One of the most popular workshops is on “How to get a good night's sleep”. Many seniors suffer from insomnia. Having insomnia can cause other issues as a person is deprived of the deep restful sleep needed. Once insomnia has been experienced, the best thing to do is address it quickly. However, many people self-diagnose, which is a mistake. Always check with your doctor if you are having problems with your sleep.
Here are some ideas that may help you move towards having
good sleep hygiene which may allow you to sleep better.
Saying a mantra once the head hits the pillow, has
been shown to be very effective. The simple mantra used in yoga is, “Om” Using
the phrase Om repeatedly, does work for some people. As it is the only phrase
repeated, it induces deep peace within the body, allowing it to drift off.
Many people prefer to come up with their own mantra, which
has a deep meaning to them. Frequently they will journal their thoughts and
narrow phrases down until finding the perfect one for their needs. An example
of a personal mantra would be, “I am safe while drifting amongst the warmth and
light.” Along with the mantra, music very low in the background is
helpful for inducing sleep. The type of music used, should be something along
the lines of Gregorian chanting. The repetitive nature of the music has a
hypnotizing quality to it.
Making your own healing tea can be an enjoyable time, as you
learn what mixtures work best for you. Even making tea just for general
enjoyment, can turn into a bit of a hobby with…different pots, cups and special
tea bags to fill with your choices. Herbal teas can certainly help with
bouts of sleepless nights.
Magnesium helps your tense muscles to relax and has also been
shown to combat stress. Both these issues can contribute to sleepless nights.
Magnesium can be introduced several ways. Having a warm bath before sleep is
always good and why not try adding magnesium flakes to the bathwater. Your skin
can absorb the magnesium and get it into the blood stream. The other method to
try is magnesium in capsule form. Make sure to read the prescribed dosages for
males and females…as it differs.
If your natural melatonin production is off, it could be
causing issues with your sleep. Melatonin is what the brain releases when we
settle down for sleep and the variety of sleep stages we go through. When using
melatonin capsules, take the lowest amount possible at first and watch
for side effects before increasing the dosage. Taking melatonin can cause
dizziness or headaches if the dosage is too high.
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