5 Natural Ways to Help You Sleep Better
After many, many years of not sleeping I had to resort to more natural options that would aid my relaxation and eventually fall asleep. I share some of them with you, I hope they help.
An online search for “how to sleep better” yields billions of results in less than a second.
But I’m not sure if everyone who wrote those articles has had the same experience as I do: sleeplessness.
At the time it looked like I was making a zombie career out of my insomnia. It got so bad that it later morphed into my depression and anxiety (yes, both at the same time). I had to find some fixes that worked for me. I don’t recommend any to this day.
If you’re not at that terrible stage and just need some helpful tips, the list below will most probably come in handy.
If, on the other hand, you’ve found one of those sleepless nights to haunt you, I then recommend you read this other article I wrote on how to get better sleep.
The following five tips can hopefully provide immediate relief. Do leave me in the comments if any of them helped and also what has helped you in the past.
NOTE: I sleep quite well nowadays. I still wake up 4 to 6 times every night but I don’t mind because I actually get to sleep. Again, here’s my article with 10 unusual tips that work really well for me.
5 Natural Ways to Help You Sleep Better
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link.
1. Drink Milk before Bedtime (I do this every night)
I don’t drink animal-based milk, but plant milk does exactly the same job for me. It has to be hot for it to work, and when I don’t drink it I do find it difficult to sleep. I have yet to try similar plant-based drink products, but I’m intrigued by sources such as chia seeds. I also think it’s a good idea to listen to your body and try things out for yourself, as your own body feedback will guide you.
Milk contains a variety of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, that may promote sleep in different ways. Moreover, if partaking in a warm glass of milk is soothing to you for personal reasons, that can help set the stage for a successful night’s sleep, experts told Live Science.
Live Science
2. Eat a banana (I have not tried this one)
Bananas contain tryptophan, an essential amino acid that converts to serotonin in your brain — the calming neurotransmitter. Eating bananas before bedtime helps promote relaxation and sleep-inducing effects. A medium-sized banana contains approximately 11 milligrams of tryptophan!
I don’t particularly like bananas but I do feel like eating them every once in a while. I will give this one a try at some point, a banana before bed feels like a nice snack and together with a glass of warm plant-based milk I think I’ll be having happy dreams afterwards 🙂
3. Ask for Forgiveness (Oh, yes, have done this one many, many times!)
This one is KEY. Asking for forgiveness for any wrongs done throughout the day is key to a good night’s sleep. This is what asking for forgiveness can do for you:
- It will let the past go
- It will remove leftover guilt
- It will send good energy to those you might have upset on the day
- It will better your personality over time
Believe me, this one is enough on its own to send you to sleep. One thing though, you have to mean it. And that’s the hard part. But, if you have the willingness over time this will also happen automatically.
4. Write a Journal (I did this for years)
The act of writing as a type of therapy has shown to be helpful in easing many mental and physical conditions. Writing your thoughts and problems down on a piece of paper can help you understand what is troubling you. In addition, it’s an effective stress-relieving method that enables you to gain a better perspective on your life.
I no longer write down my thoughts because they no longer bother me as much.
5. Add drops of organic lavender essential oil on your pillow (I have done this one many times)
Lavender oil is extremely relaxing and may reduce anxiety. This makes it useful to ease stress and aid in sleep. Lavender stimulates GABA receptors, which may help sleep by assisting in the production of melatonin. Plus it will make your pillow smell like heaven.
NOTE: Make sure to buy pure organic lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) as some brands are adulterated with other chemicals or synthetic fragrances.
BONUS TIP:
6. Have a cup of St. John’s Wort tea
St John’s wort can benefit sleep by helping to regulate mood and by increasing the production of melatonin.
I sell my cosmetics at the market on early Saturdays so Friday nights I need a good night’s sleep. More often than not I take a lovely, hot cup of St. John’s Wort tea and I kid you not it works every time. I go to sleep like a baby.
- I don’t like to abuse this so I only have it on Fridays, and not every Friday (I’d say twice a month)
- You shouldn’t take St. John’s Wort if you’re on certain types of medication, you need to consult your doctor or pharmacist before trying this!
Percentage of respondents worldwide who used select tactics to ensure a good night’s sleep
Find more statistics at Statista
A quick note before ending this article:
Although I sleep quite well nowadays I sympathize with everyone who struggles to fall asleep or wakes up in the middle of the night and cannot fall asleep again. It is such a terrible feeling, and I have been there.
Sleep is one of the most important aspects of our health, so if you’re having trouble sleeping it’s probably a sign that something is not right in your life.
If your efforts to improve sleep are not working or if you’re still struggling with insomnia or sleeplessness after trying the above tips, please seek some professional help from a therapist, psychologist or at least a good doctor who can give you an accurate diagnosis. And then work on improving these issues with them as well.
Natural health is important, but it does not always cure. Often times we need a professional to help us see what’s really happening in our lives and how we can move forward. Good luck!
Feel free to leave any other tips you have in the comments below and also please let me know if any of these worked for you! I would love to hear from you, it’s always nice 🙂
If you found this article helpful please use the buttons below to share it with others.
Love,
Patri ❤️💕
Resources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4638207/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7766425/
