Natural Methods To Improve Sleep

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source, more than one-third of U.S. adults routinely sleep fewer than six hours a night. That’s bad news because the benefits of adequate sleep range from better heart health and less stress to improved memory and weight loss.

Stop loading up on caffeine or sneaking in naps. Getting better sleep does not have to be difficult. There are many life changes, sleep products, and natural sleep aids you can use to improve your sleep health. Use our top tips to help get the shut-eye you need to manage your health.

  1. Exercise. Research shows that the more you exercise the more slow wave sleep you get.

  2. Keep your bedroom cool. Eighty degrees may be great for the beach, but it’s lousy for the bedroom at night. A temperate room is more conducive to sleeping than a tropical one. The NSF recommends a temperature somewhere around 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Striking a balance between the thermostat, the bed covers, and your sleeping attire will reduce your core body temperature and help you drift off to sleep faster and more deeply.

  3. Try different essential oils to improve sleep. Lavendar, sweet orange, chamomile, and rose are all fantastic for sleep.

  4. Drink up. No, not alcohol, which can interfere with sleep. Try chamomile tea or tart cherry juice. Chamomile tea doesn’t have caffeine, unlike green tea or Earl Grey. And, research suggests that tart cherry juice might support melatonin production and support a healthy sleep cycle.

  5. Change your diet. Cut out the food and drinks that contain caffeine, soft drinks, and chocolate, by mid-afternoon. Make dinner your lightest meal, and finish it a few hours before bedtime. Skip spicy or heavy foods, which can keep you awake with heartburn or indigestion.

  6. Black it out. Light tells your brain that it’s time to wake up, so make your room as dark as possible for sleep. Even a small amount of ambient light from your cell phone or computer can disrupt the production of melatonin (a hormone that helps regulate sleep cycles) and overall sleep.