Why is Having Good Sleep Important?|Top 18 Natural Sleep Aids for Better Sleep

Proper sleep is a precursor for a healthy life. For good and healthy life, it is necessary to have a good night’s sleep. There are certain hours in the day, which need to be dedicated to proper rest, as this contributes towards better mental and physical health. In children and teens, good sleep helps in growth and development, and hence proper attention should be paid to the causes and circumstances that lead to sleep deprivation.

Lack of sleep results in problems, such as lack of concentration, decreased creativity and learning power. Sleep deprivation also causes lot of health disorders as well; such as diabetes, kidney disorders, fluctuation in blood pressure and even depression. Insomnia or sleep deprivation has become a common disorder in today’s world; and thus you need to be aware about the different ways through which you can get enough sleep or improve your sleep. Hence, described below are the best natural 18 sleep aids that promote better sleep.

1. Sip Warm Milk and Honey: Having a mug of warm milk with one teaspoon of honey is the best home remedy for sleep. Amino acids present in milk increases the amount of serotonin, which relaxes your mind, promoting better sleep. Minor hunger pangs can also be satiated with this concoction. You can also add a banana to this combination, which will help you feel more full and satiated.
2. Manage Stress With Exercise: Stress is one of the major causes that lead to sleep deprivation. Thus, you need to manage stress, which could be done easily with exercises. While you meditate and spend time on your body exercising and breathing fresh air, you definitely are contributing towards de-stressing and a path towards better sleep. Exercise gives you a feeling of well being, combats stress, releases happy hormones, alleviates depression and promotes good sleep. Thus, exercise is one of the best natural sleep aids to get better sleep.
3. Follow Proper Bedtime Ritual: You should maintain a proper routine in terms of the time when you go to bed, and the time when you wake up. Make sure you follow the same routine daily. Following the same sleep routine tunes your internal body clock to naturally fall asleep at the right time daily. Correct sleep routine is the most important thing to follow to aid sleep naturally.
4. Hot Bath: Studies have proved that taking a hot bath right before you sleep relaxes your mind and body, thus promoting better sleep. Soaking into a hot tub also helps you in relaxing after a long tiring day thus encouraging sleep naturally.
5. Try Melatonin: Melatonin is a hormone, which controls the sleep and wake cycles. Taking a Melatonin supplement helps in increasing your sleep naturally.
6. Drink Passionflower Tea: One cup of passionflower tea in a day also helps in giving you a better quality of sleep, thus making it an effective natural sleep aid.
7. Check Your Medications: If you are taking certain drugs or medicines; and if you are finding difficulty in sleeping, then it is better to consult your doctor as one of the medicines, which you are taking, may be causing the disruption in your sleep. So it takes something as simple as changing your medicine to have a good night’s sleep. So, do not hesitate to ask your doctor if you have any doubts regarding any of your medicines disrupting your sleep.
8. Improve the Feng Shui: Feng Shui is more important than decoration of your home. So, keep your bedside as per the Feng Shui tips to improve your sleep naturally.
9. Valerian: Valerian is a plant, which aids in sleep. Valerian supplement can be taken for getting better sleep naturally. Alternatively, a Valerian plant can be placed inside your bedroom. You just have to inhale the oxygen that the plant emits to get proper sleep naturally.
10. Get Acupuncture: This is one of the famous Chinese therapies. Acupuncture stimulates certain specific points in the body, which causes the energy in your body to flow with an increased pace, and thus you feel fresh all the time during your day and get good sleep at night.
11. Use Your Bedroom for Sleep Only: Placing TV or laptop in the bedroom leads to stress, as you keep yourself engaged with these devices till late in night. So, keep such devices away from your bedroom so that you do not feel distracted at the time when you are supposed to sleep. Keep your bedroom your sleep sanctuary and use it for sleeping only to aid good sleep.
12. Drink Chamomile Tea: Chamomile tea is good in taste and provides stress relief and good sleep to you. Chamomile tea helps in inducing sleep naturally.
13. Get Your Carbs: You should also focus on your diet. Avoid junk foods and eat healthy and nutrient rich foods including carbohydrates. A good diet goes a long way in improving your sleep naturally.
14. Magnificent Magnesium: Deficiency of magnesium in your body may result in reduction of sleep and disturbance in the sleep pattern. Magnesium is a mineral, which plays a role in GABA receptors so that a person feels relaxed and allows the nervous system to work normally. Taking magnesium rich food or a magnesium supplement helps in promoting better sleeping patterns naturally.
15. Utilize Lemon Balm: Lemon balm is a remedy used since ancient times. People still use it, but not many know about its magical effects. Lemon balm is one herbal remedy, which acts as a cure for many diseases including asthma, snakebite and insomnia. Take 2 teaspoons of lemon balm with boiled water before going to bed to get restful sleep naturally.
16. Create the Right Ambience: The place where you sleep should be comfortable for you; and accordingly you should create the desired ambience. Be it a soundless room or mild music while sleeping; whatever it takes to promote relaxation and good sleep should be done. Depending on your preferences, create an atmosphere in which you feel restful to get sound sleep naturally.
17. Cozy Up With Catnip: Catnip is a plant, which belongs to mint family. The leaves of Catnip have sedative effect on humans. Catnip contains nepetalactone, an organic compound, which makes a person relaxed, drowsy and ready for bed. You can take catnip in the form of tea and add one tablespoon of honey for imbibing sweet taste. Honey is only added for taste, and hence its optional.
18. Reading: Reading is one such habit, which promotes relaxation and good sleep and at the same time gives us lot of enjoyment and knowledge. Read more and more, and get to sleep at the right time.

Thus, this is how you can prepare your mind and body to have a better sleep and relaxation. Each individual reacts to different natural aids in a different manner; hence, find out what your body wants, and adapt or modify things accordingly.