Hypnotherapy, Massage, and Herbs: 5 Natural Ways to Fight Insomnia

Insomnia can put a damper on the rest of your waking hours, especially if it's been going on for some time. You spend the day fighting tiredness, but when you get home, you start fretting about being able to fall asleep with no problem. Before you know, it's 3 AM and you're still tossing and turning.

How can you break free from this downward spiral of restless sleep, or no sleep at all? Fortunately, there are various ways to help you get the sleep you need. Also, you don't have to worry about becoming dependent on sleeping pills. From hypnotherapy South Australia to dark therapy, these methods are all natural.

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1. Regular exercise. Working out several hours before bed can help improve the quality of sleep in people with regular circadian rhythms. So, it follows that the same can help you drift off to sleep at night. Yoga and tai chi are great before-bed workouts because they help get rid of excess energy while relaxing you at the same time.

2. Herbal supplements. Certain herbs have been said to be able to bring on drowsiness and help people stay asleep. Some examples are passionflower, valerian root, and chamomile, which people tend to take in as tea.

3. Massage. Even a 30-minute rubdown helps to release serotonin – the feel-good chemical. Once released, it helps you feel more relaxed until, eventually, you fall asleep. It has the additional benefit of helping your body tap into its own healing abilities.

4. Scototherapy. Also known as dark therapy or light restriction, this involves lessening the amount of light in the environment. Primarily, the focus is on eliminating blue and blue-green light, which have been shown to act as visual stimulants.

Lessening the amount of light in a room signals the body to start producing melatonin, which is meant to make you feel drowsy. The earlier this hormone kicks in, the easier you'll be able to sleep once the clock strikes 10 or 11 PM.

5. Hypnosis. This practice can help you form new beliefs about getting a good night's sleep. You'll likely meet with a therapist first, with a hypnosis product (usually a CD) coming into play later, so you can listen to it whenever you wish. The more you'll expect a full  night's rest, the more likely it is to happen.