Your Bedroom Should Be Environmentally Friendly To Avoid Insomnia

We spend, or should spend, at least a third of our lives in bed asleep so it makes good sense to ensure that your bed and your bedroom is comfortable and environmentally friendly so that the sleep you enjoy is restful and of good quality. Dr Deepak Chopra has his insomnia protocol which I thought was well worth passing on to anyone who suffers from insomnia - however infrequently. His protocol tips are in bold. I have added my comments afterwards:

• The natural human biorhythm is to sleep between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. For many this means the unusual fact of being in bed with the lights out by 10 p.m. So many people are sleep deprived because they go to bed too late but still have to get up early the next morning for work. So they never catch up though they may try to do so at weekends which is when they then put the biorhythm even more out of sync.

• Decrease your mental activity after dinner. This means not too much TV or computer activity but perhaps a little light reading just before turning out the light.

• Make preparations for the next day. To avoid the early morning rush the next day, get things ready the night before such as laying the breakfast table, putting out clothes to be worn, packing lunches and popping in the refrigerator and more. If you keep a diary, you can make a note of what you hope to accomplish the next day whether at home or at work. You will rest more easy if you know that everything is ready for the morning.

• Take a hot bath for up to an hour with calming fragrances. Use a drop or two of natural essential oils in your bath water and use the soaking time to let go of any daily stress. Healing Natural Oils can provide the natural aid you need to help with sleeping problems. H-Insomnia is a product that is perfect for a safe way to enjoy a full night’s sleep. This should be your goal.

• Use your bed for sleep and sex only.

• Turn all lights off. Make sure you are comfortable – not too hot and not too cold – relax and concentrate on your breathing while you start to relax.

• Try reciting a mantra for five minutes. If you are religious, this could be the time for a prayer or if not, make this the opportunity to listen to soothing music like the sound of oceans waves breaking on the shore.

• Something warm, like a hot water bottle, may help soothe your anxieties. It will also keep you warm in cold weather and soothe any painful areas of the body.

• If you wake during the night, try repeating some of the techniques above or massaging your head or feet.

• If you find it difficult to sleep in your bed, pick another area of the house to sleep in. And get to the root of the problem that might be causing the difficulty such a partner who snores, a room that is too hot or cold, a room that is too light, or the presences of electro-magnetic fields. All cell phones, cordless phones, laptops and other superfluous appliances should be put into another room at night along with their chargers etc.

In addition to Dr Chopra's tips, remember: 1. When you wake up in the morning, strip back your bed to air it the old fashioned way while you are getting ready for the day. At the same time, open the windows wide (it is best to have windows open at least slightly at night anyway) to keep the air supply fresh and full of oxygen. Once you are ready, come back and make your bed. I am afraid that dust mites love it when you make you bed the minute your jump out of it so that they stay warm and snug! 2. Change your bed linen at least every 5 to 7 days and wash on a high temperature, using a natural laundry detergent and softener. It is a good idea to hang your duvet or blankets together with the pillows out in the sun for at least 3 hours on a regular basis. This helps to to get rid of dust mites, mould and mildew. 3. When changing your sheets, leave the new set off for a while and let your mattress air. Run the vacuum over it to get rid of dust mites and a good tip is to spritz with eucalyptus oil. 4. Keep the bedroom as minimalistic as possible to provide a clean and dust-free environment in which to relax and sleep. Always use natural and non toxic materials to clean and care for your bedroom area. 5. Melatonin is vital to ensure good sleeping habits and this is only produced during darkness so make sure your room is darkened when it is time to sleep. During the day, light stimulates that part of the brain that tells the pineal gland to decrease the melatonin level when it is daytime and light, and to increase it when it is night time and dark. The brighter the light, the bigger the decrease and the darker the dark, the bigger the increase of melatonin. If you find it difficult to sleep without some light, reduce any light source gradually to improve both the quality of your sleep and the amount of time it takes you to fall asleep. When your bedroom is environmentally friendly, you will awake refreshed and energized so that your day will go so much better and your health and immune system will benefit.