Natural Relief for Insomnia
March 9th, 2010Do you go and go and go and only stop when you’re completely wiped? Do you just have too much to do to get to bed on time? Do you try and sleep, but can’t turn off your mind? If so, it’s time to kick insomnia in the butt. Adequate sleep is necessary for both your physical and mental well-being. Lack of sleep has been linked to weakened immunity, depression, irritability, forgetfulness, and even an increased risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes. Though the amount of sleep a person needs varies per individual, experts advise to get between 7-9 hours per night. Less than 7 hours puts stress on your body, which causes inflammation. Inflammation can lead to major illnesses, such as cancer and heart disease.
10 Relaxing Herbs to Help You Sleep
• Ashwagandha
Grown in India and North American, Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb used to help the body deal with stress. If stress is keeping you awake at night, try a supplement that contains this herb.
• Chamomile
This well-known herb is often used in teas, but can also be found as an essential oil for use in baths or applied to the skin. If taking chamomile in tea form, be sure to avoid drinking it at least 2-4 hours before bedtime, otherwise you’ll risk a full bladder call at midnight!
• Hops
Though most often associated with brewing beer, hops are also a powerful sedative. According to The Herbs Place, hops are particularly useful for treating insomnia caused by stress, anxiety, and an overactive mind. Hobs are used in many over-the-counter sleeping aids.
• Lavender
The scent of lavender calms the nervous system. Use the essential oils in a bath, diffuser, as massage oil, or simply inhale.
• Lemon Balm
A member of the mint family, lemon balm has been used since the Middle Ages to treat tension, mood disorders, insomnia, and more. Drink it as tea, or use as an essential oil.
• Magnolia Bark
The bark of the magnolia has long been used in Eastern medicine to treat a variety of disorders, including anxiety and insomnia. Look for it in capsule form, or as an extract.
• Passionflower
Passionflower is often considered the herb of choice as a natural sleep aid. It promotes a restful, relaxing sleep without grogginess or other side effects. It is also not addictive.
• Skullcap
Take orally or use as an essential oil to treat insomnia related to tension, exhaustion, depression, or stress.
• St. John’s Wort
St. John’s Wort is a popular herb used to treat a variety of disorders including depression and insomnia. The plant grows naturally throughout much of the world, especially in northern California, southern Oregon, and Colorado. The flowers and leaves can be dried and ground into a power to form supplements. It can also be found in tea, and as an essential oil.
• Valerian
Backed by strong clinical studies, Valerian has been proven to significantly improve sleep quality, and latency—the amount of time it takes to fall asleep. Valerian has been used for centuries, and is considered a safe alternative to prescription sleep aids.
How-to Turn Off the Mind
If your mind starts racing the minute your head hits the pillow, the following tips will help you quiet your thoughts and fall asleep.
• Stop
You’re probably thinking about something that’s causing anxiety. Stop. Focus on something happy and positive.
• Write it Down
Write down what’s on your mind, and what’s bothering you, an hour or two before bedtime. Work it out then, not when you’re trying to fall asleep.
• Stretch
Try gentle stretches or yoga before hitting the sack. Working the tension out of your body can also help put your mind at ease.
• Breathe
Take a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Focus on breathing in and out, and nothing else.
• Count Sheep
When all else fails, count sheep. When your mind is busy watching those creatures jump a fence, it won’t have time to think about everything else in your life.
General Tips
• Keep the temperature in your room cooler. 65 degrees or less is optimum for sleeping.
• Wear light, comfortable clothing that doesn’t restrict your movement at night.
• Don’t drink caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime
• Don’t eat at least 4 hours before bedtime.
• Eliminate light. If a streetlight shines in your window, buy heavy drapes, for example.
• Buy a new mattress. If you’re uncomfortable, how are you to sleep?
• Try to stick to a set bedtime and wake time.
Perfect for a romantic dinner on your patio, ambience in the tub, or even as a night light, the Sun Jar emits a warm, pleasant glow for up to five hours when fully charged. Just place the Sun Jar in direct sunlight for a few hours, and you’ll be rewarded with hours of eco-friendly light provided by the Sun Jar’s highly efficient solar cell, rechargeable battery, and low energy LED lamps. The Sun Jar is 100% waterproof for outdoor applications, and can withstand any weather conditions. $34.95. 
Power this hand-sized radio with the sun’s rays, and have hours of AM/FM radio enjoyment. Alternatively, hand crank the radio for one minute, and you’ll get thirty minutes of play time. The Solar or Hand Crank Radio is small enough to fit in pockets, tackle boxes, and backpacks. $24.95.
Quit buying bottled water packaged in chemical-laden plastic! These stainless steel water bottles pose no health risk, and are durable enough for years and years of constant use. Their double-walled design ensures beverages stay hot or cold, and the easy to remove screw-top requires only one twist of the wrist! Available in three sizes—16.9 oz, 20.3 oz, and 23.6 oz. 
Made from 100% Bamboo, these expandable towels are hypoallergenic, organic, and completely compostable. When compressed, the towels are only slighter larger than a poker chip. With just three teaspoons of water, however, the towel expands into a 12″ x 20″ hand towel. A pack of 10 only costs $9.95, so you can toss a compressed towel in your purse, briefcase, glove box, tackle box, diaper bag, desk drawer, and carry-on, and still have a couple leftover! 
Don’t overwater your indoor plants and herbs! Give them the perfect amount of moisture, and they will give you years of culinary delight and clean indoor air. Simply insert the rod end of the Herb and Plant Tender into the soil, and when it needs water, the LED light will blink. Buy one for each plant, or rotate between them, making sure to reset the device in between. $ 12.95. 
Charge two AA nickel-metal hydride rechargeable batteries while surfing the net, playing games, or working. The USB Battery charger plugs into any USB port, and will fully charge the batteries in 4-6 hours. A safety circuit will prevent overcharging, and automatically turn off when the batteries are charged. Batteries included. $20.95. 
For small shredding jobs, why invest in an electricity-powered shredder, or resort to burning? Instead, opt for an eco-friendly version—the Shredder Scissors. The Shredder Scissors consist of nine, sharp blades that quickly and easily turn unneeded important documents into unreadable strips, or confetti. $18.95. 
Conscious about wasting food? These Bag Clips with Expiration Setter will help you eat your food before it spoils. When you open a bag of chips, nuts, veggies, or other packaged food, set the day and month of opening, or the date of the expiration date. Each pack includes 6 bag clips—2 red, 2 green, and 2 white—which can be used to help establish a color-coded system of which foods should be eaten immediately, and which have a longer shelf life. $6.95. 
Don’t let your canned, jarred, or other foodstuffs spoil. Use a Digital Day Counter to mark how long that jar of spaghetti sauce, that can of peaches, or that bag of coffee, has been open. The Digital Day Counter comes in three versions—a rubber band style, a magnetic version, and a suction cup. $9.95 for a set of 2. 