Do you struggle on some nights, lying in bed wishing and waiting for sleep, but it won't come? Tossing and turning for hours on end, wondering what's keeping you awake? Here are some of the most common causes of insomnia: cyclic worry, the fear of sleep paralysis, being too excited, reflecting, making lists mentally, and chronic pain. Can you relate to any of them?
The benefits of sleep
Let's first look at why sleep is vital for our health.
CONCENTRATION AND COMPREHENSION
Our brains spend the whole day gathering information. Sleep provides the chance to rest our conscious mind and reorganize the information from the day. If you don't get enough sleep, your brain becomes overworked.
Studies show that high school and college students often don't get enough rest. When they increase their sleep, even by 15 minutes, their grades and their memorization skills improve.
HEART HEALTH
Research shows that poor sleep significantly contributes to cardiovascular disease. Poor sleep is also a causative factor for high blood pressure, stroke, cardiac arrest, sugar metabolism issues, and other cardiovascular issues.
WEIGHT GAIN
While we sleep, our bodies rest and restore themselves. If your sleep cycle is consistently interrupted, this interferes with your metabolism, leading to weight gain.
BEAUTY
Special announcement: beauty sleep is real. Lack of sleep causes eye bags, wrinkles, early aging, redness, and puffiness in your face.
IMMUNE SYSTEM SUPPORT
Our bodies heal any worn-down systems when we're asleep. That's when the immune system is most active. Insufficient rest can allow opportunistic diseases to invade the body easily.
Herbs to help you sleep
LAVENDER
Lavender helps with sleep in various ways. It has a calming effect on the body and mind, so if you struggle with worry, smelling lavender essential oil is for you
Brew a lavender and chamomile tea to help you relax before bed. Alternatively, using lavender as a tincture along with vervain or mugwort also gives a relaxing effect.
HOPS
Hops is an excellent peace-inducing tea that will help you drift away within minutes due to its sedative properties.
CHAMOMILE
This herb is very gentle but powerful for enforcing bedtime. It contains the antioxidant apigenin, which helps initiate sleep. Drink a cup of chamomile tea before bedtime for a better night's sleep.
SKULLCAP
This herb improves your mood and reduces anxiety by stimulating gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that helps calm the nerves.
MUGWORT
Mugwort helps when going to sleep isn't the problem, but your dreams keep you awake, or you can't stay asleep throughout the night (light sleeper). It contains magnesium, potassium, and calcium phosphates that calm the nervous system.
VERVAIN
You can use vervain on its own, or mixed with mugwort and lavender for a more potent solution. It is perfect for calming down cyclic thoughts and easing tension, allowing you to fall asleep easier.
With love,
The Sole Toscana Beauty Team
