Suffer from Insomnia? Try this for Better Sleep
Most people get around seven or eight hours of sleep each night. There are two different sleeping phases that people go between each night. The first is REM (rapid eye movement) and it is characterized by the eyes moving back and forth rapidly.
The brain is extremely active in this phase and dreams occur frequently. In the non REM phase (NREM), there is no eye movement and very little brain activity. The deepest sleep occurs in the NREM phase when the brain is not working. This is also called slow wave sleep. Unfortunately many people have sleeping problems because they are disturbed in the NREM phase of sleep.
Insomina and Exercise
About one in ten people suffer from insomnia. If you have trouble falling asleep, wake up in the middle of the night? Or wake up too early it can affect your health and mental well being. Insomniacs generally live more sedentary lives than people who have normal sleeping patterns. Lack of physical exercise can lead to a daily rise and fall in body temperature rhythm which has been linked to poor sleeping habits.
Exercise causes an extreme spike in body temperature followed by a drop some hours later. This drop in temperature makes it easier for people to fall asleep and sleep through the night. Exercise has been thought by many to be the cure for most sleeping disorders.
One study notes that 43% of people who increased their amount of physical activity benefited from a better sleep cycle and felt much better rested in the morning. 30% of people who decreased the amount of exercise they engaged in had worse sleeping patterns. In a 1995, a study on elders concluded that after participating in six months of physical activity such as aerobics and strength training they were sleeping much better.
There is no clear cut answer as to what types of exercise will help us sleep better but some research has suggested that high impact exercises such as cardio or rigorous training promotes a restful sleep. If you are unwilling or unable to participate in high impact exercises, try yoga. It is great for your muscles, will detoxify you, and relax your body and mind.
3 Natural Sleep Remedies To Try
Before you run to a doctor for a prescription medication, there are many effective natural remedies that you should try first. Prescription sleeping aids can be damaging to your body and are highly addictive. Here are three natural options to try first.
Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone which is naturally produced by the human. At night melatonin is secreted by a tiny, pea-sized organ at the center of our brains called the pituitary gland. It helps our bodies regulate sleep-wake cycles and helps our internal clock to keep its rhythm so that our bodies know when we should be awake and when we should be sleeping.
Darkness stimulates the release of melatonin and light suppresses its activity in our nervous system. Unfortunately as we get older our bodies produce less and less melatonin naturally and we may have to resort to taking it as a supplement. It is available without a prescription at most health food stores and many people find that it works well as a natural sleep aid.
Chammomile
Chammomile is a herb which has been found to be an effective sleep aid. It is used in many forms-as tea.Also in essential oils, and it can even be placed in a sachet underneath a pillow before you go to sleep. There is no need to use it on a regular basis-it can be used whenever you want and it should work right away. Try putting some chammomile essential oil drops into a bath before you go to bed or have a cup of chammomile tea before settling in for the night. It is most effective when taken about half an hour before bed.
Exercise
Exercise is one of the healthiest forms of sleep aids. We all need exercise but not all of us get the amounts that we need. Ideally you should be doing about forty five minutes of cardio four times a week. Try this for a few weeks and it is almost guaranteed that you will notice a change for the better in your sleeping patterns. Yoga also works great for regulating your sleep-wake cycle and getting rid of your stress and anxiety which commonly cause insomnia.
There are so many different ways to help you sleep that you should really try them all. Before resorting to over the counter medications. Sleeplessness can be caused by such a variety of different factors. It may take a while to find what works for you. Don’t give up-there is surely something out there that can help you sleep naturally.