eyes are busy and your brain is active. You wouldn’t finish a 5-mile run and immediately crawl into bed. Using electronic devices before sleeping is just as stimulating to your mind as a long-distance run is to your body. If you want to fix your insomnia fast, stop using electronics for at least 30 minutes before bed.
Meditation
Part of your difficulty sleeping comes from racing thoughts. When your brain is active, it can’t start shutting down. If you’re struggling with worries over your job or family life, you need to start managing them before trying to sleep. The Mayo Clinic recommends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy if you’re suffering from insomnia. That means teaching your mind to relax at the end of the day. Try meditating for just 5 minutes before bed. Clear your mind, slow your breathing and pay attention to your body. It should help you get to sleep without hours of tossing and turning.
Exercise
If you have trouble sleeping throughout the night, you need to start a regular exercise routine. Working out isn’t just good for your heart or personal happiness. It’s also an important way to tire your body and your brain. Try adding 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise 3 days a week and track your sleep afterwards. You should see a noticeable improvement in insomnia conditions within 2 to 3 weeks. If that doesn’t work, try bumping up your routine to include 60 minutes of activity. High-intensity work-outs should get your heart pumping; consider running, biking or playing basketball.
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Avoid Napping or Late Nights
To start sleeping on a consistent schedule, you have to eliminate irregularities. That means no more napping, no more staying up late and no more sleeping in. Your body has a natural rhythm it wants to follow. When you disrupt it, you increase your chances of suffering from insomnia. The easiest way to cure difficulty sleeping is to follow a consistent schedule, even on weekends. Train your body to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every single day.
Take a Warm Bath or Shower
A warm environment signals to your body that it’s time to sleep. If you’ve tried other non-medical cures for insomnia and nothing seems to be working, try taking a bath. You’ll also be forced to disconnect from electronics, and you’ll have the time to start meditating. If you put in the work, this can be a great way to fix your insomnia issues. When you’re done, make sure that your bedroom is warm. You can’t sleep through the night if you’re too cold.
Conclusion
You don’t have to suffer through insomnia. You also don’t have to take expensive pills to fix your difficulty sleeping. These five all-natural treatments for insomnia will help you sleep peacefully.
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