How To Get A Better Night's Sleep?

Sleep is nature’s nurse. A restful night’s sleep helps our body relax, recharge, restore balance, and rejuvenate for the next day. It even helps the body fight infections.

According to a study published on Sleep, it was found that people who got at least 7 hours of sleep are less likely to get sick when exposed to a cold virus than those who got less sleep. There’s also a direct relationship between sleep deprivation and obesity. People who don’t get an adequate amount of sleep have too much ghrelin (an appetite-enhancing hormone secreted by the stomach) in their system.

There’s no doubt that sleep plays a key role in maintaining our physical and emotional health. However, there’s a large population suffering from sleeping disorders, owing to poor lifestyle and eating habits.

If you are one of them, then these remedies will help you get a good night’s sleep.

1. Say no to bedtime cigarette:-
   If you think smoking will help you relax before going to bed, then you are wrong. Nicotine stimulates the production of acetylcholine, which is a powerful chemical produced by our brain that promotes wakefulness.
2. Create a comfortable sleeping zone:-
   The room should be quiet, properly ventilated, and dark. Ensure that your bed is firm, yet springy enough to support the body’s movement while you’re asleep. Your pillow should support the gap between your head and neck. Sedating scents such as lavender, mandarin, jasmine, lemon balm, ylang ylang, valerian and passion flower are effective in turning your bedroom into a stress-free sanctuary.
3. Exercise regularly but not before bedtime:-
   Exercising early in the morning and evening will improve the quality of your sleep. It’s important that you don’t exercise just before bedtime because it will increase your body temperature and raise the levels of cortisol and adrenaline, thus preventing you from falling asleep.
4. Relax:-
   Try to relax your body and mind by techniques like deep breathing, meditation, and Shirodhara. You can even try writing a sleep journal. Also, a warm bubble bath just before going to bed promotes sleep. The warm bath will raise the body temperature. However, when you exit the bath, the room temperature lowers your body temperature, which will help you fall asleep.
5. Food timing and quantity:-
   Have a moderate breakfast, heavy lunch, and early small dinner that’s easily digestible. Since our metabolism slows down towards the evening, a heavy dinner comprising spicy and oily food will be difficult to digest and interfere with a good night’s sleep.
6. Don’t miss out on essential nutrients:-
   Our body requires essential vitamins such as B6 and B12, adequate iron and calcium to maintain a healthy sleep pattern. Foods like walnuts and whole grains are rich in vitamins, while fruits like banana and apricots contain tryptophan that promotes sleep. Magnesium and calcium-rich foods, such as leafy vegetables, nuts, and yogurt are natural relaxants that deactivate adrenaline and promote sleep.
7. Herbal remedies:-
   Sleeping problems can be cured with effective herbal remedies that create a sense of calmness and promote sleep:

A natural lifestyle that follows Ayurvedic principles is an excellent way to bring peacefulness and healing into your life. At Pankajakasthuri, we are committed to helping people get true benefits of Ayurveda’s holistic goodness. Check our Ayurvedic products online at http://www.pankajakasthuri.in/