Having a good night sleep gives you a great boost of energy you need to start your day. In the world of smartphones and busy lifestyles, the importance of getting a good night’s sleep is often ignored. Over 30 to 50 percent of the American population experiences sleep problems. While many opt for sleeping pills, medications have side effects that could potentially aggravate the problem. Instead, natural sleep problem solutions are an effective way to help optimize your sleep quality and promote your overall well-being.
Though sleep disorders are prevalent across a major proportion of the world’s population, they are some of the most ignored health issues. Irrespective of age, almost every person deals with sleep issues at some point in their life. The inability to fall asleep is referred to as insomnia. Unfortunately, ignoring sleep disorders for a long time can eventually lead to various illnesses.
Some of the symptoms associated with sleep disorders include:
Fortunately, natural sleep problem solutions can help reduce these symptoms. There can be various reasons for sleep deprivation, which can seriously affect the quality of your life. Here are some of the factors that contribute to poor sleep:
Stress is one of the major factors contributing to sleep problems. Your body is equipped with a natural stress-fighting mechanism known as the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response System. This intricate network is made up of several organs and six circuits including the Neuroaffect Circuit. The adrenal glands—a pair of walnut-shaped glands located above your kidneys—are key components of the NEM Stress Response.
When your body experiences stress, the NEM Stress Response System signals your adrenal glands telling them to produce more of the anti-stress hormone cortisol. If stress continues over a prolonged period, the adrenal glands are forced to continuously produce large quantities of cortisol. However, at some point, your delicate adrenals will become overburdened and no longer capable of producing adequate amounts of cortisol. This, in turn, reduces your body’s natural stress-fighting ability, leading to chronic fatigue.
If you frequently experience extreme fatigue along with other symptoms such as problems falling asleep, low concentration levels, difficulty waking up, brain fog, constipation, low energy levels, stubborn weight gain, and cravings for salty and fatty foods, you may be suffering from Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS). Getting adequate sleep helps your body to repair, recharge, beat stress, and maintain a healthy balance of hormones, including cortisol. Therefore, making sure you’re getting good restorative sleep is an essential part of Adrenal Fatigue recovery.
The Neuroaffect Circuit of the NEM Stress Response System is made up of the brain, gut, and autonomic nervous system. This important circuit is responsible for controlling sleep, cognition, and mood. Inadequate sleep can lead to imbalances in this circuit causing mood swings, poor cognition, lack of concentration, and anxiety. Luckily, natural sleep problem solutions promote the health and functions of your Neuroaffect Circuit.
Getting enough sleep is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle. Adequate sleep ensures there is a healthy balance of hormones in your body which are crucial to all your body’s functions. Your body requires adequate rest every night for several reasons including:
The amount of sleep someone requires differs from person to person. On average, seven to eight hours of sleep per night is recommended for adults. However, some people require up to 10 hours of sleep to feel at their best. Recent research showed that more than 7 to 9 percent of the adults in the US regularly do not get enough sleep. Furthermore, many people reportedly struggle with occasional sleep problems caused by anxiety, sleep apnea, or pain at night. This can directly affect your quality of life.
If you’re among those who regularly do not get the recommended amount of sleep, you’re at a higher risk of developing various health issues. Disturbed sleep can affect your physical and mental health. Sleep problems can cause brain fog, fatigue, stress, reduced productivity, moodiness, relationship problems, irritability, poor immunity, and heart health.
In the long run, sleep problems have been linked to numerous health issues, both psychological and physical. Some of the health problems resulting from sleep deprivation include:
Adopting some natural sleep problem solutions can significantly improve the quality of your sleep, thereby promoting your overall health and wellbeing.
According to estimates, a considerable proportion of the American population has known sleep problems. Conventional medicine can only provide temporary relief. Here are some effective sleep problems solutions that you can use to improve the quality of your sleep:
Minimizing stress is one of the best sleep problem solutions. The anti-stress hormone cortisol helps your body deal with stress. When you wake up in the morning, cortisol levels are high and gradually decrease throughout the day, dropping just before bedtime to initiate sleep. However, constant stress can lead to cortisol imbalance, which could mean the levels of this hormone are not low enough at bedtime leading to sleep problems. Stress can keep you awake in numerous ways. Racing thoughts, an unpleasant environment, and electronic gadgets place stress on your body. But minimizing stress can help prevent cortisol imbalance and promote sound sleep. To reduce stress, consider setting aside some time to relax at least 30 minutes before bedtime. During this time, stay away from electronic devices, read your favorite book, or write down your schedule for the next day.
Fixing a particular time to go to sleep at night is a vital part of maintaining a regular sleep cycle. It also helps prepare your body to fall asleep. When your sleep hormones levels are balanced, you’re less likely to have sleep problems. Melatonin levels rise approximately two hours before you go to sleep, whereas cortisol levels go down. One proven natural sleep problem solution is to regulate your sleep schedule. This simply means going to bed and waking up at a set time every day and ensures a healthy balance of sleep hormones (melatonin, cortisol, and orexin) in your body.
Another of the proven sleep problem solutions is creating a good sleep environment, which is basically that prepares your body to fall asleep. The pineal gland of your brain produces the sleep hormone melatonin and is considered your body’s natural pacemaker. Studies have shown that blue light (from TVs, laptops, and cell phones) suppress melatonin production, whereas red light is less likely to suppress melatonin. So, before you go to sleep, stay away from artificial lights and electronic devices since they interfere with hormone production. When you’re getting ready for bed, consider keeping your bedroom dark by switching off any artificial lights, maintain an ideal room temperature (slightly cooler is better), make sure your bed is comfortable, and play some soothing music.
What you eat has a direct effect on your overall quality of sleep. Diet plays a significant role in the production of neurotransmitter and hormones, which are key to helping you feel relaxed and initiating sleep. Avoid sugar and carbohydrates before going to bed is best. Also, meal timing is another factor that impacts sleep. Make sure you don’t hit the sack feeling hungry since low blood sugar levels can wake you up in the middle of the night. Consider eating 2–4 hours before bedtime. In addition, certain foods have sleep-promoting properties. Foods rich in tryptophan, complex carbohydrates, magnesium, and B vitamins all help promote better sleep. Therefore, adding some of these components to your diet can serve as effective sleep problem solutions. Limit or avoid caffeine, sugar, alcohol, nicotine, and processed fats as they contribute to sleep problems. The Adrenal Fatigue Diet is packed with nutrition and can help promote sound sleep and boost your energy levels.
Adrenal breathing exercises are an effective tool for improving sleep quality. Breathing exercises help reduce stress, ease anxiety, boost mood, provide relief from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lowers blood pressure levels.
Aromatic compounds in essential oils have soothing and therapeutic properties which help relax the body and mind. Both chamomile and lavender essential oils offer relaxing and sleep-promoting properties. Therefore, they are often used in aromatic candles and aromatherapy. Inhaling chamomile vapors can help ease stress and anxiety. Try diffusing lavender oil in your bedroom or gently massage your neck with the oil. Or you could also consider taking a warm water bath infused with essential oils around 30 minutes before bed.
Making certain changes in your lifestyle can go a long way in enhancing your quality of sleep. Avoid stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine close to bedtime. Before going to bed, don’t do any strenuous exercise that increases your heart rate or cortisol levels. This can interfere with your ability to fall asleep. Having a glass of raw milk or a handful of soaked almonds before bedtime can ensure a restorative sleep.
A busy lifestyle packed full tight schedules and technology can massively disrupt your sleeping patterns, leading to sleep problems. Regularly missing out on essential sleep can have a negative effect on your body and increase your risk of developing various health problems. Getting adequate sleep at night is crucial for keeping your body and mind functioning properly. Thus, restorative sleep is the cornerstone of optimal health. Most people suffering from Adrenal Fatigue experience sleep problems, which could mean difficulty falling asleep or waking up several times throughout the night. If you’re suffering from AFS, it is important to seek out an Adrenal Fatigue specialist, who can help you get to the bottom of your sleep problems and address them, so you can get on the right road to recovery. Sleep is one of the most important aspects of Adrenal Fatigue recovery, therefore, addressing the issue early is important.
Natural sleep problem solutions can be effective in helping you maximize your quality of sleep. This can include simply managing stress, following a consistent sleep routine, and making your sleep environment more pleasant. In addition, a healthy diet, breathing exercises, essential oils, and an overall healthy lifestyle will all promote restorative sleep, boost your energy levels, and support better health.
Insomnia is a common symptom of adrenal fatigue. Chemical-laden sleep aids are only a temporary fix. What’s more, if you’re suffering from Adrenal Fatigue, your body is weak making you more sensitive to medications. Therefore, natural sleep problem solutions are a safe and effective way to promote restorative sleep, which will play a major role in your Adrenal Fatigue recovery.
