How To Beat Insomnia By Yourself

Insomnia is a common condition that can affect anybody, although the severity varies from person to person. Studies have shown that about 1/3 of the adult population in the United States of America has reported mild cases of insomnia. However, only a few people get the recommended 728 hours of sleep daily. Poor sleep patterns can reduce the quality of life.

This is why it is important to get a good sleep after every day’s activities. However, some people find it difficult to get quality sleep, while others do not find sleep until morning. Both conditions can be characterized as insomnia, with the former being mild and the latter being severe.

How Long Should One Sleep?

According to research, the number of hours of sleep for individuals varies. However, an average adult is expected to sleep about 7 to 8 hours daily. If this is not the case for you, you should get remedies to improve your sleep pattern. To begin with, you have to identify the cause of your insomnia and tackle it first, then report to the hospital if your case is severe.

For people with mild cases of insomnia, there are some natural remedies and home remedies you can adopt to help improve your sleep pattern and improve your quality of life.

This article is packed with different natural remedies and lifestyle habits, and hacks that can help improve your condition and make sleeping better for you.

Most people are not interested in getting chemical-based medications to improve their sleep patterns. Luckily, some natural remedies and lifestyle habits have been identified to help improve sleep patterns and thereby eliminate insomnia symptoms. Before adopting any natural remedies, it is best to discuss your symptoms with your doctor first to ensure that an underlying health condition does not cause your insomnia.

Risk Factors of Insomnia

• Age; People aged 50 and above tend to have low sleep hormones and may experience more cases of insomnia than those below 50.
• Delayed sleep syndrome; A condition that causes people to sleep late into the night and wake up late into the day.
• Mental health disorders like stress, depression, and anxiety can also be risk factors for poor sleep patterns.
• Time zone; people who relocate to new locations where the time zones do not align with where they are coming from may experience mild insomnia, pending the time their body’s circadian rhythm gets used to the new location’s time zone.

Home Remedies for Improving Insomnia

Melatonin Supplement

Melatonin is an important hormone produced by the body at night, especially when the light is low. This is the hormone that regulates sleep patterns in the body. When this hormone is low in an individual, insomnia may set in. This is why taking a melatonin supplement can help improve your sleep pattern. It begins with regulating your body clock while helping you sleep better at night.

Melatonin supplement is advised to be taken about 2 hours before bedtime for up to 13 weeks until your body gets used to your new sleep pattern. Studies have shown that people aged 60 and above who were diagnosed with insomnia and were placed on strict melatonin supplements experienced improvements in their sleep patterns after two months of taking the supplements. Ensure that before taking a melatonin supplement, you speak with your doctor first.

Lavender Oil

Lavender oil is an effective essential oil that has been in use since ancient times for the treatment of insomnia. It is packed with properties that effectively enable or regulate sleep patterns and improve sleep quality. Lavender oil for insomnia can be administered through diffusers. For instance, adding a few drops of lavender oil to diffusers and inhaling the oil through the atmosphere can help you fall asleep. Doing this a few hours before bed can make you sleep better and also improve your sleep pattern over time.

Studies have also shown that consuming supplements that contain lavender oil extract can also help improve your sleep pattern. However, it is important to be cautious while taking these supplements because they can easily interact with your medications. This is why you should speak with your doctor first if you are already on any sleep medication before taking lavender extract-based supplements.

Yoga

Yoga, over the years, has proven to be a perfect and effective remedy for stress. Practicing yoga before and after every day’s activity can help you manage stress effectively. For insomnia, medical experts state that practicing simple yoga techniques can help ease your muscles, release them and prepare your body for a good night’s sleep.

Studies showed that people who practice yoga before bed tend to experience a higher and better sleep pattern. About 85% of people who practice yoga techniques daily before bed experience no case of insomnia.

According to research, women in their menopausal age and other women who experience hormonal fluctuations and imbalance who were also engaged in simple yoga techniques experienced improved and regulated sleep patterns.

Massage

Just like yoga, massage is another technique that can help you manage stress and improve your sleep. Massage is a recommended way to relax the muscles, fall asleep faster, and help you wake up energized and strong. Massage is also an effective remedy for mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, both of which are risk factors for insomnia. Getting a massage before bed can help improve your sleep pattern significantly.

You can use carrier oils like coconut oil, olive oil, or jojoba oil for the massage. However, for maximum results, experts have advised that essential oils like lavender oils mixed with these carrier oils for massage can help improve your sleep pattern. This is because lavender oil contains properties that are known to be effective in regulating sleep patterns and improving sleep quality.

You can either do the massage yourself or get someone to do the massage for you. Whichever method you adopt will improve your condition significantly.

Valerian Root

Studies on the effect of valerian root on sleep showed that people with insomnia who drink valerian root tea every day consistently for up to 3 weeks experienced lesser insomnia symptoms. However, research has shown that valerian root tea alone is insufficient to eliminate insomnia symptoms.

This is why experts have advised that consuming valerian root tea or extract with other sleep-improving techniques or remedies will help you achieve a better and maximum result. In other words, you can combine drinking valerian root tea with inhaling lavender oil from a diffuser. Before consuming this tea, it is important to consult a herbalist first to ensure that you are taking the right tea dosage.♦

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea has been discovered to contain sedative properties. This is because people who had sleep issues and consumed chamomile tea regularly for up to one month reported improvement in their sleep patterns. Chamomile tea is also packed with natural properties that can help the body relax and eliminate mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.

Taking chamomile tea before bed will help ease your stress, relax your muscles and prepare your body for a good night’s sleep. It also helps you get rid of mental pressure from depression and anxiety, thereby improving the quality of your sleep. Since there’s no specific dosage for chamomile tea, it is best to take the tea in moderation, as too much of it may trigger some side effects.

Magnesium Supplement

Magnesium is an essential mineral that has been discovered to improve relaxation and promote a healthy sleep pattern. People who are on strict magnesium supplements for their insomnia report improved symptoms after about two months of taking magnesium supplements. While taking magnesium supplements, it is best to speak with your doctor first to prevent drug interaction, especially if you are ready for a sleep medication.

Excessive usage of magnesium supplements can trigger side effects like stomach aches and mild intestinal issues. This is why it is important to be cautious while taking magnesium supplements. The recommended dosage for an adult male is 400 mg per day, while for adult females, it is 300 mg per day.