In recent years, more and more people are looking for sleep remedies to have a better sleep, both in quantity and quality. It is a well-known fact that people are getting worse sleep in the past decade of so, for various reasons. Are you suffering from any sleep problem? Let’s take a closer look to the common sleep problems, and see if you belong to these categories:

1.Difficulty Getting To sleep

Probably the most common problem. On severe cases, they can be categorized are insomnia, which is a serious health problem with many complications. How would you describe a sleep difficulty? Well, the benchmark for normal sleep is that you should be well unconscious within 30-minutes of sleep attempt.

Some people might take a few hours to finally fall asleep and can even spend the whole night awake.

2.Poor Sleep Quality

Here, you might have no problem to fall asleep completely, however, the problem is the quality. Often characterized by waking up often only by a slight noise or light disturbance. Hence, although they have enough sleep, they might still feel tired on the next day.

3.Low Sleep Quantity

On the other hand, you can have no problem sleeping well, but you tend to wake up too early. Sometimes, it’s not a problem, since a lot of people are waking up early intentionally to do sports, cook, or other activities. However, depression, sleep disorder, bad mood, and stress can be the culprit.

Of course, you might also suffer from more than just one of them, which will further complicate your condition, and might make you feel tired all the time. Yet, to treat the problem, and before we look for help either from sleep remedies or professionals, we should first understand the cause behind the problem.

Cause of Sleep Problems

1.Exposure to Cell Phone, Computer, or Tablet Screens

Technology will affect your sleep in more ways than you may realize. Many studies and research have suggested that the blue light emited by your cell phone screen might suppress melatonin, and trigger your brain to stay awake. Yet, with current demands of everyday’s life, it will be hard to truly avoid technologies. At the very least, try to put your devices as far away as possible during your slumber. Besides, a sudden text notification can easily wake people with light sleep.

2.Stress, Anxiety, and Other Psychological Problems

Another common knowledge is that what happens during the day, or even in the past can keep you up at night. Anxiety, stress, and trauma can be the cause of many more health problems other than sleep and should be addressed as soon as possible.

3.Sleep Environment

Not using the correct mattress or pillow can disturb your sleep quality and quantity, as well as causing physical pain. Check out our guides for mattresses and pillows. Do you live near a noisy street or neighborhood, or do you have any problem with your bedroom lighting or even interior?

4.Medical Causes

There are some medical conditions that can promote sleep problems. Some of them are:

Menopause
Enlarged prostate, more needs to urinate in the middle of the night
Physical pain like stiff neck and painful joints
Tinnitus

Before resorting to sleeping remedies, natural or not, try to address the cause of your sleep problems first.

Do Sleep Remedies Really Work?

Sleep remedies can come in generally two forms: natural and chemical. Of course, as with everything else, natural remedies will always be preferred, as it will cause fewer side effects both short term and long term. So, before we can answer the big question, let us first look at the natural options for sleep remedies:

1. Change Your Routine

Before you try anything drastic, simply try to change your bedtime routine. Try drinking a warm beverage before bed. Decaf green tea is a nice option, try to drink it one hour before you sleep. Condition your mental state to sleep by listening to relaxing tunes. You can try anything from classical to pop music, as long as it’s not too upbeat. Parents will be familiar with the idea that lullabies can definitely help children to sleep faster, and better. The same principle will work for adults.

Avoid exposure to your cellphone, cellphone or TV screen at least 30-minutes before you plan to go to bed. Have you ever tried reading a book or a magazine to sleep? It may drastically help!Also, if you have the luxury of a bath tub, you can try soaking in a warm bath before bed.

2.Aromatherapy

It is a common knowldedge for ages that aromatherapy, especially lavender scent can help you get a better sleep. The stories of using lavender pillows can even be traced back to old folklores, so we may wonder, is it actual fact or just some old wives’ tales?

Turns out, there is a science basis for that. More studies and research have shown that Lavender, as well as other aromatherapies, can indeed help you sleep better.

InnoGear Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser

Nowadays, electronic aromatherapy diffusers are pretty cheap, you can get decent ones for below $20 such as these ones. You can also get Lavender oils for only around $6 per 10 ml, so, although lavender aromatherapies work differently from person to person, it’s a very cheap experiment worth to try.

3.Meditation

As mentioned, stress and anxiety can really disturb your sleep quality and quantity, and we can’t just turn off our worries and stress anytime we want, can’t we? Actually, we can with some mental training in the form of meditations. Even medical professionals have now admitted that meditation is not just some mumbo jumbo, and can actually affect your thoughts, emotions, and even physical state in positive ways. Consider giving this journal by Neurology Now a read, to understand the benefits of meditation better.

Nowadays, you don’t have to join an expensive yoga or meditation class to learn, you can simply do a quick browse or make a small investment for meditation books or guided audio. Consider this guided meditation audio for beginners, or if you prefer to read, this Meditation for Beginners book.

4. Light Conditioning

Your body produced the hormone melatonine -which is very important in regulating your sleep pattern- as you expoxe yourself to darkness. As mentioned, this will include lights from your cell phone screen. On the other hand, your body will only produce melatonin for around 12 hours each day. To make the most of this pattern, make sure to expose yourself to natural sunlight in the morning.

We understood the danger of over exposure to sunlight, but just 15 to 30 minutes will be beneficial, especially if you can catch the morning sunlight, which will also boost your natural Vitamin D production. If you don’t have the time, don’t worry, thanks to technology you can use natural spectrum lamp to achieve (almost) the same effects.

Image Credit: Amazon

Try the NatureBright SunTouch, specially made for light and ion therapy purpose for just $53.15.

5.Caffeine Detox

Caffeine addiction can directly and indirectly affect your sleep Caffeine addiction can directly and indirectly affect your sleep pattern. Although it’s not as dangerous as other forms of addictions, the effects can be more potent than it seems. Consider reducing your daily caffeine intake, or quit cold turkey for a total detox. Here is a nice read regarding caffeine detox, the methods, and how to make the most of it.

Over-The-Counter Sleep Remedies

If all of the above methods doesn’t work for you, well, maybe it’s time to consider medical aids or supplements. Sleep remedies are definitely a booming business, with more and more people experiencing sleep problems every day. In that regards, there are many variants of sleeping pills, aids, and supplements available in the market, all claiming to be the holy grail. Yet, honestly, very few of them can be effective in the long run.

Before we begin, we strongly suggests to consult a medical professional before you take any sleep remedies. All the different types of over-the-counter sleep aids may contain different substances, and each may work differently. Let’s understand a bit of those substances, and how it may make you sleep more soundly.

1.Melatonin

Melatonin is actually a natural hormone produced by your own body, which is extremely important in regulating your biological clock. The natural production of melatonin will decrease as you age, and it will vary from individual to individual. Besides, as we have mentioned above, your exposure to sunlight regulate the melatonine production, of which we are getting less and less nowadays.

To help with that fact, external supplies for melatonin are widely popular today, such as these ones. Keep in mind, that most of the melatonin supplements available in the market are not FDA-approved, although many medical practitioners do endorse them. If possible, consult with your family doctor first before buying.

2.Magnesium

Many Americans, as well as people around the world today, are magnesium deficient. Yet, studies suggested that even a marginal deficit of magnesium can seriously disrupt your body to regulate sleep. Before resorting to supplements, you might want to take a look at your diet first. Pumpkin seeds, almonds, and common vegetables are great sources of magnesium.

If you are currently under medications, it is a good idea to first consult with your doctor, as magnesium supplements can interact with many different medications. With more than 75% of Americans are magnesium-deficient, there’s a good chance it’s the culprit for your sleep problems. Consider getting a check-up.

3. L-Theanine

L-Theanine is a type of amino acid commonly found in green tea and several types of mushrooms. Recent studies have shown that L-theanine have many beneficial effects for the body, including to help you sleep better. L-theanine, together with caffeine will allow you to focus better during the day. As a standalone supplement, L-Theanine can act as a powerful relaxant which can help you sleep better. Not to mention, it is one of the best antioxidant out there.

With this idea in mind, decaf green tea will be a very affordable (and safe) option for your sleep remedies. Keep in mind, that the main idea of L-Theanine is to make yourself more relax, instead of directly stimulating sleep. L-Theanine’s benefits might only show after quite some time, but the effect can be long lasting. It is pretty easy to get L-Theanine supplements nowadays, and most of them are FDA-regulated. Try these ones here.

Bottom Line

Sleep deprivation is more than a serious problem, affecting 1 in 3 adults in America. It can be a hindrance to your productivity, and in severe cases, can cause many health problems. Although the cause can be medical issues, it can also be a byproduct of your habits. Before trying any over-the-counter sleep remedies, consider fixing your habits first, which can be easier than you thought.

Also, consider getting the help of a medical professional. There’s nothing to be ashamed about not getting enough sleep, and you are definitely not alone.

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A Guide to Sleep Remedies