Insomnia: Holistic Tips for Better Sleep

22 Oct, 2020

rasb_media

Helpful Steps to Help You Get to Sleep:

This may seem controversial, but I would first ask you to assess the situation: Consider – are you really suffering from insomnia? Or do you just have a different sleep pattern?

Too Much of a Good Thing:

Some of us just don’t need a lot of sleep whilst some are a complete mess without a full eight hours ( I am a woman who happily lived for many years on 5- 6 hours to no ill effect) Oversleeping can also be bad for us and so listen to your body’s needs.

History Repeating:

In the past we would either sleep from dusk to dawn. (well that’s very different depending on where we live and what season it is) Also, we would not all be heavy sleepers, as if we were, we could be slaughtered either by night hunters or rival hunters.

Social Rhythm:

We would have intermittent sleep patterns where we would sleep for several hours, then waken up and have a socialisation time, before sleeping for several more hours, so many of us are still programmed this way, which makes fitting into the modern standard eight hour sleep pattern difficult to manage.

Moon Struck:

Something over 50% of the population will understand: Many women have at least one night, pre-period, when they just don’t sleep.

If the above applies to you, Read On!

The Smell Of Success(ful sleep):

This will shock some readers: Throw away the lavender oil.

Yep, the aromatherapy panacea! Lavender, in small doses, can be beneficial. However it has become the knee jerk, go-to remedy which isn’t always right for you: If you suffer from migraine or asthma, this is unlikely to be the remedy for you as it can trigger both. If you are very sensitive, it can unsettle your dreams and you can even waken up feeling somewhat hung over.

OK, Lavender is out, but you still want a holistic helping hand. Try Using:

* Rose: A warm aromatic restful, heart opening scent
* Rosemary: Slightly woody, balancing, opening and earthing
* Lemon: Healthy, balancing, astringent, loving, anxiety reducing
* Geranium: Earthy, floral, balancing and relaxing
* Roman Chamomile: Mild, loving, earthy, grounding

These essential oils are safe to use, either mixed in distilled water and spritzed over a pillow, in a relaxing bath prior to bed or in a diffuser set beside the bed.
Experiment with the mix, start with only a couple of drops of whichever you are drawn to until you have something which resonates with you.

Mind Over Matter:

With the busy lives we all lead, our minds often feel overloaded and when we finally feel it’s time to sleep, we can’t switch off: I recommend that you choose a 10 minute slot somewhere in the day (anytime that suits) turn everything off and just…breath…

Do not worry about either mindfulness or meditation or whether you are doing it right: Just embrace 10 minutes of letting your head do what it wants; this may help your mind get into a more restful mode during  actual sleep time.

Creatures Of Habit:

Try to have a bit of a bedtime ritual: A warm bath or shower, or maybe a foot rub. (Using a carrier oil with some of the oils above is ideal)

Enjoy a warm drink – Valerian or Chamomile tea is ideal.

If you can, use a sleep mask so that any change in lighting is less likely to disturb you. ( Personally I cant keep them on but it helps my daughter immensely!)

Dream On:

Always keep a journal by the bed: If you are having trouble settling, this will allow you to write your worries/thoughts down and get them out of your head. It also means that if you wake up with a genius idea you can quickly jot it down and then get back to sleep.

Be Kind to Yourself and Check your Environment:

Remember, sleep like everything else in life, ebbs and flows and our emotions, hormones, living conditions and disposition all play a part.

I hope you find this helpful – For pre blended, helpful sleep products visit my page: https://thedivinehag.com/products/bliss-sleep-spray  

With Love, The Devine Hag Xxx