Improving Your Sleep Patterns
by Rev. Patrice Joy Masterson, MA, Reiki Master
What you eat affects your ability to sleep. Avoid eating pasta and meat casserole late in the evening. Carbohydrates and protein, as well as sugary desserts can disturb restful sleep and may even keep a person awake. Sugar products can be related to moodiness and a racing mind. Poor digestion can be related to getting less sleep. Catnip/lemon balm tea and taking one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with honey or Alovera Juice for indigestion.
Avoid coffee or tea. (Even de-caffinated drinks have some caffeine after unhealthy chemicals are used to remove it.) Non-caffeine herbal Green tea is a healthy substitute. Teeccino Mediterranean Herbal Coffee Alternative is made from roasted almonds, dates and figs and is available in most health food stores. Avoid carbonated sodas also, The sugar substitutes in diet drinks can wire the nervous system just as sugar does. Chamomile herb tea at bedtime can calm the nervous system.
Cleansing toxicity is a factor in getting enough restful sleep to rejuvenate the body. Drinking at least eight to ten or more 8 oz. of purified room temperature water during the day is vital in getting a good night’s sleep. Double your intake of purified room temperature water for a three days with sage tea and senna tea while eating only organic fruits, vegetables and leafy greens. Following this cleanse, stabilize your diet with plentiful servings of leafy greens for regularity. Eat meat and eggs from animals raised in grass feed healthy environments without hormones and pesticides. It is best to eat these in moderation only three times a week.
Many insomnias are lacking in certain vitamins and minerals including Calcium-magnesium or B vitamin deficiency, or too high copper levels. Vitamin E deficiency can cause restless leg syndrome. Taking a good natural multi-vitamin/multi-mineral supplement is important since most typical diets are lacking in nutrients. These levels can be checked by your doctor in a blood test, and started the appropriate supplements that were indicated. Side effects from drugs, can cause loss of sleep, so have your doctor also review any prescriptions.
To address stress, exercise at least 30 minutes in the morning. Get out in the sun. Walking in the evening promotes restful sleep and taking a hot Epsom Salt bath at bedtime can be a great way to relief stress. The mindfulness techniques of Jon Kabot-Zinn are an excellent aid to stress reduction and improved sleep. What you think is a factor in calming yourself. Self-hypnosis and NLP are excellent aids.
Practice visualization of a peaceful scene to counter worry patterns and reacting to the problems of others. Use the Sleep Breath to reach a state of calm: Breath in to the count of five. Exhale to count of seven and gently puff at the end of each this rhythmic breathing cycle. Continue until you drift off in a restful sleep.