Six home remedies for a better night of sleep

6 Home Remedies for a Better Night of Sleep

On average, a person falls asleep within about seven minutes, although many people can take up to one hour to doze off, according to the Sleep Advisor. Time is precious, so if you aren’t in that lucky number that is able to snooze in seven minutes flat, here are some easy at home remedies you can try for a better night of sleep:   

1. Try a long hot bath or a relaxing shower

One of the easiest things you can do to fall asleep more quickly is to relax yourself with a long, hot bath, or a relaxing shower.  Bonus points if you have lotions, bath bombs, or other amazing additions to make your shower more of a spa experience.

2.    Use aromatherapy or soothing smells

As mentioned before, there are a lot of products that can help you out in the bath or shower, and many of them have delightful scents and amazing aromas.  The reason for this is that aromatherapy can have such positive effects on your mood and how relaxed you are.  If you have essential oils, try lavender for a better night’s sleep.

If you don’t, find anything that has a scent that appeals to you and relaxes you, whether it be a favorite body lotion or candle, a melter, or some kind of room fragrance.

3.     Listen to calming music

If there is a particular song or artist that always makes you feel peaceful, now would be a wonderful time to put on headphones and play it, softly.  Classical music especially can have soothing and calming effects, but the type of music that is must soothing varies from person to person.  

The most important thing is that you put the music into a cd player, computer, or portable sound system and turn off all of the flashing lights-  you don’t want a laptop, smart phone, or tablet within sight because the electronic glare can keep you awake even longer. Not to mention, it could tempt you to check e-mail, stocks, or local news— and that can make you even more anxious before sleep.

4.     Drink a glass of warm milk or tea

There’s an old wives tale you’ve probably heard that says a glass of warm milk will have you dreaming in no time.  There’s no scientific evidence to prove that this actually works— in fact, most people say that although milk may contain tryptophan which helps activate the neurotransmitters needed for sleep, that it doesn’t really do much without any carbohydrates to go along with it.  

In any case, it’s definitely comforting and something that may remind us of childhood, so that is probably why it works to put grown ups to bed. You can also try sleepy time or herbal tea, which is proven scientifically to help you fall asleep faster and better.

5.    Have lighter meals less often and limit eating before bed

According to WebMD, eating large meals throughout the day can lead to excessive heartburn, indigestion, GERD, and acid reflux, and eating a large meal before bed can keep you up all night.  It’s best to eat lighter, smaller meals throughout the day, and to avoid eating all together about an hour or two before bed.  

If you have to snack, it’s best to pick something small and full of protein, like a handful of nuts or meat.

6.    Try yoga at home or relaxation and meditation exercises

There are a lot of DVDs and YouTube videos that you can watch to aid meditation or relaxation.  You can try yoga, or some other kind of soothing exercise.  Nothing too extreme, because exercise can wake you up even more, especially if it’s cardiovascular in nature.  

A light stretching or meditation can go a long way to providing a wonderful night of sleep.  If you’re not sure what to do, or what type of stretching would work best for you, try laying in bed with the lights off, and visualizing yourself relaxed.  You may even visualize your “happy place” or dream vacation.   

Then, one by one, picture all of your fears and cares fading away.  You can flex and loosen each muscle group up and down your body to complete the exercise and have you out in no time at all.

The best part about these remedies is that they’re all things you should have on hand around the house, so you should have been able to do or get most of them in the comfort of your own home, and possibly even wearing pajamas!  You should be sleeping in no time if you follow all of these tips, and here are a few extras from Fun As a Gran, just in case Mister Sandman doesn’t come visit you right away. Sweet dreams!