Need a good night's sleep?

Are you frustrated by the lack of a good night's sleep? Getting an adequate amount of rest is an important part of our overall good health. Our bodies need approximately 8 hours of rest each night in order to repair our cells of the damage done during the day, and rest and rejuvenate for the next day. Not only is the amount of our sleep important, but the quality of our sleep is as well. Without the proper amount of sleep we simply cannot function at full capacity. But there are many things that can cause us to toss and turn without fully falling asleep. Some of the factors are stress, not maintaining a constant sleep pattern, noise and light, and overloaded schedules. But if you are plagued by any of these, take heed because there are plenty of natural sleep inducers that will not leave you drowsy nor become habit-forming.

Lavender has long been known for its potential to aid people in falling asleep naturally. In fact, many manufacturers of baby and toddler products offer lotions and soaps with the scent of lavender because it soothes restless infants. You could take a sachet scented with a few drops of lavender essential oil and place in a cool bedroom as a form of aromatherapy. You could also take a few lavender leaves and make a sachet to keep underneath your pillow to help you relax before falling asleep. Also, a few drops of this oil could be added to an unscented lotion or body wash. A relaxing bath with a few drops of this oil right before bedtime followed by a massage with lavender-scented lotion will have you ready to hit the hay in no time. Please note that essential oils should never be used by pregnant women.

Another popular method for inducing sleep naturally is chamomile. This is most often taken in the form of a tea right before bedtime. Most people find the tea easy to acquire a taste for. If it seems somewhat bitter, add a little honey to this tea and drink while warm. You will definetely feel relaxed and ready to fall asleep. A side benefit to this tea is that it also induces a deep sleep, better known as REM sleep. You could experiment by drinking a few sips at first if you are concerned about the possibility of needing to be more alert (say if you have small children.) Even though chamomile tea has these properties, it is not known to be habit-forming. So enjoy a cup of this soothing remedy and get ready to enjoy a great night's sleep.