Sleepless night? You aren’t alone. Forty million people in the US have sleep problems that keep them from getting a restful night’s sleep. There can be many different reasons for sleep deficiency. If they are persistent, you should be checked out by you doctor to make sure they aren’t related to more serious conditions (such as sleep apnea).
Good sleep habits can help improve restful sleep whether it’s a minor or major sleep complaint.
Going to bed at the same time every night, even weekends, is at the top of the list of good sleep hygiene. Establishing a consistent routine helps the body and mind to
unwind from the day’s activities. This can help improve sleep quality and also decrease daytime sleepiness.
Relaxing activities (habits) in the evening before bedtime
can help improve sleep quality, too.
DO’s:
• Listen to soft, relaxing music
• Read a light book (don’t read heavy stuff and don’t read in bed)
• A short session of light exercise, like yoga
• Meditate
• Let “Calgon take you away”. A nice, warm bath before bed can be very refreshing
• Finish up any work you need to do about an hour before bedtime
• Make a list of tomorrow’s “to-do’s”
• Visualize a favorite place
• Dance
• Drink something refreshing
• Massage your temples, frontalis, occipitals for a few minutes before going to bed
• Massage your hands, looking for any tender points. Massage them out before you go to bed
DON’T’s:
• Avoid pre-bedtime arguments
• Watch TV in bed
• Work up to the last minute
• Avoid caffiene
• A little wine can be relaxing, too much alcohol disturbs the sleep pattern
Try one (or all) of the below suggestions and let me know what you think about it (them)
Put a little lavender (or other relaxing) essential oil in your bath:
Try this recipe to induce sleep:
2 drops Chamomile
2 drops Lavender
2 drops Neroli
Put a few drops of lavender or other relaxing essential oil on cloth or tissue under your pillow
Try this recipe to help with insomnia:
10 drops Roman Chamomile
5 drops Clary Sage
5 drops Bergamot
Good sleep is essential to perform the next day with the most efficiency.
Of course, we have all had to deal with crisis in our life at one time or another. Finances, family problems, loss of a job, work/school difficulties, ect. If you are experiencing short-term stress, just winding down and relaxing in the evenings can help tremendously.
What are some of things you do that help you wind down for bed?
Im probably most guilty of the don’ts. I like the aromatherapy idea and will try that tonite! And I already do the “wine” 🙂
Lavender is good to have around when needing to relax. If I am stressed before bed i will either drink some chamomile tea, shot of nyquil, or whiskey. For the most part I don’t have trouble sleeping though.
I like all the other things to try before bed. I am a hot bath person, with the music, as well are my children. Putting the essential oils in the water will be a new thing I will try in the future. The light exercise is another thing I will try, along with the breathing before to clear up and get all the troubling things out of your mind. With all the little things we can add to our information for the homework we send home with our clients, I see this as a win-win thing for all around.
I’ve been waiting on this one!. I have suffered insomnia for a few years. I use Lavendar alot, especially in my room. I get the spritz from Akins. The real deal. I spritz a little before my clients come in. They always ask what the nice scent is. It is a true thing for remaining calm, for myself and my clients. I do the deep breathing some and that with a warm bath has helped most. Thank you.
I know don’t get the right amount of sleep that I need. Sometimes I can’t shut my brain off. I usually go over the stuff I still need to do this week or what I didn’t to do that day. I will make to-do lists before I go to bed. I have found that listening to classical music and visualizing my happy place helps me relax. I don’t have essential oils, but I will massage my temples and hands.
I am norotious for studying in my bed at night right before I go to sleep. I find myself dreaming about my school work all night and getting a restful sleep. I am going to try doing a nice warm bath and some lavender lotion and mayb even some yoga and see how that helps me.
I really like the smell of lavender, it makes me sleepy. I think that these essential oils would work in a bath.. HOwever i dont know if i would get outs the tub.
I am very bad about watching television before I go to sleep, when I do sometimes I will have a dream about what I was watching. I have always had problems sleeping, and once I finally get to sleep, if I am woken up by any little thing it takes me forever to go back to sleep, if I even get back to sleep.I never thought about how much watching television can interfere with your sleeping habits, I guess it’s time to start doing yoga before bed.
Lavender in the hot bath is a must for us. I really have no problem getting to sleep however from time to time I do. I started two years ago walking in the morning and the evening, it has helped me maitain relaxation along with the yummy hot bath. I am however going to try the temple rub, perhaps it will help with my slight headaches.
I have always had a problem sleeping and so does my husband. Some of your suggestions I already do. What I didn’t know was reading in bed could keep you awake and my husband does that a lot. Thanks for the great tips.
I use lavender a lot. It is probably my most favorite scent. I mist my pillow and bed before getting in bed. A glass of wine before is also something I enjoy doing. If I forget to do either of these I notice I do not sleep sound or throughout the night. Thank you for the reminder.
The techniques really works. I’ve tried them a few times that I had problems going to sleep.
I am excited to try the do’s tonight cause I have a big sleeping disorder and I am totally guilty of watching tv in bed and some of the other don’ts. Thinking about it now it makes total sense.
I used to think that had insomnia, now I realize sleep requirements are highly individual. Often, a change of perspective is helpful when sleep is elusive, I have given up thinking “I must get to sleep”. I choose instead to trust my body and my brain to allow me to rest as much as I need. In this way I am able to feel rested no matter how many or how few hours of sleep I actually get. Anxiety over falling asleep can be as detrimental as a double expresso before bed.
I have tried the lavender at night for years and it seems to help relax me it doesn’t necissarily make me “sleepy” but it helps. I have had sleep issues since I was a baby and I’ve tried everything you can think of, yes even seeing the doctor. I’ve learned to sleep when my body tells me it’s tired whether it’s a 5hr nap after school or no nap and go to bed early which for me is like 11pm. I take 10mg melatonin along with 2 sleep pills every night and I also play the same movie so I can fall asleep instead of wanting to stay up and watch it because it helps already knowing what is going to happen, the repeatitiveness of it.