Sleep drive, the strong desire to go to bed, is driven by a neurotransmitter called adenosine. Adenosine may prolong deep non-REM sleep phases – including slow wave sleep – which provide restorative non-REM stages.
Numerous studies indicate that valerian can help some individuals sleep more soundly, though more research needs to be conducted, particularly on larger samples and with standardised extraction and formulation methods.
1. Deep Breathing
Studies have demonstrated the efficacy of slow, deep breathing as an non-pharmacological treatment for insomnia, helping restore parasympathetic arousal while decreasing sympathetic over-arousal. It can be combined with sleep hygiene and relaxation therapy techniques that have proven to promote restful restful sleep while alleviating insomnia (34-36).
Breathing exercises that focus on abdominal breathing can be particularly effective at helping the body to relax. While at first it may seem challenging to shift away from their shallow breathing habit, over time and with regular practice it becomes easier and becomes an integral part of daily life.
One common exercise is counting to four while you inhale, hold for several seconds and exhale counting to four as you exhale. For maximum benefit it may also help to do this in combination with body scanning – mentally going over each part of your body, tensing and relaxing each muscle group until all are relaxed again. This process can be performed sitting or lying down and only takes minutes!
Some people find that visualizing a ball of energy containing their stress and anxiety helps them let it all out as they breathe out. You could also try using color and vision therapy by visualizing your breath moving through your body absorbing colors on inhale before blowing them off on exhale.
Breathing exercises may help alleviate sleep difficulties, but may not address other underlying issues. If you are having difficulty sleeping it’s advisable to consult your physician or therapist who can identify what the source of your sleeplessness may be and recommend the most appropriate treatment options.
2. Acupressure
Stimulating certain points on the body is believed to help restore energy flow and heal diseases, and can be achieved via needle insertion (acupuncture), physical pressure application by hand or foot, or simply lying on an acupressure mat.
Acupressure can also be an effective remedy for insomnia. According to research, practicing an hour of acupressure before bedtime proved more successful in improving quality of rest than not practicing it at all. A small study on people suffering from insomnia who practiced acupressure found significant improvements compared to those who didn’t use this form of alternative therapy.
Insomnia can be caused by pain, anxiety and stress. Adequate rest is essential to our overall health; failure to get sufficient sleep may have serious repercussions for our immune systems as well as memory loss.
Sleep disturbances in older adults are a frequent occurrence and may contribute to numerous health conditions, including depression, anxiety and poor quality of life. Acupressure has been shown to promote restful slumber in this demographic group and research suggests it may even help treat insomnia, depression and anxiety.
Neiguan (PC6), located on the pericardial meridian, can help aid sleep. Pressing three minutes daily on this point has been shown to ease insomnia, dyspnoea, coughing, nausea/vomiting/mental disorders as well as headaches/migraines. You may even find this helpful for headaches/migraines; just be wary not to stimulate it during pregnancy or with open wounds on hands! You’ll find Neiguan by looking for where your big toe meets another toe on either hand – try searching this spot by looking where two toes meet on each foot – finding this point will reveal its incredible benefits!
3. Yoga
Yoga is a practice designed to integrate mind, body and soul through physical postures, breathing exercises and meditation. Yoga’s roots lie within Hinduism but can now be found worldwide at health clubs alongside other forms of fitness training and exercise.
Studies have demonstrated the benefits of Yoga on sleep quality and stress. One research study discovered that 21 insomnia patients could sleep better after 14 days of yoga practice; another concluded that just 15 minutes per day of Yoga practice increased both subjective and objective measures of sleep onset latency, duration, and wake time; researchers attribute these changes to reduced arousals and ability to relax.
Another study demonstrated that 20-minute yoga nidra sessions enhanced deep sleep brain wave activity among participants. This result may have been achieved due to yoga’s ability to stimulate melatonin production – essential for circadian rhythm and sleep/wake cycles.
Yoga Nidra has long been recognized for activating delta brainwaves, which are responsible for healing and restoration during sleep. This may be because Yoga Nidra allows us to disconnect from thoughts and emotions during this stage of restorative sleep, giving our bodies time to rest and repair itself. Furthermore, Yoga Nidra helps stimulate our pineal gland, responsible for controlling circadian rhythm.
Yoga requires regular practice to stay healthy and balance, making it easier to fall asleep at night. Furthermore, Yoga works great when combined with breathing techniques or acupuncture as this combination may provide deeper restful sleep and even healing properties for yourself.
4. Meditation
Meditation is an increasingly popular mindfulness practice that can help ease tension in both body and mind, which helps prepare for better restful sleep. Meditation also has therapeutic applications by activating our innate healing intelligence, thus helping restore equilibrium and foster well-being.
Meditation before bed can help reduce stress, one of the primary sources of sleep disturbances. Meditation also offers powerful ways of unblocking emotions and thoughts that keep us up at night, such as diaphragmatic breathing or alternate nostril breathing techniques that activate your calming relaxation response to calm down nervous systems and release tension.
There are various meditation practices, so it is essential to find one that suits you. Begin with guided video meditation or use an app like Headspace, Calm, or Insight Timer with community groups for support and inspiration. Aim for consistent practice to allow your body to establish its own rhythm while cultivating the habit of sleeping with an eased-back mind and relaxed body.
Studies show that meditation before bed can significantly improve sleep quality in healthy subjects as well as clinical patients suffering from insomnia. Raman et al. [32] also found that other meditative movement interventions like Tai Chi, Qigong and Yoga had similar results on improving quality of restorative rest.
However, differences among meditation practices arise primarily from their differing philosophies and approaches. Some research studies employ meditation taxonomies that seek to classify various meditation practices based on phenomenology and context – this helps researchers and practitioners alike better comprehend similarities and differences among meditation practices without being limited by traditions-specific knowledge and easily applicable in any meditation (research) context.
5. Acupuncture
Chinese practitioners believe acupuncture to be an ancient Eastern Medicine therapy which balances energy channels to restore body systems back into equilibrium, as well as promote overall wellness. Needles are used to stimulate specific points on the body. When it comes to sleep quality improvement, studies have demonstrated how acupuncture helps relieve stress, anxiety and insomnia with improved quality sleep results.
Stress manifests itself physically in various forms, from dizziness and headaches to stomachaches. Acupuncture has been shown to significantly lower stress hormone levels through its ability to regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis system; this system regulates hormones that influence response to stress as well as mood.
Insomnia is a sleep condition that disrupts restful rest, leading to fatigue, poor concentration and depression. A 2017 study proved acupuncture as effective as sleep medications at relieving insomnia symptoms and improving quality. Acupuncture can release serotonin and gamma-aminobutryic acid which are neurotransmitters known for soothing nervous systems.
Acupuncture can also help treat other conditions that interfere with sleep, such as chronic pain, fibromyalgia and gastrointestinal disorders. A patient in this story had multiple conditions which were contributing to his fatigue; after receiving several acupuncture treatments his headaches decreased from 10/10 in intensity and frequency to 3/10 and his GI symptoms also saw improvement. Acupuncture is generally safe for most people including pregnant women on anticoagulants or with bleeding disorders – learn more about Eastern medicine therapies such as Acupuncture here or by visiting SCU Health
