Healthy sleep without medication is possible, so if you are wanting to quit using sleep aids, here are some helpful tips. Sleep medications can be addictive, so it’s best if you can manage to get good sleep on your own. Set yourself up for success by creating a great space for sleep. Calm your body down by taking a bath and getting exercise during the day. Calm your mind with deep breathing or meditation. And keep a regular schedule to help your circadian rhythm. Hopefully, you can begin to wean yourself off of sleep medications and learn to get a good night’s sleep all on your own.
Healthy Sleep Without Medication: Set Yourself Up for Success
Create a Sleep Haven
The first step towards healthy sleep without medication is setting up your room to be a sleep haven. Invest in comfortable sheets and purchase high-quality pillows that support your body properly. Try room-darkening shades to keep light from disturbing you, or sleep with a mask. Finally, use white noise or earplugs to keep the room quiet.
Calm Your Body
The next thing to do to get healthy sleep without medication is to start to calm your body down. This happens earlier in the day. Get a little exercise each day and eat your dinner well before bedtime. Both of these things can set your body up for helpful rest later. In addition, try taking a calming bath before bed, listening to soothing music, or smelling calming scents.
Calm Your Mind
Healthy sleep without medication also relies on having a calm mind. Turn off all screens for at least thirty minutes before going to bed. In addition, try meditating or deep breathing to get into a zen place. You can try taking several deep breaths, or alternate breathing through each nostril. There are many different deep breathing techniques you can try.
Keep a Schedule
Finally, a key part of healthy sleep without medication is keeping to a schedule. Even on the weekends if you don’t need to get up early for work, try to get up around the same time. Go to bed around the same time each night. Keeping a regular schedule can help your circadian rhythm get into a good pattern. It can also help to get plenty of sunlight during the day so your body is naturally tuned to awake/asleep schedules.
Getting healthy sleep without medication might feel impossible if you rely on sleep aids. However, many people can wean themselves off of sleep medications and learn to get to sleep all on their own. Set yourself up for success by creating a welcoming atmosphere in your room. Calm your body down with a warm bath, and calm your mind with deep breathing. Turn your phone off plenty of time before bed and avoid other screens as well. And finally, keep a schedule for bedtime and wake-up times to help your body’s natural sleep and wake cycle. Hopefully, you’ll be able to learn to get great sleep on your own so that you’ll wake up refreshed each morning.