A few Sleep remedies

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This was posted on another group, by the owner, Cindi

 

Sleep Remedies

 

Meditation is my number one cure... but this takes time to learn. Andittakes a lot of practice. But once you get it down, it works wonders.Aromatherapy... in a warm (not hot) bath or in a hot pot in water:Lavender, Clary Sage, Marjoram, Chamomile.Herbal tea... avoid black tea (the caffeine and tannins can keep youawake), coffee and chocolate. Herbal tea with lavender, chamomile,hops,valerian, and skullcap work well. This is one I like... " Angel Sleep Tea " 1/2 cup oatstraw 1 cup chamomile 1 cup lavender 1/2 cup hops 1/2 cup skullcap Let steep for about ten minutes.... Drink warm.Ideally, combine the three above... a warm bath with lavender andchamomile, a cup of herbal tea, the light of a candle and meditatingonthe candle flame as you sip the tea.There is an oil remedy called Sleep Ease that has Rescue Remedy in itthat I rub on the soles of my feet... where you have the best nerveendings and is the best transdermal absorption.You can also make your own sleep oil: Sleep Oil 3 drops of Rose essential oil 2 drops of Chamomile essential oil 1 drops of Jasmine essential oilAnoint temples, pulse points at neck and wrist and soles of feet toinduce natural and restful sleep. Do this after your bath andmeditation.Bach's Flower Essences have been very helpful for me... especiallyRescue Remedy, White Chestnut and Impatiens.Practice yoga. And/or tai chi. And go for a walk after dinner.Get massages once a week, but get them in the late afternoon, notevening. Don't think of this as a luxury, my doctor even " prescribed " this for me. You can now find massage therapists that only chargebetween $25-$40 an hour. Once a month isn't too expensive.Get off of the computer or stop watching TV about an hour or twobefore going to bed. The light from these screens are bright enoughtoreset your internal clock. After dark, keep the light in the roomsyou arein as dim as you can... DARK room! Think cave. No tv or computer after10PM. Good time for meditation, listening to music, sipping thattea...Do relaxing and deep breathing exercises. Listen to soft music(classical, new age, nature sounds, angel music) with damp eye pads onyour eyes. " Visualize " yourself sleeping, or floating on a cloud.Keep a notepad and pen by your bedside. Write down the things you needto do, your worries, your concerns. In the morning, write down yourdreams.Keep a journal... write it every night before you go to bed. Get allofthose frustrations out on paper instead of stuck in your head.Make sure your room is dark and cool. Is your bed comfortable enough?Do you need more or new pillows? Are you comfortable in what you sleepin? Do you wear pajamas because you think you should or would you bemore comfortable sleeping in less or in the nude? Make sure yoursheetsare soft and cool.. not itchy. Have room darkening shades or drapes onthe windows or use a nightmask (I have three and wouldn't be withoutthem).Get a teddy bear, especially one filled with lavender... somethingsquishy and cuddly. Seriously!! I was given one when I was in thehospital to hold on to so I would cough (to avoid lung congestion)and Iwas amazed on how well it helped me sleep. Sometimes reverting back tochildhood is a healthy thing to do.Try Bergamot Milk. Bergamot milk is said to be a sedative, it makes apleasant drink. 1 tbsp. dried or 3 tbsp. fresh monarda (leaves and/orpetals) and 1 cup heated milk. Combine milk and monarda. Steep 5-7minutes. Strain and serve.Cooling Cinnamon Powder ¼ cup cornstarch ¼ cup rice flour 1 tbsp cinnamonMix ingredients together until thoroughly blended. Then pour themixtureinto a clean, dry jar with a few holes punched in the lid. Sprinklethepowder on your skin or over your bed sheets for good night's sleep!Falling Stars Body Mist 2 cups distilled water 3 tbs. vodka 5 drops lavender essential oil 10 drops chamomile essential oil 10 drops valerian essential oilMix all the ingredients together in a spray bottle, shake well. Allowtosettle for at least 12 hours. Store in a cool dry place. Spray onafteryour bath and/or spray your bed pillow with the mist.Crystals have been very helpful for me. I have a tiny amethyst pyramidthat I place on my third eye chakra (the center of your forehead)whileI meditate and do relaxing exercises while lying down. Again, I listento music while I do this, especially my angel music CD's. Placingcrystals under your bed (clear or rose quartz are perfect for this),orhanging over your bed. Crystals on a Native American dream catcheralsoare nice. Other crystals good for sleep problems are Labradorite,Smoky Quartz, and Celestite.Color therapy can help... I've found the colors purple and lavenderhavea relaxing effect, blue and green also work. Try these colors insheets,wall colors in your bedroom, relaxing outfits in the evening. Avoidred,orange and yellow as they are energizing.Get a reiki treatment, or better yet take a level one class so you cando self-treatments.If your body twitches or jerks before sleep or just after fallingasleep, try taking vitamin E and calcium.Take Magnesium, 400 mg every night. It makes your brain stop working!Take B6 200mg, helps you remember your dreams, calms inflammation.If you do take Melatonin take 3mg at the same time you take yourmag and B6. Go into the dark room and lie down 15 mins after you takethem. (do the same thing when taking Ambien... too much light cancounteract the effects of both Ambien and Melatonin)Try this smoothie... Sleepless-Night Smoothie 1/2 c orange juice 1/2 c plain low-fat yogurt 2 Tbsp sesame butter 2 tsp honey 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp freshly grated orange peel 1 tsp chlorella or blue green algae (optional) 6 ice cubesPour the orange juice into a blender and add the yogurt, sesamebutter,honey, orange peel, chlorella as desired, and ice. Blend on high speeduntil smooth and serve immediately.Try the Johnson's Baby Lotion (I think there is one with lavenderadded), gently massaging it on your arms, legs, the back of your neck.Some people swear by this.Don't watch TV or read in bed... this just trains your brain for thewrong activity. Use your bed only for sleep and sex...Speaking of which.. orgasmic sex is great for insomnia.Check the medications you are one.. many cause sleep problems. If youare one of these, check with your doctor for a substitution.Do you have ADD? People with ADD/ADHD are notorious for having sleepproblems. Learning about your ADD and coping skills can make adifference.Drink more water. Being dehydrated can make it more difficult tosleep... I learned this one the hard way.Eat foods with tryptophan in the evening... milk, chicken, turkey,pork,tuna, sunflower seeds, cottage cheese.... Also carbohydrates are goodfor relaxing the brain... like a bowl of cereal with milk about anhourbefore bed.Feng shui your bedroom.. I know it sounds strange. But clutter, thewrong bed placement and the wrong colors can greatly effect yoursleep.Saying thank you before you go to sleep... to whatever deity you holddear.. prayer, ritual, a gratitude journal...None of these will work, literally, overnight. It will take time,usually it takes up to 7 weeks to establish a new habit. But try avariety of these things and see what happens. Many, if not most ofthesehave worked for me, if I stick with them. It's a constant battle, butit's one that I've had most of my life... Cindi-- Diana Gonzalez Nothing wastes more energy than worrying - the longer a problem is carried, the heavier it gets. Don't take things too seriously - live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets. -Unknown