6 Natural Ways to Fall Asleep

Experts recommend somewhere between seven and nine hours of sleep per night for energy, memory, muscle repair and overall health. Are you tired of feeling bad because you can’t get a good night’s rest? Sure, there are medications that will knock you right out, but the side effects of those are often worse than the insomnia they cure. Here are six natural tips for falling and staying asleep.

1. CBD Products

According to the Sleep Foundation, CBD oil, a derivative of cannabis, is effective at decreasing anxiety and improving sleep quality. Cannabinoid is a compound of the hemp plant that doesn’t contain THC. 

Therefore, using a CBD product doesn’t have a psychoactive effect on your brain. You get all the relaxation properties of marijuana, but not the high. This makes CBD a popular alternative to pharmaceuticals for anyone looking for a few extra hours of meaningful rest.

2. Warm Golden Milk

Your mom’s warm milk has been helping you fall asleep since you were little, and it can still do so today. Milk contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid that humans can’t produce naturally, which makes you feel sleepy. Adding a bit of turmeric to make the ancient Ayurvedic recipe, golden milk, creates a powerhouse of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties that help you relax and fall asleep. Make yourself a mug of golden milk 30 minutes to an hour before your bedtime and snuggle in for a calming, nostalgic night.

3. Lavender Aromatherapy

While the medical properties of essential oils may have been grossly overstated in the past, there are numerous studies touting the positive effects of lavender on anxiety and insomnia. Using lavender oil as a sleep aid is a fantastic, non-invasive way to induce a restful mindset. Apply a drop or two to a tissue, a diffuser or a warm bath, and let yourself inhale the pleasant aroma of the calming herb. Not only will you start to feel sleepy, but you’ll enjoy your wind-down routine every evening.

4. Chamomile Tea

Another ancient herb known for its sedative effects is chamomile. Most often consumed as a tea, chamomile has been a common natural sleep aid for many centuries. In addition to its tranquilizing properties, drinking chamomile tea about 90 minutes before bedtime hydrates your body, allowing you to remain asleep through the night without getting thirsty.

5. A Hot Bath

Lots of factors can contribute to insomnia, one of which is muscle pain. When it hurts to lie down and stay still, trying to fall asleep can be painful. In these cases, the benefits of a hot bath are twofold. The heat of the water helps to relax your muscles and ease the pain. Additionally, soaking in the water gives your body the feeling of being wrapped in a warm blanket, a natural precursor to bedtime. Bath time can be enhanced by the addition of other aids, like essential oils or Epsom salts.

Just don’t try to hurry the process by taking a shower instead. That may have the reverse effect and cause your body to wake up.

6. Meditative Practice

If your lack of restful sleep can be attributed to your mental state, then learning how to quiet your mind may be the cure for your insomnia. By implementing a mediation practice before turning to sleep medications, you may be saving yourself from a lifetime of chemical dependence and harmful side effects. Plus, there are countless free meditation guides online that can show you how to calm your brain by focusing on stillness and breathing.

If you’ve ever had insomnia, then you know how the loss of a good night’s sleep contributes to feelings of anxiety, depression, sluggishness and irritability. These negative attitudes filter into all aspects of your life, endangering relationships and hindering your ability to work.

There are numerous tools out there for helping people remedy their nightly regimens. Working through this list can allow you to narrow down the causes of your insomnia and hopefully overcome them without the need for pharmaceutical intervention.