Insomnia is a reality for most people. The underlying causes of sleep disturbances are varied. Excess caffeine, hypoglycemia, indigestion, and stress are some common causes of insomnia. Insufficient calcium and magnesium a sedentary lifestyle, are factors that play a role.
Many changes can be made in your life to ensure sound sleep. Get moderate exercise in the afternoon or early evening. If you work out too close to beditme, the burst of energy may keep you awake. If you are not active at all your body does not have the change to use up food energy and become tired.
Go to bed when you first begin to feel sleepy. This is a sign you are producing melatonin, your sleep hormone. You may notice it is possible to push past your bedtime and get a second wind. At that point you are forcing your body to run on cortisol and stress hormone. Once cortisol production is in full swing you may feel quite energized. In this state it is difficult for the body to produce melatonin. Keep a regular sleep schedule and get your body in a pattern of becoming tired at the same time everyday.
Keep your room as dark as possible. Try to consciously relax your body from head to toe, take slow, deep long breaths tells the brain it is relaxed. A hot bath in the evening especially with some epsom salt will soothe the muscles and prepare you for bed. Try to avoid alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine as these interfere with your natural sleep patterns.
Take calcium and magnesium in the evening as these minerals relax the muscles and ease the body into sleep. The essential oils of many plants can trigger relaxation add lavender, chamomile or bergamot oil to your bath or diffuse in a room.