Natural Sleep Remedies

Getting good sleep is one of the most important things we can do for our health (and for our looks, believe it or not). But unfortunately, one third of all Americans get less than 6 hours a night. Enter natural sleep remedies.

Exercises are the best natural sleep remedies. Studies show that daily exercise can help improve the quality and quantity of our sleep.

We want to echo the dimming light of dusk and evening inside our house as this signals bedtime to our bodies. It's confusing to our bodies if it's dark outside and yet all the bright lights are on inside. Darkness starts stimulates hormone secretions, particularly, melatonin which helps promote restful sleep.

Again, this will help support melatonin production and is one of the best natural sleep remedies. You can invest in a dark blackout shade that covers all of your windows. If money is an issue, just use thick blankets. I know from experience; it's amazing how much the darkness will improve your sleep!

Sleeping pills are big business: About 1 in 25 adults has taken a prescription sleep medicine in the last month, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control. And according to Consumer Reports, Americans spent $41 billion on sleep aids and remedies in 2015 a number that's expected to reach $52 billion by 2020.

But plenty of people are looking for natural solutions, too. Use of melatonin supplements, for instance, more than doubled in the United States from 2007 to 2012. And while scientific evidence for many herbal and alternative insomnia treatments is thin at best, there are some drug-free remedies that have been well studied by scientists.

Finding natural sleep aids to help you get those elusive eight hours a night isn't always as easy as popping a supplement and conking out. Often, especially if you've been struggling to fall asleep for a while, there are layers of damage that need to be undone before you can get the quality zzz's you need. Many things can lead to insomnia. Chronic illnesses, pain, and psychiatric problems are all common causes of sleepless nights. Once your body forms these new (often anxiety-ridden) associations with sleep, and insomnia becomes chronic, treating the underlying cause won't necessarily give you the relief you seek.