Insomnia can feel like a curse; there is nothing worse! There can be many causes of this inability to sleep, but for the purposes of this article, we will focus on what can help and why it is important. I have recently been taking classes on nutrition and food healing. Instructor Jeff Primack has a lot of great advice that is useful to all of us.

Time for Bed

Try to go to bed between 10-11pm. If not, we go past our bodies’ “cellular repair time.” This is the time that works best with our pineal gland, which produces melatonin, helping to regulate our immune system. He also suggests that we try to wake at the time when nature wakes up at sunrise. If you are sleeping past 7 a.m., you may want to try getting up gradually a little earlier each day to reset your body. In the morning a burst of energy and ozone rises from the ground; this is what gets the birds chirping.

Sunlight

Reset your pineal gland by going outside everyday at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. When sunlight hits our eyes melatonin is produced. This is why we feel sleepy when we spend a whole day at the beach.

Food

Try to eat walnuts or drink concentrated cherry juice diluted with water; this also helps to regulate melatonin. It’s beneficial to do so an hour before bedtime. Eating a late meal however is a big no-no. Try to make sure you eat your last meal at least three hours before bedtime. (An exception would be to have a small snack containing turkey because it has tryptophan, a chemical that can induce sleep.) Also it would be wise not to have any caffeine after 11 a.m. Caffeine has a stimulating effect on your body, and can still affect you at night, especially if you have sleeping problems.

Exercise

Working out too late can keep you hyped up. Try to get into a wind-down ritual. A hot bath or foot soak relaxes your body. Also rubbing your feet will help because you have over 7,000 nerve endings in your feet that can release endorphins—which create a feeling of well being in your body.

Supplements

There are of course some natural supplements that you take. Calmazon is good option because it is completely organic. Always see a physician before taking anything. You also may need to have your hormones checked to see if they are out of balance, which can be a main cause of insomnia.

Sweet dreams everyone! You can find me at Robin Walter Salon & Spa if you would like a complimentary, private consultation.