Have you been struggling with stress and getting a good night’s rest? It could be that you have a hard time falling asleep, or that you can get to sleep just fine, but you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep. This pattern can quickly lead to sleep deprivation which leads to a lack of energy and a lack of focus the entire next day. This cycle can be stressful, irritating and decrease your enjoyment of life.
The natural outcropping of sleep deprivation is low energy during the day. This quickly becomes a vicious cycle when you find yourself turning to caffeine from coffee and sodas and other stimulants like refined sugar and foods containing high fructose corn syrup. This creates an artificial energy high throughout the day.
The good news is that there are several natural approaches aimed at restoring your body’s natural balance. These in turn unravel your dependance on stimulants and sleeping aids:
1)Work collaboratively with your Chinese Medicine Practitioner. These are people who have undergone years of training in the disciplines of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal medicine. No two insomnia patients are alike and the beauty of Chinese Medicine is that it is holistic and provides a custom approach to treating the underlying imbalance that is leading to the lack of restful sleep and daytime energy.
2) Protect your bedroom from stress and mental busyness. Keep the bedroom off limits to work projects. If you have a television in the bedroom consider removing it.
3) Are you caught up in eating the standard American diet (SAD)? This diet is rich in processed foods, the very ones responsible for the fluctuating energy levels you might experience in a given day. Make the transition over to foods that are rich in fiber, omega threes, and antioxidants. These include whole grains, dark leafy greens, dark berries and things like flax seeds and walnuts. If you’re a coffee drinker, try switching to unsweetened green tea.
4) Create a settling routine 30 minutes before going to bed. The routine needs to include ways to calm your body and quiet your mind. Some examples are to begin to turn things off that keep you mentally busy like television, bright lights and working late hours. Do things that are relaxing to you, it could be anything from knitting to journaling.
5) Exercise. If you don’t currently have an exercise routine begin with 15 minutes of walking 3-4 times a week. This has a calming effect on your nervous system. Be sure to consult with your health care provider before beginning any new exercise routine.
As evidenced by this article, there are a number of alternative approaches to reclaiming your life back form the struggles of stress and insomnia. The beauty of consistently making a couple of these changes is that you will also begin to see lowered stress levels, improvements in your waking life and decreased dependance on external substances like caffeine, sugar and sleeping pills.
To Learn about how Chinese Medicine can offer natural approaches to achieving optimal health download your free ebook at Acupuncture Austin.For more help lowering your insomnia visit Reduce Your Stress And Insomnia Austin.