Getting a good night’s sleep boosts energy, gives mental clarity, lifts mood, lowers risk of heart attack and disease and obesity . So, if you are having trouble getting the recommended seven to eight hours nightly, start using these tips! Here are the latest breakthroughs to help you sleep.
#1 Stop Racing Thoughts by Using Deep Breathing
If you get in bed and your brain starts churning over the day’s events, you are not alone. To shut off those thoughts, slowly breathe in for a count of five and out for a count of five. Repeat this exercise at least 10 times. Chronic insomniacs who did this fell asleep 22 minutes sooner and slept 34 minutes longer per night.
Why does it seem to work? Mindful meditation trains your brain to focus on the present moment, crowding out or distracting thoughts and allowing you to relax and drift off. Says lead study author Cindy Gross, Ph.D.
#2 Breathe Better at Night by Walking (or being active) During the Day.
People suffering from sleep apnea who did 22 minutes of aerobic activity per day 9such as brisk walking or hiking) reduced the severity of their sleeping disorder by 25% and had better daytime energy, reveals a new study out of the University Of Pittsburg School Of Sleep Medicine. That’s the same improvement a person would get with surgery to ease the condition.
Why does it help? Researchers believe that exercise tones the muscles in your diaphragm that make breathing easier and enables your body to take in more oxygen as you sleep.
#3 Make a Sandwich to Ease Anxiety .
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, stress is the number one cause of insomnia!
There is a natural solution to stress that is also good for you in many other ways: Eating more foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, walnuts, and flaxseed.When stressed volunteers were given omega-3 supplements daily for 3 months, their anxiety
plunged to 20%, according to the research report.
Why does this work? Omega-3’s slow the production of compounds called cytokines, stopping the effects of anxiety on your body, says researcher Janice Kiecolt-Glaser.
#4 Drink Less Water Hours Before Bed!
Do you often get up in the night to the bathroom even if you don’t guzzle liquid right before you go to sleep? Try to curb your drinking liquid 3 hours before bedtime. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and other beverages that have a diuretic effect.
Why does it work? As you get older, your bladder gets smaller and stiffer, so it takes only a small amount of liquid to trigger the need to empty it.
#5 Ward off PM Pain with vitamin D!
One in four women report that physical discomforts disrupts their sleep at least three nights a week. Why the pain? It could be a lack of vitamin D, which is common in fall and winter months when there is less sunlight, which limits its production.
Why does it work? Vitamin D also helps strengthen bones and build up muscle and joint tissue, easing sleep thwarting arthritis , muscle pain, and bone pain.
These tricks are all natural and you can try them tonight!
Rodney Allen Cole is a freelance health reporter. Other health articles you may be interested in include Which ones are most important? and The secret of healthy aging .