Help for Anxiety and Sleep Loss

The high-pressured lives we all lead leaves many of us often stressed out, anxious, and unable to get proper sleep at night.

Perhaps, we’ve become too caught up in the rat race, we are continually trying to stay on top of our busy schedules, and sometimes, it is all just a little too much to handle. Sadly, at times, we cannot take a well-deserved vacation to remove ourselves from the pressure-cooker of everyday life. We struggle on and end up feeling even more stressed out and anxious. The quality of our sleep deteriorates, as a result of which we are unable to recharge our batteries adequately at night. This is somewhat of a vicious circle, however, there are some excellent home remedies and methods to calm us when anxious and to help improve the quality of our sleep.

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Embrace Your Sensitivity

It’s often the most sensitive and smart people who have the greatest susceptibility to stress and anxiety. Often, there is a tendency to berate oneself for feeling anxious and stress, whereas instead, we should really appreciate our capacity to feel and to recognize feelings. Such sensitivity may increase the susceptibility to anxiety, however, it also brings significant benefits. Sensitive people are usually great empaths and as such excellent at forming lasting relationships.

Consequently, rather than trying to beat yourself up about feeling anxious, celebrate your sensitivity, be kind toward yourself and appreciate your ability to recognize all the different feelings and emotions you have.

Herbal Remedies and Essential Oils

The power of herbal remedies must not be underestimated, and many traditional herbal remedies have since been scientifically proven to work. The same can be said about the herbs used to promote sleep and induce a calm disposition. All the following herbs are available as herbal teas, tinctures or capsules, while some of them are best used as essential oils.

• Lavender: The essential oil is particularly popular and you can either add a few drops to a hot bath at night or put a few drops on your pillow.
• Hops: Hops tincture or capsules are also commonly used to treat sleep disorder or reduce anxiety. This potent sedative herb has long been renowned for its sedative properties.
• Chamomile: Chamomile is one of the very best herbs you can possibly enjoy as tea. Not only does it have calming properties, but it is also good for digestion and many other areas of your body. Chamomile tea is freely available and extremely beneficial.
• Passionflower: Passionflower is one of the more common sedative herbs said to promote calm and relaxation. It may also cause drowsiness and should not be taken for more than one month at a time.
• Lemon Balm/Melissa: Lemon Balm has been used as a relaxant for many generations. Today, you can take it as an herbal tea, tincture or in capsule form. The oil is also a popular bath oil ingredient.
• Valerian: Valerian is a powerful herbal sedative used to promote sleep. The tea doesn’t taste good and therefore, people much prefer taking capsules or drops. Like passionflower, valerian can make you feel drowsy.
• Omega 3: A recent study has indicated that taking 2.5mg of omega 3 per day, preferably from food sources, can reduce anxiety levels within 12 weeks.

These herbs contain potent active ingredients and should only be taken in consultation with a physician. These herbs are not suitable when taking medication.

Mindfulness, Meditation, and Yoga

The mindfulness technique has steadily been growing in popularity as a means of stress relief. The concept originates in Buddhist practice and essentially teaches us to “be present in the moment.” You can simply start by trying to focus on the present, your breath, your present surroundings while allowing distracting thoughts to fade into the distance. By remaining grounded in the present moment, anxiety levels are said to drop, and mindfulness exercises can also help to make falling asleep easier.

Meditating regularly can also contribute to the lowering of anxiety levels and the improvement of sleep. You can find guided meditations on the internet or may even attend meditation classes locally.

Yoga exercises, poses, and breathing techniques can also improve the quality of your sleep and reduce anxiety levels. People who do yoga exercises on a regular basis breathe differently, even outside of yoga practice. They find themselves considerably more relaxed and better able to cope with the daily stresses and strains. Enrolling in a yoga class is certainly worthwhile if you are trying to ease tension and improve the quality of your sleep.

Exercise

An increasing number of doctors and psychiatrists are propagating regular exercise as a natural way to ease stress and anxiety. During exercise, serotonin is produced and released in our brain, and this neurotransmitter is associated with positive feelings and a good mood. Apart from providing obvious benefits to overall physical health, regular exercise is also thought of as a great source of stress relief.

Studies have indicated that 21 minutes of exercise per day can significantly reduce stress and anxiety levels. Exercising in the afternoon or evening is said to be particularly beneficial because the drop in body temperature after exercise can induce sleep more quickly.

The Great Outdoors

Several studies have indicated that spending time in nature, hiking or even a walk in the park can significantly reduce our stress levels and improve the quality of our sleep. Taking in the sights, breathing in fresh air, and moving within natural surroundings are all said to induce calm and feelings of well-being. Experts believe that taking regular breaks to spend some time outside can also increase our productivity and enhance our memory.