It's 11:59pm.
After one hour of tossing and turning, your alarm clock now seems to glare at you.
Time to get up in six hours.
You heart begins to drum faster and louder; and you can't seem to tune out the voice in your head that shrieks: "Why aren't you asleep yet?! You have a busy day tomorrow!" Sound familiar? An estimated 10-15% of the US population experiences insomnia for 6 months or more; and the majority of those missing out on their precious Z's are women.
Over time, sleep deprivation can cause high blood pressure, anxiety and depression, Jill Panitch, MD and Medical Director of Memorial Prompt Care & Family Medicine in Huntington Beach, CA.
reports.
In fact, even short term sleep deprivation can increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol, impairing the body's ability to metabolize glucose and triggering our "fight or flight" response, she says.
Sleeplessness, however, need not be a way of life.
Some simple changes can create big shifts.
A good place to start combating insomnia is in cultivating a daily yoga practice.
"Absolutely yoga can help," affirms Panitch.
"Doing as little as 10 minutes of some slow calming poses with deep breathing before bedtime can slow the heart-rate and will initiate the relaxation response in our bodies," she says.
Because our bodies like routines, practicing at the same time each day will help you relax into a natural rhythm.
On the same note, try going to sleep before 10pm.
According to Ayurvedic philosophy, the body's earthy, slow energies of Kapha dominate between the hours of 6 and 10 p.
m.
Naturally, this is the easiest time for us to fall asleep.
Between 10pm and 2am, however, the body's subtle energies become more fiery and alert, causing us to feel resurgence in energy, making these hours difficult ones in which to try and fall asleep.
Also try eating your last meal of the day at least 2-3 hours before going to bed.
You will sleep better if your body isn't still busy digesting dinner.
Make it a habit to steer clear of work and over-stimulating TV shows, movies, reading material and discussions after dinner.
Let the evening hours be time for quietude and leisure.
So rather than plopping down in front of the computer as a pre-bedtime ritual, enjoy a cup of warm milk spiced with a dash of nutmeg (or, for vegans, a cup of Yogi Bedtime Tea) to help you wind down.
Taking herbs such as Kava Kava, Chamomile, Skullcap and Valerian Root can also help to placate the nervous system.
A warm bath laced with lavender oil, followed by rubbing your feet with sesame oil will soothe you before crawling into bed.
Lastly, take some moments of meditative journaling or light, inspirational reading before lights out.
After one hour of tossing and turning, your alarm clock now seems to glare at you.
Time to get up in six hours.
You heart begins to drum faster and louder; and you can't seem to tune out the voice in your head that shrieks: "Why aren't you asleep yet?! You have a busy day tomorrow!" Sound familiar? An estimated 10-15% of the US population experiences insomnia for 6 months or more; and the majority of those missing out on their precious Z's are women.
Over time, sleep deprivation can cause high blood pressure, anxiety and depression, Jill Panitch, MD and Medical Director of Memorial Prompt Care & Family Medicine in Huntington Beach, CA.
reports.
In fact, even short term sleep deprivation can increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol, impairing the body's ability to metabolize glucose and triggering our "fight or flight" response, she says.
Sleeplessness, however, need not be a way of life.
Some simple changes can create big shifts.
A good place to start combating insomnia is in cultivating a daily yoga practice.
"Absolutely yoga can help," affirms Panitch.
"Doing as little as 10 minutes of some slow calming poses with deep breathing before bedtime can slow the heart-rate and will initiate the relaxation response in our bodies," she says.
Because our bodies like routines, practicing at the same time each day will help you relax into a natural rhythm.
On the same note, try going to sleep before 10pm.
According to Ayurvedic philosophy, the body's earthy, slow energies of Kapha dominate between the hours of 6 and 10 p.
m.
Naturally, this is the easiest time for us to fall asleep.
Between 10pm and 2am, however, the body's subtle energies become more fiery and alert, causing us to feel resurgence in energy, making these hours difficult ones in which to try and fall asleep.
Also try eating your last meal of the day at least 2-3 hours before going to bed.
You will sleep better if your body isn't still busy digesting dinner.
Make it a habit to steer clear of work and over-stimulating TV shows, movies, reading material and discussions after dinner.
Let the evening hours be time for quietude and leisure.
So rather than plopping down in front of the computer as a pre-bedtime ritual, enjoy a cup of warm milk spiced with a dash of nutmeg (or, for vegans, a cup of Yogi Bedtime Tea) to help you wind down.
Taking herbs such as Kava Kava, Chamomile, Skullcap and Valerian Root can also help to placate the nervous system.
A warm bath laced with lavender oil, followed by rubbing your feet with sesame oil will soothe you before crawling into bed.
Lastly, take some moments of meditative journaling or light, inspirational reading before lights out.