7 Natural Therapies for Amazing Sleep

in Environment Nutrition Wellness

sleeprestrelaxHere it is again – the importance of SLEEP!  Around the holidays is often a time to skimp on sleep.  But it is the MOST important time to be proactive and make sleep a sacred part of your wellness routine.  The stressors of holidays can take a toll on our health without time to rest and recharge.

Before your head sinks into the pillow at bedtime, there are some very simple things you can do to prepare mind and body for a night of deeply restful sleep. The evening hours are a time when the busyness of your day should begin to wind down. It’s important to create a bedtime ritual that will help tame the thoughts that may still be racing through your mind and which can prevent you from falling or staying asleep throughout the night.

In addition to the lifestyle tips for better sleep that are described in my blog- Sleep – Essential to Mind-Body , try adding some of the following naturopathic and holistic approaches to your evening routine.

7 Strategies to Support Sleep

  1. Enjoy a warm bath including Epsom salts and/or lavender oil. Diffuse essential oils while bathing or in the bedroom. (Check out Natural Partners for discount on essential oils and diffusers)
  2. Consider adding a quality magnesium glycinate – this type of magnesium is well absorbed and particularly good for aiding in sleep since over 50-75% of us are deficient!
  3. Listen to the relaxing sounds of ocean waves, classical music, or chimes. There are specialized acoustic recordings that are orchestrated to affect specific brain wave patterns for relaxation or sleep.
  4. A guided recording of progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing exercises, restorative yoga poses, can help the body create the ‘relaxation response’.
  5. Herbs and other botanical or aromatherapy treatments are useful for calming down after a stressful day. Lavender used topically or diffused in your bedroom can be effective. Try a cup of chamomile tea.  Additional teas and tinctures may be effective such as valerian, passionflower, or lemon balm.
  6. Try meditation, beginning with just 10 minutes a day. Meditation has numerous health benefits and recent studies show it can significantly affect quality of sleep.  (Check out a user-friendly introduction with 10 minute/day – HeadSpace
  7. Be sure to have your vitamin D and B-vitamin levels checked annually.  Both can contribute to poor sleep due to underlying deficiencies!

Do not undermine the importance of sleep when it comes to your health.  If you have difficulty concentrating, feel anxious during the day, can’t lose the extra 5 pounds, and have trouble managing stress…check in with the amount and quality of sleep you get each night.

If you are not getting 7-9 hours of sleep, it is time to make a change!

Remember, without adequate sleep….all the healthy lifestyle changes you make will have little impact on your health.

Make it a priority to rest and reboot for amazing health!

ps. Need some support to individualize an effective plan that is right for you?  Contact me.… jump start your New Year with amazing health!

One of my favorite ways to concentrate on sleep and rest is through my 10 day Detox challenge!  

10dayecfdetox

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