Are you experiencing problems getting to sleep and don’t know what to do? Are you one of those people who have some kind of a sleeping condition like Insomnia? Well fear not, we have gathered some of the best tips and Do-It-Yourself (DIY) recipes that you could try to help you fall asleep better and faster!
Did you know?
According to the Alaska Sleep Education Center (ASEC), an estimate of 80 million suffer with sleep disorders, that figure? Don’t be shocked because that is just in America. Though there are some sleeping disorders similar to sleep apnea, which really does require serious medical intervention, most of them can be managed and controlled at home.
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So, are there natural remedies we can try if ever we experience any kind of sleeping problem or condition? If yes, then what are those?
NOTE: These tips and techniques won’t include medications because, hey, we’re talking about natural here. So, these are the things or tips that can help you fall asleep faster, better, and more efficient.
DIY Recipes for better sleep that you can find in your kitchen
The antidote to these sleep problems sometimes can just be found on your own kitchen. If you have not tried them yet, read further perhaps one of these can solve your problem and help you have a good night sleep.
Warm Milk
Ah, the magic of warm milk. I know that when you were young, your gramps always told you warm milk can cure anything, right?
Well, as a matter of fact, if you have any milk stored in your fridge or perhaps powdered milk, why not try to drink some before going to sleep? Just boil it a bit till it’s warm then you can add a little bit of honey if you’d like to.
Honey, on the other hand, also aids in helping you sleep because the additional glucose helps lower the levels of orexin you have. Orexin which is a neurotransmitter, raises the level of your alertness, which, in turn, will help you be more awake.
How does milk help you fall asleep?
Well the calcium that milk contains actually helps your brain to use tryptophan, which basically aids in producing melatonin in our brain. Melatonin, on the other hand, is the hormone that triggers our bodies to feel tired and prepares us to fall asleep. Adding honey also helps tryptophan to go through the brain more easily.
Chamomile Tea
Just like how milk helps us, drinking Chamomile tea can actually also drastically aid us in falling asleep.
Chamomile is an herb that comes from daisy-like flowers. It is known and scientifically proven to be a mild sedative that is mild in taste. So drinking chamomile tea could definitely help you get that good night sleep.
If you want it to taste a bit better and enhance the sleeping quality it has, you can add lavender which helps increase slow-wave sleeps which in turn relaxes our muscles. You can also add in honey for that extra flavor as well. As you can see, honey is an essential part of sleeping. So, the next time that you see honey in your fridge, do not think twice in taking or drinking it because it will definitely help you fall asleep.
Banana or Banana Tea
Bananas, as we all know growing up, is not just healthy for our digestive tracts, they are also high in potassium. Potassium is a mineral that is essential to achieve a deep night’s sleep. It is also rich in two (2) of the most important minerals our bodies need to fall asleep: tryptophan and magnesium, which makes the fruit really great as an aid in making you sleep.
You could eat a banana before going to sleep or make a tea out of it. Yes, you read that right, you can make a tea out of a single banana!
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How do you make a Banana tea?
You can add one (1) whole banana to a cup, then just add a half cup of boiling water then set it aside for a maximum of ten (10) minutes and allow it to run into a boil. After doing that and after you see that the concoction is already boiling, strain the drink after to achieve the liquidity of the banana. Want a little more flavor? Add little amounts of vanilla or cinnamon to enhance the taste if you want to.
Cherry Juice
We all have our moments when we are unsure of what juice to pick up. So, if ever you are going to the supermarket and don’t know what juice to pick up, why not try cherry juice? First and foremost, it’s really delicious and somehow a new type of taste to most people.
However, its effects to our bodies are astounding. Other than the fact that it contains a handful of vitamin C, drinking half a cup will aid you in sleeping longer. Cherries are natural sources of melatonin, a hormone that, as we talked about earlier, helps you prepare for sleeping.
Crackers with hummus
Hummus, which is made from chickpeas are one of the ingredients that a lot of people love. Hummus, and in this case, chickpeas are actually rich in tryptophan as well. So, consuming chickpeas is not only a cravings breaker, it also can aid you in your sleep in the best ways it can.
Crackers, on the other hand, are usually rich with B vitamins. I know, that sounds weird, right? Who knew that eating crackers had some sort of a positive effect to the body? Also, crackers help you regulator more tryptophan, which means that eating it can accelerate the way your body absorbs this, thus, making you fall asleep. Both of them make up a good combination for a snack or even lunch that will help you prepare for a good night sleep.
Read: Sleep Deprivation Warning Signs Your Body Might be Telling You
Nuts
Nuts are good bedtime snacks not just because they are tasty, but also because they help boost serotonin levels in our brains and are also excellent sources of magnesium and tryptophan.
Serotonin is a chemical known as the happy chemical. It could help those people suffering from depression and anxiety which leads them to have sleep disorders. Examples of nuts that bear the highest levels of natural sedatives are walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds and sunflower seeds.
Crackers and cheese
Milk tops the list of the food that we can find which is also a good source of sleeping. Since cheese is made of milk, it is rich in calcium as well helping your brain use, produce, and regulate tryptophan. So, it is no question that it can aid us in sleeping.
As for crackers, specifically the whole grain ones, they are very rich in B vitamins that does nothing but to help us sleep by regulating tryptophan, making it more effective for our bodies.
Oats
Last but most definitely not the least, eating oats is not just healthy for us, it’s also one good source or tip to help us sleep.
Ever wanted to have a quick snack to help you fall asleep? Well why not try eating oats? Similar to the other foods we mentioned, oats are also natural source of melatonin. Having a bowl of oatmeal with milk or even an oat cookie can help you sleep for the night.
Read: Why You Should Sleep On The Left Side Backed by Science
So, do you think you have sleep problems? Have a try at any of these because you might be able to finally resolve your sleep conditions without chemically-induced medications. However, even if you know these things, it’s still best to consult your local healthcare practitioner so that you know what’s causing your inability to sleep fast and well.
