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Having problems getting to sleep or maintaining uninterrupted sleep? You are not alone!
There are many natural, inexpensive, and non-invasive/drugless strategies you can implement
to help yourself get the sleep you desire and need!
The Triad of Health: SLEEP IMPROVEMENT
Physical/ Structural TIPS
Chiropractic care: balances the nervous system by calming sympathetic energy (flight or fight) and stimulates parasympathetic energy (relax, restore, regenerate). Massage is good too!
Properly tend to your injuries: body pain and arthritis are major contributors to insomnia.
Exercise: A minimum of 20 minutes per day; but not within 2 hours of bedtime.
Mattress: not too old and soft, not too hard and nonconforming; helps control motion. (see The Right Mattress )
Pillow: correct height for your size, conforms to your shape, keeps spine straight.
Don’t fight daytime sleepiness; nap for 30 minutes or less; earlier in the day is preferable than later.
Use a neti pot to restore proper health and air passage to your airways as well as reduce allergen reaction.
Do some yoga or easy stretching an hour before bedtime.
Have your kidneys, thyroid, hormone levels checked for possible imbalances.
Lose weight, if needed.
Mental/ Emotional TIPS
Meditate and/or pray daily.
Practice letting go of problems, allowing your “higher power” to work things out; refuse to worry.
Let go of offenses held against yourself and others.
Practice gratitude and count your blessings. (rather than sheep)
Hide your clock or commit to not looking at it at night. If available, switch the light level to low.
Don’t talk about how you “can’t sleep”; reprogram your mind to believe you can sleep peacefully.
Change unsatisfactory lifestyle factors: job, recreation, hobbies, weight, family patterns, routines, relationships.
Consider that you are worth every effort you take to help yourself be as healthy and as functional as possible.
Consider getting some spiritual or psychological guidance to solve problems, or at least be sure to spend some time talking with a trusted friend.
Use your bedroom only for sleep and lovemaking; recondition your mind for proper bedroom use.
If you watch TV at night, choose low-key nature or arts programs. For some, this would be best done in a chair and not in the bedroom.
Create a routine for sleep preparation, beginning a half-hour before bed. Include light stretching to reduce muscle and joint aches.
Reset your internal clock, gradually, to awaken between 6 and 7 a.m. and retire between 10 and 11 p.m.
In bed, calm your mind by using a mantra such as “relax”, “calm”, or "peace".
Write down all your "to-do's" and worries/concerns which may be occupying your mind; tell yourself you'll take care of them the next day.
Chemical/ Nutritional/ Environmental TIPS
Take a warm Epsom salt bath with candlelight and soft scents of jasmine, lavender, rose, marjoram, or hops before bed.
Eat your evening meal at least 2 hours before bedtime; include enough protein to sustain blood sugar for 8 hours; enough carbohydrate to soothe the nerves.
Get your bed-partner to address their snoring or sleep apnea issues.
Eliminate allergens from the bedroom; keep it clean.
Do not allow pets into the bedroom.
Avoid sugary, caffeinated, salty, spicy, rich or fatty food and drinks anywhere near bedtime, especially.
Alcohol and nicotine both interfere with proper sleep even though they may initially sedate you.
Keep your bedroom tidy, noise-free, dark, cool.
Avoid exposure to electromagnetic frequencies from electronics at work and home, especially in the bedroom. Keep devices at least 3 feet from you.
Find out if a medication you are taking may have stimulant effects on metabolism or the nervous system. Ask about alternatives.
Five to ten minutes of deep, easy breathing can raise natural melatonin by 500%.
There are many helpful herbs, homeopathic remedies, and nutritional supplements to help sleep; consult a knowledgeable practitioner for help in choosing them.
Get exposure to sunlight to stimulate the pineal gland, earlier in the day, while avoiding too much light later in the day, especially electronic light/screen light.
Most sleep-inducing drugs create dependence and have toxic side effects.
STRESS REDUCTION: The Relaxation Response Technique
Also, consider learning to meditate. There are many books and tapes regarding the learning of meditation, however, my experience is that most people do better with taking a class from an experienced teacher of meditation. One such teacher is me! (Dr. Nels Chellen)
Please see this link which is available on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pure-Meditation/112093068801657
and this link at Google Sites: https://sites.google.com/site/puremeditation1/
Levin and Chellen Chiropractic
4144 County Road 101, Minnetonka, MN 55345
(952) 474-1777
