6 Ways to Ease Insomnia Without Medication

Are you feeling drained and sleepy all day, but can’t get a good quality sleep at night? You’re not alone! This is a common sleep problem which can affect adolescents, adults and elderly people. It’s a sleep disorder in which a person can experience difficulty in falling and or staying asleep. Other common symptoms are not feeling well rested after a night’s sleep, daytime tiredness, irritability and out of focus. There are various causes of insomnia, such as stress, poor sleep habits, eating too much late in the evening and a lot more. For some, they prefer to take medications, natural or herbal sleep products just to get some rest. If you are interested in these options, just be mindful not to be too dependent as it may have side effects on your health. Before going to the counter and pay for that pill, why don’t you first try other methods to ease insomnia without medication? 

Below are some tips you can do to ease your insomnia without medication.

1. Exercise

Doing regular exercise is not just for weight loss benefits, but can boost overall health. It can enhance your mood, give you more energy and promote you to have a better sleep.  Try to engage in moderate exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes each day. Activities like brisk walking, aerobics, bicycling slower than 10 miles per hour (16.09 km/h) and dancing can be your options to choose from depending on your preferred intensity. You can also hit the gym with some strength and weight training, just watch out for possible injuries. It’s better to consult a professional fitness instructor for guidance. Also, take into consideration your body and exercise accordingly. There are a lot of benefits of having a regular workout, but if you have medical conditions, consult your doctor first.

2. Avoid excessive intake of sugar, caffeine and nicotine

Your daily food intake has an effect on your ability to get to sleep and stay asleep. Watch out in your sugar intake as it may cause uneven blood sugar levels. It can disrupt your sleep in the middle of the night when blood sugar falls. Try to limit your caffeine intake, alcohol and nicotine as they may cause insomnia and restlessness. Too much caffeine consumption increases blood pressure and heart rate, irritability and sleepless nights.

3. Insomnia Without Medication : Massage

Massage therapy is beneficial for people with insomnia. It improves blood circulation, reduces stress hormones and achieves body relaxation which can help you to fall asleep. It’s generally safe to get a massage, but it won’t hurt if you check your doctor first, in case you have a medical condition that might impede the benefits. If you have sensitive skin or allergies to creams and oils, make sure to do a skin patch test before use.

4. Aromatherapy

Essential oils are some of the folk remedies to help people fall asleep. These can help to calm and relax the mind and the body, preparing you for sleep. You can choose from a lot of varieties such as lavender oil, valerian, roman chamomile and a lot more.

5. Comfortable bed and blankets

Associate your bedroom with relaxing and calm ambiance, not stress. Avoid bringing your laptop and dealing with your work while in bed. It would also be a great advantage to have a comfortable mattress, blankets and soft pillows.

These things are necessary in promoting restful sleep. You can also consider having a weighted blanket (also known as gravity blanket) which can provide a lot of health benefits such as to combat stress, ease restless leg syndrome and eases insomnia. It is recommended for you to first get some idea on how to choose a weighted blanket from its wide varieties, size and material. There are several types available via online shopping but make sure to check the things you need to consider when buying your first weighted blanket.

6. Warm milk before bedtime

This is not new to most of us, you can probably recall your childhood memories drinking a warm glass of milk during bedtime right after storytelling to have a good sleep. Well, this method is not just effective for children, but also for adults who suffer from insomnia. Milk and other dairy products have tryptophan, an amino acid which can help promote sleep.

Most adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep to keep up with the day-to-day activities. Good quality sleep is essential to health, recovery from illness and keeping your metabolism normal. If you have tried these methods and didn’t work, try to consult a sleep specialist. Don’t wait to suffer serious effects of insomnia. As everyone says, true wealth is having good health!