Do you struggle with falling or staying asleep? Everyone needs different amounts of sleep. Typically, the average person needs seven hours of sleep a night. Some people have a hard time falling asleep, while others have a hard time staying asleep, or even both. When we think about our sleep, we may think it is no big deal but then over time this exhaustion has a rippling effect on our daily lives. Be aware that insomnia can be caused by other disorders. Insomnia can also be caused by anxiety, stress, age, and diet.
Causes of Insomnia
- Stress/anxiety
- Chronic pain
- Irregular schedule
- Medications
- Mental health disorders
- Thyroid conditions
- Autoimmune disorders
- Lack of exercise
- Poor diet
There are many natural ways to help overcome insomnia. Be mindful that not everyone can treat their insomnia with natural ways and at some point, may need more professional help to help their insomnia. Keep a journal of all the things that you try to reduce your insomnia and symptoms in case you need to show a doctor or therapist later.
Natural ways to overcome insomnia:
- Mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness meditation consists of steady and slow breathing. This helps us to be mindful of the present and understand and recognize our feelings, thoughts, and even sensations. It can be beneficial to start out with doing 15 minutes before bed each night.
- Use essential oils
Essential oils have many healing properties on the body. Essential oils such as lavender can help with sleep and mood. Lavender can be diffused, taken orally, or used topically. Lavender can lessen anxiety, leading to better sleep.
- Create a nighttime routine
It is important to be consistent with when you go to bed and wake up each day. Try your best to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Avoid using electronics at least an hour before going to bed, try taking a relaxing shower or bath, or try breathing exercises.
- Yoga
Yoga can help us sleep and reduce stress. Using slow movement yoga, such as Yin can help steady our body and breathing in order to allow our bodies to relax.
- Melatonin
Melatonin can help us to fall asleep and stay asleep longer. You can even find melatonin that has added essential oils such as lavender. Melatonin can be taken in different doses before bedtime, start with the lowest dose. Increasing the dose too quickly can cause side effects. Speak with your doctor before taking melatonin if you currently take other medications. Melatonin is a natural supplement and can be found over the counter.
- Listen to music
Listening to music can help calm the mind and relieve stress or anxiety. Many of us have a hard time falling asleep because our minds are stuck on things that we are anxious about. Music can help distract our brains from thinking about other things so that we can rest. If music is not helpful or too distracting, try using a white noise machine instead.
There are many causes to insomnia, just as insomnia can cause other health issues. Here are things to look out for when you have insomnia:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Heart issues
- High blood pressure
- Headaches
- Fatigue
Be mindful of how much sleep your body needs. If you are someone with other health issues that require you to get extra rest, take this into account and try not to starve your body and mind of much needed rest. There is only so much you can achieve if you do not let your body rest and heal. It is up to us to make positive changes to our lifestyle to achieve restful sleep.
This can consist of more exercise, proper nutrition, and other habits that affect our sleep patterns. If symptoms persist even after trying more natural ways to overcome your insomnia, seek out some counseling or help from a trained professional. Therapy is a great outlet for overcoming and identifying what is causing our insomnia.
