Getting a good night’s sleep helps us to be happier, more productive people, so here’s some tips to help you get a good night’s sleep:
- Avoid drinking tea or coffee late at night
- Stop smoking – nicotine is a stimulant and so can make it difficult to get to sleep and stay asleep
- Go to bed at the same time each night so that you set a routine
- Only use the bed for sleeping and sex
- Use dimmers on your light switches, and dim the lights in the hours before you go to bed to mimic the change from daylight to night time
- Avoid taking exercise in the evening – exercise early in the day to promote restful sleep
- Try using affirmations, such as: “I let go of the day, and enjoy restful, peaceful sleep” repeated several times while you prepare for sleep
- If you can’t get to sleep after a while, get up keeping the lights low and do something boring until you feel sleepy
- Alcohol may help you get to sleep, but you are more likely to wake during the night feeling thirsty and needing to go to the bathroom
- Try relaxed breathing: breathe slowly and deeply concentrating on your abdomen rather than your chest
- Get your allergies checked out, particularly if you wake craving particular food in the middle of the night
- Avoid paying bills and similar jobs just before sleep
- Try a herbal tea – chamomile, passion flower, lavender flowers or valerian are good, or take a herbal supplement such as scullcap or valerian
- Put the essential oils lavender and clary sage on your pillow and inhale their soothing vapours as you sleep
- Try some flower remedies – there are lots of different types. In the Bach flower remedies you might like to try ‘vervain’ if you find it difficult to switch off from the
day; ‘holly’ if anger and resentment keep you awake; ‘white chestnut’ for persistent unwanted thoughts; ‘aspen’ if you wake because of nightmares - Try holding your frontal eminences (the bumps on your forehead, about half way between your eyebrows and hairline) if you are awake because of stress
- Try taking supplements – magnesium and calcium can work well
- If you suffer with hot flushes/flashes, try some natural support for your endocrine system at this time. I personally recommend Neways wild yam and chaste berry cream
- Many alternative and complementary therapists have success with people with sleep problems. Find a local therapist and ask them if they have experience in this field
- Sleep problems can be a sign of an underlying medical condition (e.g. thyroid problems or depression), so get this checked out with a suitably qualified health professional