Natural Treatment for Insomnia

Don’t stay awake thinking about sleep: The more you try to fall asleep the less successful you will be. Instead divert your mind by visualizing images that relax you, like a beachside, or a sunset or a beautiful garden. Try and be as specific you can in recalling these images, think of the colors, the sights and the sounds of these places. Imagine yourself in one of these settings and feel the joy and happiness associated with these pictures. 

Get regular exercise: But don’t exercise 3 hours before bedtime. Exercise like swimming, walking and cycling are extremely calming. Do anything that relaxes you like listening to music, or chatting with a friend, or maybe cooking a special dinner. 

Try deep breathing and meditation techniques: Learn to meditate and deep breathe. You can join classes in your neighborhood, or buy self-help books or audiotapes that teach this technique. Meditation is one of the most effective and well-used relaxation techniques. Learning yoga is also a good way to relax your mind and body. In the Buddhist tradition, people suffering from insomnia or nightmares may be advised to meditate on "loving-kindness", or metta. This practice of generating a feeling of love and goodwill can have a soothing and calming effect on the mind and body. This seems to stem partly from the creation of relaxing positive thoughts and feelings, and partly from the pacification of negative ones. In the Mettā Sutta, Siddhartha Gautama, "The Buddha" tells the gathered monks that easeful sleep is one benefit of this form of meditation.

Try listening to soothing music: A study conducted in a Cleveland hospital found that older people who listened to soothing and relaxing music as they lay in bed slept better and for a longer time. Try relaxation techniques as you listen to the soothing music and you will get good results. 

Get help if you are stressed: One of the biggest causes for insomnia is stress, and right now Americans are stressed about a lot of things, war in Iraq, rising interest rates, the economy and so on. For instance Detroit, a state that is reeling under the slowdown in the automobile industry, has among the highest complaints of insomnia. If you suffer from such stress and anxiety then talk to a qualified therapist or counselor. 

Try light treatment: Expose yourself to very high intensity lights for an hour or so as soon as you get up. This changes the melatonin level in your body so you can fall asleep earlier at night. You can buy these full-spectrum high-intensity lights in any health store.

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