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You may have seen many articles on how to get rid of insomnia, but eventually living with it is the only option you can make. At night, when thoughts, worries and even creative ideas are “rounded” in your mind, you may find it hard to sleep and feel lonely. It is estimated that 95% of Americans experience insomnia at some point in their lives. This makes them feel tired all the time. Fortunately, there are many tips on how to stop insomnia naturally without pills and fortunately, they will be presented in this article. But before learning about them, you should accurately determine your condition with the following information.
What Is Insomnia?
Insomnia can be considered as a form of sleep disorder. It is a condition in which you have trouble falling asleep. Not only that, you can easily wake up at midnight and cannot continue to sleep. This can be a chronic illness, making you unable to sleep for a moment, even if you are very sleepy. According to The Stir, insomnia significantly affects health. A person who does not get enough sleep for 6 to 8 hours a day will feel tired and restless. Patients with this condition often feel very tired when they wake up in the morning. That affects their productivity throughout the day. There are two types of insomnia: primary insomnia and secondary insomnia:
- Primary insomnia has three forms: idiopathic insomnia, psycho-physiological insomnia, and paradoxical insomnia. They are insomnia due to internal factors.
- Secondary insomnia includes insomnia due to external reasons.
Women often have this condition, especially those who are near the age of menopause. But that does not mean that men cannot get insomnia. It is estimated that 95% of Americans experience insomnia at some point in their lives.30% of patients suffering from insomnia are due to neurological factors. Insomnia can cause some effects on the central nervous system, causing some diseases such as body weakness, peptic ulcer and gastrointestinal bleeding. Therefore, as soon as you notice the signs of insomnia, you need to find ways to treat it [1].
What Are Common Causes Of Insomnia?
Here are common causes of this condition:
- Eat Too Many Protein Foods
A diet rich in protein and low in carbohydrates is good for the heart, but protein takes a lot of time and energy to digest. If you eat a lot of protein foods in the evening before going to bed, your body will have to work hard to digest all that food. Therefore, when you feel hungry in the evening, eat a snack like rice cake or biscuits.
- Consume More Caffeine
According to Prevention, the digestive system needs 45 minutes to 1 hour to consume caffeine. Then caffeine will stay in the body for several hours. That is why when you drink coffee or caffeine, you always feel better. So to avoid being irritated, it's best not to drink coffee in the afternoon.
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- There Is Too Much Light In The Room
Light makes your brain think it is daytime, even when a streetlight outside lights up through the window. In the bedroom, the culprits emit artificial light is the technology equipment, tablet PC and television. So for a deep sleep, turn off the electronics and cover the lights in the room before going to sleep.
- Do Exercise
Everyone knows that exercise promotes health, but doctors recommend that you should not exercise or walk in the evening, especially near bedtime. In the evening, after a tired working day, the internal organs need rest. If you exercise at this time, you will wake up the body. As a result, insomnia is unavoidable.
- Stress
Instead of giving your body the comfort before going to sleep, you force yourself to sleep by all the way. Finally, you fall into a state of constant anxiety. This is called psychological insomnia. In fact, if you are worried about sleeping, you will be more stressed. This feeling makes you cannot sleep.
- Diseases
The diseases you are suffering from can also cause your insomnia, such as chronic pain (fibromyalgia and arthritis), difficulty breathing (GERD and heartburn) or the need to urinate frequently (diabetes).
- Drugs
Certain drugs can cause insomnia, such as antidepressants, corticosteroids, hypertensive drugs, as well as other over-the-counter medications.
- Apnea
Your insomnia may be due to sleep apnea, which is quite common in people who usually snore. This condition occurs when the muscle behind the throat dilates excessively, leading to narrowing of your airways for 10 to 20 seconds, preventing you from breathing for a short time. Your brain will wake you up so you can breathe; this happens continuously in the night and disrupts sleep.
What Are Common Symptoms Of Insomnia?
Symptoms of insomnia are sleep problems. In addition, other symptoms you may experience include:
- You are very hard to sleep at night
- Wake up at night or wake up too early
- After waking up, you feel very tired
- Tired and sleepy during the day
- Uncomfortable, depressed or anxious
- Have trouble concentrating or paying attention.
- Headache or tension.
- Uncomfortable stomach and intestines.
You may experience other symptoms not mentioned. If you have any questions about the signs of the disease, please consult your doctor.
What Are Risk Factors?
A study by the World Health Organization (WHO) found that 27% of the patients surveyed have “insomnia”. This disease affects women more than men because women are sensitive to changes and are more likely to experience anxiety and depression. Insomnia can affect patients of all ages but older people are more likely to suffer from insomnia. Insomnia can be controlled by reducing the triggers. Talk to your doctor for more information. You can control this problem by minimizing risk factors. Please see your doctor for more information.
When To See A Doctor?
If you cannot do everyday activities because of insomnia, you need to see a doctor to determine the cause of the problem and how to treat it. You can also ask your doctor to check all the medicines you are taking, as some medications can affect sleep. If you experience any pain that you cannot sleep, tell your doctor. Besides, if you have any questions, please consult your doctor. Each person's condition is different, so please consult your doctor to select the most suitable option.
Above are some basic information about insomnia. Hopefully with this information, you may have the most comprehensive view of this problem. Here are tips on how to stop insomina anxiety naturally without pills at home that you should definitely give a try. Take a look at TrueRemedies.com!
Top 29 Tips On How To Stop Insomnia Anxiety Without Pills At Home
1. Avoid Or Restrict Naps
The first and foremost tip on how to stop insomnia naturally without pills is to restrict your naps during the day. Although you may want to have a quick nap during the day, napping can be counterproductive to a person suffering from insomnia. If you really need a nap, you should sleep less than 30 minutes and not sleep after 3pm.Keep track of your usual sleeping habits, go to bed and wake up on time every day, even on weekends.
2. Valerian
Valerian has mild sedative nature, which assists you in falling asleep faster and sleeping for a longer period of time. By increasing the amount of GABA, a chemical in the brain exerting a calming effect on nerves, valerian is really worth mentioning in this list of tips on how to stop insomnia at home [2].
What you have to do is:
- Add 1 teaspoon of dried valerian root in a cup of hot water
- Let it steep for 10 minutes before straining
- Have this herbal tea about 2 hours prior to your bedtime
- Do this method twice per day
3. Try Melatonin At Night
This is a functional food that helps you sleep better. Melatonin is a natural substance found in the body. It is responsible for regulating the sleep and wake cycle. Our body will gradually lose the amount of melatonin, which is why functional foods are formed.
Remember not to drink it too early in the evening. It is best to drink it 30 minutes before bedtime. You should consult your doctor before taking this functional food. You should also consult your doctor if you are taking any other medicines. Functional medicinal herbs are made entirely from nature, but sometimes, they may interact with other drugs.
4. Change Your Diet
In regard to how to stop insomnia without pills, changing your diet is very crucial. It is rather surprising to many people to know that their diet plans keep them from falling asleep. However, in fact, the diet plays a big role in neurotransmitter and normal hormone production. This is key to help you feel sleepy and relaxed.
Also, the time you have meals also impact your sleep quality. Do not let yourself feel hunger before bedtime as it might wake you up because of low blood sugar level. Yet, also avoid eating right before hitting the hay. It is best to eat from 2 to 4 hours before your bedtime.
In the dinner, you should avoid sugar and carbohydrate consumption as they provoke your body to burn through them, thereby preventing you from getting asleep.
To relieve insomnia in the long run, you should get healthy fats, which can be found in organic yogurt and avocado.
Check out your potassium and magnesium levels to make sure that you are not deficient in them since these nutrients can help your body relax and have a good night’s sleep.
Add the following foods to your food menu to get better sleep quality:
- Foods rich in tryptophan
- Complex carbohydrates
- Foods rich in magnesium
- Raw milk
- B vitamins
Also, limit the following foods and drinks if you want to stop insomnia:
- Caffeine
- Sugar
- Processed fats
5. Lemon Balm
Similar to valerian, lemon balm has compounds with calming effects. The mild sedative nature of this plant also improves the quantity and quality of sleep [3].
6. Avoid Counting Sheep
If you find difficult to fall asleep (after over 20 minutes of struggling), then do not force yourself to sleep by counting sheep. Instead, get up and do something else for several minutes. However, avoid the activities that require high light. Do lower light activities instead, be it reading a book or journaling.
7. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is one of little – known tips on how to stop insomnia anxiety without pills. Acupuncture will reduce stress by regulating hormone levels, and reducing stress means you'll sleep better. Acupuncture will also support the release of melatonin.
8. Garlic
It sounds too good to be true when it comes to natural tips on how to stop insomnia at home, but garlic does a trick in this case. Having antioxidant along with antimicrobial actions, garlic keeps your body fluids as well as organs healthy and free from infections. Also, it supports the function of our brain and heart, thereby regulating sleep cycle [4].
All you have to do is:
- Chop a garlic clove to add to a cup of milk
- Add ¼ cup of water into this mixture and boil till you get a cup of milk
- Enjoy the warm milk nightly a few minutes before going to bed
9. Jujube
This spiny zizyphs plant has seeds used in Ancient Chinese herbal medicine for sleep-related issues. Due to its mild sedative feature, jujube can impact hippocampus part of the human brain and plays a role of a natural sleep aid [5] [6].
- Boil a handful of jujube (aka Chinese dates) in about 2 to 3 cups of water
- Strain this decoction and drink it either cold or hot.
- Put the remained amount in the fridge for next uses
- Drink 1-2 cups of jujube tea per day
10. Cumin Seeds
Being a culinary spice, cumin seeds are also powerhouse of medicinal properties that help with digestion. The Ayurvedic medicine has taken advantage of cumin seeds for inducing sleep. Similarly, cumin oil also has a tranquilizing effect on sleep.
You can eat the mixture between 1 teaspoon of cumin powder and a mashed banana before bedtime to reap its benefits. Alternatively, make cumin tea by heating a teaspoon of cumin seed on the low heat for 5 seconds, then adding 1 cup of water into before boiling it. After turning off the heat, let the mixture steep for 5 minutes and strain. Enjoy this tea before hitting the bed.
11. Saffron
Thanks to mild sedative effects of saffron, you can get rid of insomnia without cost. In fact, is a plant used for treating many diseases, including asthma, whooping cough, cough, phlegm, insomnia, cancer, depression, fright, heartburn, pain and dry skin, etc.
Women even use this plant for menstrual cramps as well as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) while men make use of it for early orgasm and infertility prevention.
If you are struggling with sleepless, using a saffron herbal supplement or saffron tea can help you avoid sleepless nights or those restless. The best method to use this plant for insomnia relief is to steep about 2 strands of saffron in warm milk or your favorite sweetener and have it before bed.
Note: Generally, saffron is safe for most people if taken by mouth for up to 6 weeks. Nevertheless, there are also possible side effects such as anxiety, dizziness, dry mouth, nausea, appetite changes, drowsiness, and headaches. You should not intake large amounts of saffron because of possible poisoning.
12. Nutmeg
Nutmeg is an Indian spice used in a lot of Indian dishes to promote their flavor and taste. In addition, this spice also possesses some excellent medicinal properties. Especially, nutmeg is known to give almost instant relief for long-standing sleeplessness or insomnia.
A study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology showed that nutmeg can induce and increase sleep duration. Nutmeg owes the natural chemical named trimyristin which is responsible for relaxing tired nerves and muscles, inducing sleep and setting a natural sense of calm. Besides, other chemicals and natural extracts like elemicin, eugenol, safrole, and myristicin are also found in this plant, which have therapeutic and medicinal actions.
There are some ways you can use nutmeg for insomnia removal, which are:
Method 1: Nutmeg And Honey
- Mix 1 pinch of nutmeg powder with 1 teaspoon of honey.
- Drink the mixture 15 minutes prior to going to bed.
Method 2: Nutmeg tea
- Crush a nutmeg fruit and put it into a bowl of water
- Boil them up and then strain the liquid
- Drink this tea after your dinner to unwind, relax and prepare your body for a good night’s sleep
Method 3: Nutmeg and milk
- Add a pinch of nutmeg to a glass of warm milk
- Have it before dozing off to induce sleep
Apart from the methods mentioned above, you can also add nutmeg to your foods like yogurt, soups or curries or even swallow a pinch of this plant with a glass of water before bed.
Note: Nutmeg may react with certain medications that you are taking. So, you had better consult your doctor prior to using it.
13. Provide Water To The Body
The next tip on how to stop insomnia anxiety is keeping your body hydrate from within. People tend to feel tired when dehydrated, because when dehydrated, the blood becomes denser, causing the heart to move more and more to circulate blood, and this makes us fatigued. Your doctor advised you to drink 2 liters of water a day, or about eight glasses, not including soft drinks and coffee. You can also provide natural water to the body by eating fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, celery, and broccoli.
You will easily notice that your body is dehydrated if your urine turns from pale yellow (a sign of providing enough water to the body) to a dark yellow color. Do not wait until you feel thirsty. By the time your brain sends a signal to the body, you have a lack of water, so you will feel thirsty. You should regularly drink water during the day to maintain water intake for the body.
14. Avoid Drinking Alcohol
If you want to know how to stop insomnia anxiety without pills, you need to limit your alcohol intake. Although alcohol is usually present at parties, in fact, they are inhibitors that will make you tired, so you cannot rest at night. They also wake you up at night.
15. Do Exercise
No wonder, proper exercise is always good for health, both physically and mentally. In order to know how to stop insomnia in the long term, you need to keep your body active. Exercising at least 30 minutes a day in the afternoon will help you sleep better in the evening. Increasing energy will help you generate more energy. Exercise boosts the amount of mitochondria that produce energy in the cell, provides additional energy for the oxygen circulation, and produces neurotransmitters and endorphins that provide a sense of well-being [7].
Doing some physical activity in a short period of time can help you manage your fatigue when you go to work or school. Take the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Walk to school instead of taking the bus. Stand up and walk around the office for 1 minute every 30 minutes.
16. Turn Off All Electronic Devices
This is another must-try tip on how to stop insomnia naturally. To fall asleep, your body needs to increase the levels of hormones responsible for sleep. These hormones will make you tired and ready to climb into bed. If you are sitting in front of a computer, using a cell phone or tablet, watching TV, or playing a video game, you are inhibiting the body to produce these hormones. Electronic devices will make it hard for you to feel sleepy. So at least an hour before bedtime, you should not use electronic devices with bright displays, so your body will feel tired and ready to fall asleep.
Some studies have shown that people who play video games more than seven hours a week sleep less than others. If this is your condition and you suffer from chronic insomnia, try reducing the time you spend playing electronic games. Besides bright screens, social media can also cause stress and increase anxiety levels. So at least 1 hour before bed, say no to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Email and other social media.
17. Take A Warm Bath
Taking a warm bath is one of simple but effective tips on how to stop insomnia without pills. Increasing the temperature on the skin will make you feel sleepy and will help you go to sleep more quickly. Take a shower before going to bed for about 30 minutes and enjoy the benefits that warm water brings. For best results, make sure that the water you use for bathing is about 38 ° C. Too cold water will not make you feel sleepy. Hot tubs are a great option to relax, but whether you take a bath or a shower, relax with warm water for at least 20 minutes to get the best results.
18. Improve The Bedroom
The next trick on how to stop insomnia anxiety is to make some particular changes in your bedroom. Many sleep experts believe that bed should only be reserved for sleep and physical closeness, so you should not use a computer or TV in the bedroom. Hang curtains to cover the light to form darkness for the room in the night.
Maintain a cool room temperature. Overheating will make it impossible for you to sleep well. Many studies have shown that wearing a cooler hat at night will make you fall asleep faster and sleep longer. You can use a white noise generator or fan to eliminate the inappropriate noise from the outside environment and create a more pleasant atmosphere.
19. Eat Small Meals
This sounds strange when eating small meals comes to tips on how to stop insomnia anxiety, but it works. Providing a little carbohydrate and protein throughout the day will keep you awake and agile. Also, if you eat every 3 to 4 hours, you will not have hypoglycemia (hypoglycemia causes you to feel tired).
Breakfast is a very important meal to start a new day, so do not skip meals. If you often have to hurry for work or school and do not have time to eat breakfast, you should have ready food that you can bring along on the road. In addition, give your body more fiber to slow down the release of carbs and help you not tired. For example, you can eat popcorn, tortilla, or whole wheat bread at meal time and during snack time.
20. Do Not Drink Too Much Coffee
In general, you should avoid coffee in the afternoon. When you have to live with insomnia, it is difficult for you to do this but you should try to reduce the amount of coffee you consume. Ideally, you should only consume 200-300 mg, or no more than 2 cups of coffee a day.
Energy drinks are not a good choice either. Energy drinks contain about 250 milligrams of caffeine and may increase your caffeine tolerance, which means you will need more caffeine to feel the effect. They also contain a lot of sugar and do not actually provide you more energy than regular sweetener
21. Lower Room Temperature
Warm skin and a cool room are great duo which will help you sleep better. Reduce the room temperature to about 18 ° C or lower. Low air temperature will stimulate sleep and prevent night sweats.
22. Read Books
Knowing how to stop insomnia anxiety naturally is no longer hard if you make a habit of reading books. This habit is a great way to relieve stress and keep your mind calm. Choose a book you love and read a little before bed. Do not read horror stories or action stories because the situations in the story can have the opposite effect. They make the brain unable to rest. Choose a long story. You'll feel drowsy right before you get caught up in the story.
23. Write Diary
Writing diary is another must-try strategy on how to stop insomnia anxiety. If you want to go to bed and feel your mind refusing to rest or you are struggling with daily worries, relax your mind by writing a diary. Record all that happened during the day, and rewrite things that make you nervous and stressed. Move them from your thoughts into the paper, which will make the process of going to sleep easier and also help your dreams lessen anxiety.
Writing diary is also a useful way to handle things that you cannot control, but still feel stressed out because of it, such as the feeling of others (anxiety may be absurd).Try to write down your worries on paper. This can often quickly bring relief. Ask yourself whether you are worried about the actions and feelings of others. You cannot control the actions of anyone else, but sometimes you still feel anxious about others. Remind yourself that you are not responsible for anyone else except yourself. By giving up the desire to control others, you have allowed yourself to escape the pressure. As a result, sleep will come easily.
24. Solve The Root Cause
If you've determined that stress comes from something you can handle, try to list the solution to solve it. Positive solutions can help you feel like you are making progress in dealing with stressors, instead of just going around with negative thoughts. For example, if you are worried about tomorrow's important test, think about how you can handle this pressure by studying more. Are you really capable of cramming a lot of knowledge in a short amount of time? Science says that “you cannot.” However, you may be determined to improve this subject by talking to a teacher or finding a tutor. These things do not help you do the test tomorrow, but they are the decisions that help you relieve stress. As a result, you will feel relaxed and sleepy.
People also worry about important things like relationships or occupations at night, because it's a rare free time to think. Provide a way to solve the stressors of the next day (or next week). Once you have decided your actions, forget it. You know what to do with tomorrow's pressure. You cannot do anything else tonight, so let yourself relax and sleep to regain energy and prepare for your plan.
25. Drink Warm Beverages
Drinking warm beverages is a common tip on how to stop insomnia anxiety. Taking a few sips of warm drinks will relax your mind and body, but limit your intake of caffeine drinks. Instead, drink a cup of milk with honey, a cup of chrysanthemum tea or mint tea. These drinks will induce you to sleep better. Combine warm drinks with reading book or writing diary and you're ready to go to sleep!
26. Nutritional Supplement
Many herbs and minerals have been used since centuries to support sleep. Every night before bed, try using these supplements to see if they help you sleep better:
- Calcium and magnesium have a synergistic effect in helping you fall asleep. Take 600mg of calcium and 200mg of magnesium every night and watch for your change.
- Hop is often used to make beer. However, few people know that it can help you feel sleepy. Hops can treat insomnia and reduce stress. You can take 30-120mg of functional foods which contain hop every night before bedtime.
- Take a functional food containing L-theanine to enhance alertness during the day and improve your sleep at night. You can also drink green tea every morning as green tea also contains small amounts of L-theanine.
- Take functional foods derived from Valeriana. Using Valeriana is one of the oldest remedies for treating insomnia. It helps you sleep better. It is possible to take 200-800mg of this kind of functional food every evening.
27. Set Up A Sequence Before Going To Sleep
Wondering how to stop insomnia without pills? Try to set up a sequence before going to sleep. Do the same thing every night before sleeping. Repeating the same activities every night before going to bed will teach your brain and body when you need to rest. You may also have a “procedure” every night before bedtime, such as washing your face, brushing your teeth, changing your pajamas.
Incorporating a relaxing activity into your sleep routine is also a good idea. For example, you can take a warm bath, read a book, do yoga, or listen to relaxing music. Avoid watching television or using electronic devices such as tablets, laptops or phones as part of your “procedure” every night. The use of electronic devices can cause you to be stressed out. This has a bad effect on your sleep. The light from these devices can also diminish the body's ability to produce melatonin.
28. Use Scent Therapy
This therapy can reduce stress and bring good sleep. Add a few drops of essential oil to the humidifier or oil diffuser so that the scent radiates into the bedroom. You can also use scented candles or bathe with Epsom salt just before going to sleep. Scent therapy with lavender essential oil has been shown to help relax the body and heal insomnia [8]. Chrysanthemum oil is also a good choice.
29. Leave The Bedroom If You Cannot Sleep
To avoid turning a bedroom into a place of pressure, leave the bedroom if you cannot sleep. Do not lie in bed, surf the web or talk on the phone because you cannot sleep. Get out of the bedroom and try to do something to help you get back to sleep. Do not go back to bed if you are not feeling tired and sleepy.
Above are tips to help you stop insomnia. Although they are quite simple, the effect they bring to you will make you surprised. Therefore, let’s apply them to find the one that works best for you. If you have any contributing ideas about our article of “Top 29 Tips On How To Stop Insomnia Anxiety” introduced in How To Category, do not hesitate to drop your words below this post. We will answer as soon as we could.