(Recently a number of people have been complaining of sleep problems, dug out this old article written in 2008 about alternative sleep aides)

Till I had my child I was what you called a sound sleeper. Power cuts, thunderstorms, firecrackers and even a wedding party in the front of the house couldn’t deprive me of my 9 hours of bliss. Motherhood changed everything as I found myself up at odd hours of the night changing diapers, burping the baby or simply fretting about his fever and flu. And I learnt just how debilitating sleep deprivation can be. I felt tired and groggy all day, irritable and restless and that’s when I realized just how valuable sleep is to the human body.

I tried all kinds of remedies, made a whole lot of changes into my and the baby’s routine and things improved drastically. I cant say I sleep as well as I used to but it’s definitely a whole lot better.

Here are a few time tested tips which have helped me find solace at night.

Don’t nap in the afternoon. Not only does it throw your body clock off gear it has the ability to keep you up at all kinds of odd hours worrying about the most mundane things. If you’re really exhausted, nap for 30 minutes at the most in the day.
Stick to a routine. Try and maintain a regular schedule of sleep especially on week days.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, heavy meals and stimulants before bed time. You may find yourself pacing the house during the wee hours while the rest of the world snores away.
Feng Shui aides – the ancient Chinese art of geomancy places a lot of importance on sleep and the bedroom believing that the bedroom has an effect on the way you sleep, and this is a very important factor in staying healthy and happy and accumulating wealth.. Your bed should be comfortable, and the energy should flow smoothly throughout the room. You should not have anything under the bed, so that energy can circulate. Remove slippers, shoes, old clothes from under the bed. Remove paintings of water features (too much yin) and keep the colours pastel as far as possible avoiding loud primary colours in the linen and the curtains.
There is a saying in Feng Shui that when you sleep with your feet facing the door you will never stay at home. You will find that you will want to be on the go all the time and never feel relaxed when you are home. You will be on the go constantly.
You should have a solid wall behind your bed head for a solid night’s sleep and never sleep under a beam.
Crystals aid sleep. Amethyst and moon stone are excellent sleep aids as they absorb the stress and are believed to have a tranquilising effect on the mind. Keep a cluster by your bed side or a few pieces under your pillow.
Aromatherapy does make a difference – I have found Lavender and Chamomile to be the most soothing. Ideal for relieving stress and tiredness, burn some Lavender or Chamomile essential oil and incense sticks in the bedroom at least an hour before bedtime
Breathwork. Conscious relaxation with yogic breath work helps your body relax. Focus on your breathing for a few minutes after you lie down, inhale and exhale deeply and slowly and consciously allow your body to slow down. I have discovered combining breathwork and visualization helps me greatly especially on tiring days.
Massage. If your partner cant give you a good massage, try massaging the soles of your feet with a little olive oil in which a few drops of lavender/chamomile essential oil has been added. Gently rub into the soles applying pressure to the sore spots.

Ear Reflexology brings stress relief to minds that cannot stop ticking way past bedhour – try rubbing your ears gently every night.

Hands on Reiki/Distant Reiki helps ease some of the residual subconscious stress subtly yet effectively.
Listen to relaxing music, mantras or chants which help you relax and create a positive environment around you before you sleep.
Remember no one aide helps everyone, sometimes you may like to combine a few tips or go with one for a few nights before it has any effect.

Wishing you a good night’s sleep.

Copyright Mita Bhan. All Rights Reserved.