As we age, it does take a toll on our regular sleep, and with reason. If we understand them, we can cope better with the phenomenon. We may not sleep well at night and then get caught napping on the sofa or while reading the newspaper! Sleep has been elusive for many people of all ages since the pandemic, as there is a rise in anxiety. Per se, not getting sleep could be because of age, health issues, habits, stress, environment, etc. If we can diagnose the prime factor impacting our sleep, we may succeed in fixing it. And from a very long time we are also using some home remedies for sleep about which you will find about in this article.
Unless you have specific health issues causing sleeplessness, you could always try a few tips and tricks to get sleep. Ideally, we should get eight hours of sleep. However, anywhere between six to eight hours of sleep is good enough if it is not causing any disruptions in our daily life. Therefore, you could always try a few proven home remedies backed by science to put you to sleep. Well, if not lullabies, at least these should do the trick! Also, you could check if the troubling factor is your bed or the pillow, as even that can impact your sleep quality.
Warm Milk
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Perhaps, a few of us have been trying to avoid that warm glass of milk at bedtime since childhood! It’s time to change it. Indeed, drinking a warm glass of milk at night is a one of the good home remedies for sleep. Milk has chemicals that imitate tryptophan effects on our brains. Tryptophan is the building block of serotonin, which works in the sleep-wake transition. Also, it helps the production of melatonin, which makes us sleepy. Scientific studies on focus groups of people above 60 proved that drinking warm milk before bedtime helped them sleep more easily. So, it appears our grannies had this wisdom and wanted to develop this habit in us.
Chamomile Tea
We Indians have a specific time for tea and a specific concept about tea. Chamomile tea does not adhere to either of these. It is not tea prepared with tea leaves and milk which we are used to drinking throughout the day. Hence, you can drink this tea at night as it does not contain caffeine, which impacts our sleep. Rather, it has the opposite effect and helps induce sleep. Components in the Chamomile tea interact with benzodiazepine receptors in our brain and help with the sleep-wake transition. Chamomile tea packs are available in the market nowadays. It is hassle-free and not time consuming. Try it and see if this helps you sleep better, as there are no side effects.
Almonds
Everyone knows about the use of almonds for improving cognitive capabilities. They say eating almonds every day builds immunity and also memory power. However, very few know that almonds can help you sleep as well. For best results in getting sleep, you can mix a little badam powder in that warm glass of milk at night. This has a soothing effect on our brain. Ayurvedic home remedies too, suggest it to help you get to sleep.
Cinnamon tea
Here’s another tea you can have at night to help you get to sleep. It is also among the good home remedies for sleep. Cinnamon is found in every Indian kitchen and is a flavourful ingredient for many dishes. However, few are aware that it has a lot of medicinal properties, Just brew a Cinnamon tea and have it at night to feel relaxed all over. Blood sugar spikes are also a reason for people not getting sleep at night. Cinnamon can help with this as it stabilises blood sugar. Drink it in limited quantities. It can have some side effects on your liver when taken in excess.
Ashwagandha
Also called Indian Ginseng, Ashwagandha is a vital ingredient in many Ayurvedic remedies. It has many health benefits, including sleep-inducing properties. Research on the topic found that it helped people sleep better because of the natural triethylene glycol (TEG) present in it. Another study also suggested that Ashwagandha acted as GABA receptors that worked in the sleep-wake circuit, as in the case of warm milk and chamomile. Additionally, it helps reduce stress, which can add to its sleep-inducing capabilities.
These are easy and harmless home remedies to try to fall asleep or improve your sleep quality. However, these do not constitute sleep treatments, and if you have significant issues with sleep, please consult a qualified specialist to diagnose and solve the problem.
