Do you often find yourself struggling to put your little ones to bed, and then being unable to sync up with your significant other for a good night of sleep?
You’re not alone as it’s common for many families to develop different sleep patterns, however, these patterns can be harmful to our well being.
Getting good sleep every night is essential to allowing our brain and body to function properly; learning, maintaining focus, creativity, and memory are all linked to sleep.
The use of natural sleep remedies can help your family get a full night of rest, allowing everyone to start their day feeling energized and refreshed.
Increase Light Exposure During the Day
Melatonin is a naturally produced hormone in the human body, we often hear about its use as one of the main natural sleep remedies, but did you know that you can produce more with exposure to natural light?
Try being active early with your family, get outdoors when and if possible as natural light helps produce serotonin during the day, which gets converted to melatonin at night.
This conversion process takes place as it starts to get dark, triggering the release of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin which promotes better sleep.
Use Melatonin Supplements
If you or someone at home is unable to get the natural light exposure they need to produce the necessary melatonin for adequate sleep, try supplementing it.
Available for various age groups, there are plenty of proven melatonin supplements that can be used shortly before bedtime to help us drift off to bed.
Melatonin helps with regulating our circadian rhythms, this is how our body knows when to be active and then turn down for sleep.
Drinks That Help With Bedtime
We often try to avoid an overactive bladder before we go to sleep, but timing the right drink before bed can have huge benefits.
Milk
We often associate giving a bottle or cup of warm milk to our children as a way to get them ready for bed, you should still do this for them, and then try it for yourself.
Milk is a source of tryptophan, an essential amino acid only found in food that helps with serotonin production during the day, and melatonin at night.
Chamomile Tea
One of the best natural sleep remedies is a hot cup of calming, soothing, chamomile tea.
It is often touted on labels at your local market for its ability to help induce sleepiness, this is due to a flavonoid in chamomile which acts as a sedative.
Brewing this non-caffeinated beverage can be effective as well as safe for all ages.
Tart Cherry Juice
A splash of tart cherry juice in a cup of water can help raise melatonin levels naturally before bedtime.
It is believed that tart or “sour” cherry juice can have positive effects on inducing sleep before bedtime, as it is a source of tryptophan which is an amino acid linked to our wake-sleep cycle.
Lavender Essential Oil for Sleep
Aromatherapy can be one of the natural sleep remedies you didn’t know you needed to add to your family’s routine.
Avoid Blue Light Exposure
We’re all connected to our phones, televisions, and other blue light emitting electronics, but one of the natural sleep remedies that cost nothing is the ability to put down your devices.
Blue light from a device during the day can help with focus and mood, but at night it suppresses the production of melatonin which in turn, prevents sleep.
A good routine is to have a screen shut off time about two to three hours before bedtime for the whole family.
Lights Out
Creating a dark environment in your home is essential for bedtime.
Darkness allows for good sleep hygiene and can be one of the easiest natural sleep remedies you can employ.
Light can act as a disruptor causing us to be distracted when we need to rest, try to use dim night lights or a flashlight for your family to help navigate those late night bathroom trips.
Keep Cool
A bedroom with a temperature between 65-72 degrees fahrenheit can be all that’s needed to allow us to cozy up and fall asleep, and stay asleep.
A cool room can help our bodies’ internal temperature naturally decrease while increasing melatonin production.
Conclusion
Natural sleep remedies for your family can help everyone be healthier and more productive.
Using a proper sleep routine with these proven remedies will allow you and your loved ones to reach their greatest potential.
A good night of rest can make a major difference in your daily lives.