Doze Off With These Sleep Tips!

We all know that a hot, milky drink and a warm bath are supposed to relax you before bed, but many of us still can’t sleep.

Ten million prescriptions for sleeping pills are written every year in England alone and a survey by Crampex has found that 86% of us suffer from sleep disturbance.

But you can trick yourself to sleep by trying these expert natural tips:

1. Inhale through your left nostril

This yoga method is thought to reduce blood pressure and calm you. Holistic sleep therapist Peter Smith says: “Lie on your left side, resting a finger on your right nostril to close it. Start slow, deep breathing in the left nostril.” Peter, author of Sleep Better With Natural Therapies (£13.99, Singing Dragon, out October 28), says this technique is particularly good when overheating or menopausal hot flushes are preventing sleep.

2. Squeeze and relax

Relaxing all your muscles can prepare your body for rest. Anxiety expert Charles Linden says: “Lying on your back, take a deep, slow breath in through your nose and, at the same time, squeeze your toes tightly as if you are trying to curl them under your foot, then release the squeeze.”

The author of Stress Free in 30 Days (£7.12, Hay House) adds: “On another slow breath, curl your foot up toward your knee, then release. Breathe again, contract your calf muscles, then your thighs, buttocks, belly, chest, arms, and so on until you have moved all the way up your body, squeezing and releasing the muscles one by one.”

When you have gone from head to toe, your breathing should be steady and you should feel ready for shut eye.

3. Try to stay awake

Challenge yourself to stay awake – your mind will rebel! It’s called the sleep paradox, says psychotherapist Julie Hirst (worklifebalancecentre.org). She explains: “Keep your eyes wide open, repeat to yourself ‘I will not sleep’. The brain doesn’t process negatives well, so interprets this as an instruction to sleep and eye muscles tire quickly as sleep creeps up.”

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