Nishant Baxi - Sleep Well

© Nishant Baxi, 2020

ISBN 978-5-4498-5799-6

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

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CHAPTER 1 5

BEHAVIORAL CHANGES FOR HEALTHY SLEEP HABITS 5

Habits at Bedtime 5 Sleep Environment 6 Sleep Equipment 7

CHAPTER 2 9

SELF-HELP SLEEP TECHNIQUES 9

CHAPTER 3 23 HERBAL REMEDIES AND SUPPLEMENTS 23

Your Body’s Natural Hormones 23

The Benefits of Chamomile 24

The Soothing Properties of Lavender 25

The Medicinal Use of Valerian Root 27

A World of Other Herbs 29

Vitamin & Mineral Supplements 31

Conclusion 33

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Everyone experiences trouble sleeping once in a while. While this may be inconvenient, it’s often temporary. When occasional sleepless nights turn into a regular occurrence of many nights in a row with interrupted sleep, you might have a sleeping problem.

When you don’t get enough sleep for an extended period of time your tiredness impacts every part of your life. Physically, you might notice a decrease in your productivity and daily activities. Emotionally, you may experience relationship problems or a change in your personality. Mentally, a chronic sleep problem can create stress and anxiety.

There are three categories of sleep deprivation and insomnia. The first stage, called “initial” insomnia, is when you first realize you’re having difficulty achieving a sleep state and occurs when it takes longer than a half an hour to fall asleep. “Middle” insomnia is when you have difficulty staying asleep. Once awakened, you stay awake through the wee hours of the morning. The most sever level of insomnia is “late” or “terminal” insomnia. This is when you wake up early in the morning and stay awake after sleeping less than 6 hours.

There are a variety of reasons that you may be having trouble sleeping. If your insomnia is due to a medical condition, your doctor will be able to provide you with suggestions and appropriate medical attention. If it’s determined that your sleep problem is due to a medical condition, the condition will be treated with the intention that this will in turn treat the insomnia.

On the other hand, if your sleep difficulties are occurring because you are stuck in a cycle of sleepless nights, or your insomnia is due to your inability to reach a state of inner peace needed to achieve sleep, this book is for you. Here you’ll find healthy options to try before taking potentially harmful and habit forming prescription sleep aids.

In this book you’ll learn about:

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– Preparing the perfect sleep environment

– Relaxation techniques

– The role of exercise and diet in your sleep health

– How to quiet your mind to promote good sleep

– Beneficial natural supplements

When following the tips in this book, you will have all of the tools needed to stop tossing and turning at night and start enjoying a full night’s sleep, naturally. You will wake up feeling rejuvenated and attentive, instead of exhausted and restless. Prepare yourself drift off to dreamland naturally!

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Behavioral Changes for Healthy Sleep Habits

Habits at Bedtime

It is essential that your brain has consistency by creating a bedtime schedule so that your body can learn how to fall asleep without medication. Create a sleep strategy to determine the best routine, and plan to follow the routine for one to two weeks before making any alterations.

Your sleep strategy should include:

– A regular bedtime

– A consistent wake time

– A record of any natural supplements you have tried

– Routine activities that are not stimulating such as brushing your teeth or reading

Moving through a regular bedtime process will signal to your brain that it’s time to go to sleep. The desired end result of having a sleep strategy is regular sleep that’s restful and refreshing.

Plan to get 7—8 hours of sleep nightly, and don’t allow yourself to oversleep. If you wake up the same time every day you’ll establish a routine. Avoid naps during the day because your body will be confused, and it will interrupt your sleep pattern. You can’t bank extra hours of sleep, and trying to sleep later in the morning to make up for sleep lost overnight will leave you feeling tired.

Every person has different sleep habits, so be patient while you work through the process of finding the sleep plan that works best for you.

– Allow for room ventilation, if possible. Crack a window slightly to allow for air flow. The circulating fresh air will help you breathe deeply, and provide oxygen that is essential for good sleep.

– Use ear plugs if there are noises outside the bedroom. There are many types of plugs that are specifically for sleeping, so if at first you don’t find the perfect pair, try another.

– Mask noises with a white noise machine if you decide to not wear earplugs. Machines are designed specifically for this purpose, or you can use a fan or air conditioner to provide the background noise. This will hide background sounds such as traffic or a barking dog.

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