How to sleep better at night naturally
Do you find it difficult to fall asleep peacefully and nourishing?
You're not alone in staying up late: More than 60 million Americans have sleep
quality issues.
Sleep disruption can have an impact on your emotional and
physical health in addition to being an inconvenience that makes you feel
drained the next day. Your memory, concentration, and mood are all
significantly impacted, and your risk of depression, obesity, type 2 diabetes,
heart disease, and high blood pressure is increased.
Fortunately, there are simple, all-natural remedies that can
help you sleep better, according to Charlene Gamaldo, M.D., medical director of
the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep at Howard County General Hospital.
She asserts that a prescription for a sleep aid is not
always required. "Natural methods exist to modify your sleeping patterns.
Five
tips for enhancing sleep
Taking a drink of Alcohol, which can disrupt sleep, is not a good
choice. For individuals who are having difficulty falling asleep, Gamaldo
suggests warm milk, chamomile tea, and tart cherry juice.
It's not harmful to try any of these bedtime beverages,
Gamaldo advises, even though there isn't much scientific evidence that they can
help you sleep better. Patients who desire treatment without side effects or
drug interactions may consider them, according to her recommendation.
"Warm milk has long been thought to have substances
that mimic the effects of tryptophan on the brain. Serotonin, a
neurotransmitter involved in the sleep-wake transition, has this as one of its
basic building blocks, according to Gamaldo.
Additionally beneficial is chamomile tea. The transition
from sleep to wakefulness is thought to be aided by benzodiazepine receptors in
the brain, which are thought to interact with flavonoids in the plant,
according to the author.
Additionally, unlike green tea or Earl Grey, chamomile tea
doesn't contain caffeine. Last but not least, tart cherry juice may help with
melatonin generation and a regular sleep cycle.
Do some
exercise?
Even while sleep is affected by physical exercise, the exact
reason is unknown to researchers. Getting more nutritious slow-wave (deep)
sleep is known to be a benefit of moderate aerobic activity.
Gamaldo claims that cardiovascular activity releases
chemicals called endorphins, which help people stay awake, but you have to
time it just right. The reason you feel so energized after a run is because
of this.
Additionally, it has the ability to increase core body
temperature, which elevates the body's internal alarm clock. Avoid exercising
within two hours before bedtime if you have difficulties falling asleep.
Make
use of melatonin supplements.
The hormone melatonin is naturally released in the brain
four hours before we experience sleep, according to Gamaldo. The body's
reaction to less light exposure, which should occur normally at night, is what
causes it.
But in today's world, lights are everywhere when the sun
goes down, whether they come from your phone, laptop, or TV. The suppression of
melatonin by this exposure to artificial light can make it difficult to fall
asleep. Thankfully, your neighborhood pharmacy sells melatonin pills as an
over-the-counter supplement.
Just make sure to always get the same brand. The doses and contents
in each pill may vary from one manufacturer to the next because melatonin
supplements are not governed by FDA regulations. Gamaldo advises customers to
stick with a single brand and to avoid purchasing products from unreliable
websites.
Maintain
your composure. According to Gamaldo, the recommended range
for your thermostat is 65 to 72 degrees. Menopausal women who are having hot
flashes should keep the environment as cold as possible and wear cotton or
breathable textiles to bed.
Put the
lights off. The brightness of a smartphone is known to disrupt
sleep. How does your bathroom light fare? Don't turn on the lights if the
impulse to leave strikes at night. The most recent advice is to use a
flashlight if you have to get up in the middle of the night, according to
Gamaldo, because it offers less visual interference. Additionally, keep in mind
that it can take up to 30 minutes for you to fall asleep again if you wake up
to use the restroom. She asserts that this is quite normal.
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