You may be working too hard lately and you think that the lack of sleep does not have any effect at all when it comes to your overall health. Well, if this has been your thinking for the longest time, then it is time that you change your view about not having enough sleep. Numerous studies have shown that lack of quality sleep can cause more than just a mere feeling of exhaustion.

It can also lead to accidents, poor performance, illnesses and an unattractive physical appearance that can affect one’s self esteem.

Just like what all of us may know already, it is very important that we get about seven to nine hours of deep sleep and rest to be able to be at your best all the time. Sleep allows the body to heal and repair what is damaged.  So if you want your health to be always at its peak, then getting enough sleep is one of the major things that you should prioritize doing. Sleeping well can keep you slim, steer you away from diseases like diabetes and heart disease, and it does wonders for your memory, too. Hence, if you have been experiencing difficulty in falling asleep, or maintaining sleep, it is time you take action. Here are 12 natural ways to help you get a better shut eye.

1. Come up with an environment that is conducive to sleeping. You must make sure that the room you sleep in is well ventilated and that it allows you to relax. Use sheets that are comfortable as this greatly contributes to the quality of your sleep. Make sure that the noise around you is minimized. Pull down the window shade and momentarily say goodbye to the world outside. Also, make sure that the color of your room is relaxing.  Do not go for wild, splashy colors.  Choose soft hues and muted tones as these tend to evoke a sense of relaxation.
   
   
2. Steer away from caffeine, tobacco and alcohol at night. These are considered to be stimulants which will keep you up all night thinking instead of resting. Even if some think that alcohol can calm your nerves and easily put you to sleep, its sedating effect will not last the entire night. When you take in alcohol, research says that you are most likely to experience nightmares and sudden awakenings so the quality of your sleep is greatly reduced.
   
   
3. Include sleep-inducing foods in your diet. Great examples of food that promote better sleep include bananas, honey, potatoes, almonds, unsweetened cherry juice. Bananas are loaded with magnesium, an important mineral that helps relax the muscles. Drizzling honey in your warm milk can give your cells a little bit of sugar, which is known to turn off a neurotransmitter that stimulates alertness, orexin. Potatoes, on the other hand, helps clear off the acids that can potentially interfere with tryptophan. Almonds contain both magnesium and tryptophan. Cherry juice helps induce serotonin which could help you relax.
   
   
4. Take some warm milk or a relaxing herbal tea. According to food experts and nutritionists, milk has calcium that can make you feel relaxed and amino acids that can slow down your brain activity. If milk is not your preference, you can just have a cup of tea like chamomile, fennel and anise.
   
   
5. Avoid taking any more food or midnight snack before going to bed. The process of digestion requires a lot of energy that will keep you up and awake instead of having you sleep soundly at night. But if you are already used to eating near bedtime, then eat foods that would trigger the release of melatonin and serotonin instead, for this is the hormone that can make you sleepy. Try eating oatmeal and whole-wheat bread instead of foods that contain tyramine which can lead to heartburn. Examples of foods to avoid are red wine, bacon, ham, pepperoni, nuts, and the likes.
   
   
6. Stay strict on setting your bedtime schedule. You may not like your life being in such a strict routine, but believe it or not, your body loves that. If you can, just maintain your sleeping schedule even during weekends. It is important for your biological clock to keep ticking in the right direction.
   
   
7. Take a warm bath and get a massage. If possible, take a warm bath with some bath salts and once you are dry, get a quick massage from an expert or maybe just from your partner. This could help you relieve tension and stress and aid you in clearing your mind to head off to sleep.
   
   
8. Get enough exercise on a regular basis. Even if you sweat while working in the office, this is not enough to serve as your regular workout. Those who work on strenuous physical activities are less likely to experience insomnia compared to those who does pure mental office jobs. A study conducted by researchers from Stanford University Medical School revealed that people whose daily routine includes regular exercise reported better sleep quality.  However, make it a point not to exercise when it’s too close to bed time since this will have a stimulating effect and you’ll be having difficulty falling asleep.
   
   
9. Avoid napping during the day. Yes, napping has benefits of its own but if you would take long sleeps during the day, this can definitely affect your night time sleep. Hence, the point here is to strike a right balance especially if you are used to taking naps already.
   
   
10. Spray on some lavender scent. Scientific research says that scent taken from lavender flowers can increase a slow wave of sleep and can help those who suffer from mild insomnia. Just a few squirts of lavender scent on your pillow can definitely get you to bed sooner than you think.
    
    
11. Wear some socks. This may sound like a trivia but wearing socks can immediately warm up your feet’s blood vessels. It transfers the heat to your extremities which can induce sleep since you feel slightly cooler.
    
    
12. Try to get sexually busy. This of course perfect for those couples who get too busy during daytime with all the work. Yes, you may feel too tired already at night to even romp in the hay but in actuality it can help you sleep well. In the Doctors Book of Home Remedies, researchers discovered that some hormonal mechanisms which are initiated during a sexual activity can help give you better sleep. Besides, it can also be a good up time for you and your spouse to bond.

The list can be endless and there are a lot more to discover. So choose which you find effective and what actually works for you and have better sleep ahead.

Sources
prevention.com
ririanproject.com
healthy.net
impactlab.net
health.yahoo.net