Lack of Sleep

Lack of sleep can be caused by any number of things and can vary in severity from tossing and turning to total sleep deprivation which is the complete absence of sleep. You can also seem to be getting enough sleep; yet have sleep be poor in quality.

The quality of your sleep can be affected by several things including sleep apnea, which is marked by heavy snoring and occasional gasps for air. If you do this, then you could be waking up hundreds of times a night without knowing it, gulping air due to a closed airway.

The symptoms for getting too little sleep can include irritability, slurring your speech, fatigue, blurred vision, memory lapses, and inability to concentrate and focus. Extreme sleep deprivation can even lead to bizarre behavior and hallucinations.

Natural Remedies for Lack of Sleep

If you are not getting enough sleep and your sleeping patterns are affecting your quality of life, home remedies may be able to help.

Let There Be Light

An inability to fall asleep at night, may mean you aren’t getting enough natural light during the day. Exposure to sunlight helps the body know when it is time to go to sleep and when it is time to wake up.

Make sure you spend time out in the light each day. It is helpful to take a walk each morning or during a lunch break. This also helps you get some daily exercise, which can also help you sleep.

Music/White Noise

Listening to a selection of slow, gentle music or white noise can help you improve sleep without medication. These have been proven to improve sleep quality and decrease the number of times you wake up during the night. It also helps you sleep longer and increases the quality of your sleep.

Scent of Lavender

English lavender has been used as a sleep remedy since the times of old. Lavender has sedative qualities that can increase deep sleep, extend the amount of time you will sleep naturally, and it will help you feel refreshed.

It typically works better for women and it generally works quickly. The scent of lavender can be employed by using a sachet under the pillow, by spraying a light infusion on the pillow and around the bed, by using essential oil on a strip of material and placing the material under the pillow, or by adding lavender oil to a bedtime bath.

Relax

If you have trouble relaxing, try a few techniques that can help. Lie in bed and envision your breath going out of your body in a dark rush, and that you are breathing in light, airy happiness. As you do this - work from your toes to the top of your head. Breathe out, toes relax, breathe in. Breathe out, ankles relax, breathe in. Etc. There are many different techniques, find one that works for you.

Diet

If you have trouble sleeping, make sure you quit drinking caffeine products several hours before bedtime. Caffeine has the ability to profoundly affect sleep, causing insomnia and restlessness. Coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate - all should be avoided. Be alert for hidden sources of caffeine like in cough and cold medicine, and other over-the-counter medicine.

You should also avoid sweets. Sugar can give a burst of energy, but its main problem is that it can cause uneven blood sugar levels. This can disrupt sleep in the middle of the night as your blood sugar level falls.

Feng Shui

Believe it or not, feng shui can help you fall asleep. This Chinese philosophy of Taoism can help you artfully arrange not just your bedroom, but all the rooms in your home and office to ensure maximize favorable energy flow throughout your living spaces. This will allow you to dispel energy and fall asleep.

Melatonin

Melatonin can help people fall asleep when their sleep/wake cycle has been disturbed. This is a great remedy for shift workers, people who have jet lag, or anyone with an erratic sleep schedule. A hormone found naturally in the body, Melatonin is formed with the pineal gland in the brain makes serotonin which is converted into melatonin at night as exposure to light decreases.

Valerian

Valerian is an herb that has been used as a remedy for insomnia for a very long time. It is accepted in Germany, France, Switzerland, Belgium, and Italy as an over the counter sleep aid.