Insomnia symptoms are common from time to time, but they shouldn’t become a frequent problem. This article outlines five home remedies that can help you sleep.
Everyone goes through a sleepless night or two. Sometimes stressful events or thoughts keep you up at night. Rather than tossing and turning all night, try some home remedies instead.
Home remedies to combat insomnia vary from lifestyle changes to short-term supplement options. How much sleep is enough? Most adults need approximately 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night. However, things happen in life and sometimes you aren’t able to drop off immediately.
If you find that you’re experiencing insomnia symptoms, take a look at the list below. These five remedies can help you get a good night’s sleep.
Home Remedies for Insomnia
Short-term insomnia is common, but it can be disruptive, too. To combat insomnia, try one of the remedies listed below.
1. Lavender
This fragrant herb is used in aromatherapy to improve mood. It’s also known to reduce pain and promote sleep. What’s more, one study showed that taking lavender oil capsules may help improve sleep patterns, especially for people with depression and anxiety.
Try taking 20 to 80 mg orally every day, or use as directed. You can also add lavender essential oil to a diffuser to aid sleep.
2. Mindful Meditation
Mindful meditation has a variety of benefits. That includes:
- stress reduction
- immunity boost
- improved concentration
Meditating is not hard. Sit quietly and focus on your breathing. Breathe slowly and steadily. When you practice mindful meditation, you observe sensations, thoughts, and feelings as they arise, but you don’t hold on to them. You let them pass.
Researchers found that meditating can aid in insomnia and improve your overall sleep patterns.
Incorporate meditation into your lifestyle as often as needed. At a minimum, try to do it 15 minutes a day in the evening or morning.
3. Exercise
Next, exercise is great for your overall health. But it can also improve sleep quality as well. One study found that participants who exercised regularly experienced fewer symptoms of insomnia.
To maximize exercise benefits, aim for moderate exercise for at least 20 minutes a day. Furthermore, you may also want to consider adding strength training or aerobic routine into your exercise habits a few times a week.
4. Magnesium
Can the mineral magnesium help you with insomnia? It can help to relieve stress and relax muscles. And that may also help promote healthy sleep habits.
Researchers in a study found that participants experienced fewer insomnia symptoms after taking 500 mg of magnesium daily. However, recommended doses are a bit smaller. Recommended daily doses are 300 mg for women and 400 mg for men.
In addition, you can also use 1 cup of magnesium flakes and dissolve them in a bath. The mineral absorbs through your skin instead.
Keep in mind, though, that taking this mineral may give you abdominal discomfort. You may want to start with a low dose at first and then slowly increase it to the recommended dosage.
5. Melatonin
This hormone helps regulate your sleep-wake cycles and may be an option for insomnia sufferers. Melatonin is available as a supplement, usually as an oral tablet.
The good news is that you’re unlikely to become dependent on melatonin. Why? Repeated use eventually diminishes the effect. But you should know that sometimes, people who take too much of it develop a hangover effect.
Try a low dose of 1 to 5 mg half an hour before your bedtime. Higher doses may cause side effects like headaches, irritability, and depression. So it’s a good idea to take the lowest dose possible and only use it for short periods of time.
The Bottom Line About Home Remedies
Many of these remedies are effective for short-term insomnia. If, however, you have symptoms that last 3 weeks or more, it may be time to seek professional help. There may be an underlying concern that your doctor can help with.