Sleep Zzzzz Natural Tranquilizers

Sleep Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Natural Tranquilizers

Meditate

Meditate in your own way. That could mean anything that clears your mind. See Master Choi Kok Sui article on Meditation.

Yogic Breathing

Yogic breathing is a natural tranquilizer. It takes just a few moments but it is worth it. It can be very effective in reducing anxiety, easing your body into sleep and lowering blood pressure. There is no equipment needed, just patience and self love. Self allowance. Giving yourself, your person, time to fully breath.

Simple Breathing Exercises

You can do these exercises in any position. Make yourself comfortable. Lie down on a soft bed. Lie down outside in a private place where you can ground (see future article on grounding) and collect negative ions, reduce positive ions. Place the tip of your tongue just behind your front teeth or you can place your tongue on your palate. Whatever works for you. It releases the jaw. Try to keep it there..if you need to remind yourself, be loving and gentle with yourself. Remind and go back….you will be exhaling out of your mouth around your tongue. if it feels unusual you can move your lips to accommodate.

Exhale completely through your mouth with a whooshing sound.
Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to the count of 4
Now, hold your breath to the count of 7
Exhale completely through your mouth, whooshing, to the count of 8
This completes one breath.
Repeat the cycle as many times as you would like.
3 or 4 repeats is a good amount to start with for the first month or so.
Remember to inhale quietly through your nose and exhale, so it can be heard, through the mouth. The tip of your tongue can stay behind the top front teeth or entirely on the palate. How much time you take is unimportant. The ratio is most important. 4:7:8 is important.

If you have trouble holding your breath just do the best you can and you will improve. With practice you will be able to slow it down and get used to inhaling and exhaling more deeply.

This natural tranquilizer is an exercise for the nervous system. Unlike tranquilizer prescription drugs, which are often effective when you first take them but lose their power and make you sick over time, this exercise is subtle when you first try it. know that is becomes much more powerful with practice and repetition.

Perhaps try it once per day and then move to twice per day. That frequency will make a difference. After a while you can extend it to eight breaths each time. If you feel a little light headed when you first breath this way it will pass.

Shift in consciousness

You may notice a shift in consciousness after four of these breaths. there may be a feeling of dreaminess, lightness or detachment. That is a desirable shift and will increase with practice. It is a sign you are creating an affect on your involuntary nervous system. You will be neutralizing stress and creating better health and wellness for yourself. Once you develop this breathing technique, you can utilize it whenever you need it. It will be a great resource to carry around with you. use it when there is tension. Use it to fall asleep, Everyone can benefit from it.

Gentleness Toward Ourselves

Alleviate Chronic Tension

Try not to be at war with yourself.
Silence is golden
Sit and breath
Become acquainted with your true self
Let thoughts and images come and go
Do not be reactive
Awareness of how we are feeling
No judgement only acceptance, watch how much we judge ourselves
Be your own best friend

Affirmations and Loving Thoughts

Close your eyes and pivot the mind to the air in and the air out-your breath
May I be at peace
May I know my own true nature
May I know myself and not judge
Stop filling your mind with clutter
Increase leisure time, decrease work time
Increase vacation time
No frantic stimulation (phone, tv, computer, hand helds, gaming, blue light, florescent light)
Stop spinning in worry
Utilize Belly breathing

The 10,0000 Thing Fulcrum by Judith Sullivan

Locate your ribs
Bring your fingers down to the ribs until you feel the transverse colon.
Place hands under the Tranverse colon.
As you exhale bring the hands down a bit further into the abdominal area…until you feel a barrier, a tightness, a stopping point.
Exhale again and bring the hands just to the barrier border.
Take deep breaths.
On the third exhale hold your breath as you hold the hands in place
When you inhale release your hands.

Jin Shin Finger Hold

Jin Shin Jyutsu is an amazing therapy and has wonderful offerings of how to help yourself and Love Thyself. While lying in a comfortable position, begin by using the right hand to hold each finger, one at a time, on the left hand. While holding each finger breath deeply, inhaling six times and exhaling six times. Now Smile and Love Yourself. When finished with all the fingers and the thumb on the first hand, please switch hands. Smile. This opens the channels of energy in the body, allowing energy to move freely and smoothly. It promotes deep relaxation. While holding the fingers focus on the pulse in the fingers and the steady rhythm of your own heartbeat.

No Expectations

Lie down and enjoy being horizontal
Relax and place your hands on your belly so they touch each other.
Breath there for a minute.
Just enjoy lying there.
Don’t try to go to sleep
Don’t wonder where sleep is, just enjoy lying down.
Enjoy the moment with no expectations for the next minute.
Relax into each individual part of the body
Notice what your mind is doing and let it go.
Go back to each individual part of the body.
Look at the back of your eyes under your eye lids and notice the colors there and using those color construct the word SLEEP. Look right there on the back of your eyelids.

Smart Sleeping Quarters

Examine and evaluate your sleeping space.
Reduce or replace Smart Meters on the outside of your home.
Turn off your cell phone and do not have it anywhere near your body or your brain while sleeping.
Turn off your WIFI at night.
Keep your room super dark.
Go to bed when it is dark.
Wake up when it is light.
Gaze at the sun immediately upon rising for a few minutes
Allow the sun to fill you up with its energy

Sleep Position

What position promotes long, deep, restful sleep? Check out this video for more information.

The importance of darkness to your health

Night used to be truly dark. Except for the moon and the stars. Most of us are barraged by artificial blue light sources all night long. This can spell trouble for your health and for your sleep. Even those who live in the country have electronic devices that effect the natural sleep cycle.

Darkness is Essential

Since electricity was invented the light in buildings has been inadequate and there has been too much light at night. It is estimated that 40% of Americans sleep less than 7 hours per night. That is not enough for a robust resetting of the human endogenous circadian rhythm. Too much artificial light disrupts natural circadian rhythm, alters sleep/wake cycles, alters core body temperature (cold therapy), alters hormone regulation and hormone release as well as altering the pattern of gene expression throughout the body.The human natural clock regulates our sleep, hunger, energy levels and body temperature. So, how important is darkness to this cycle? CRUCIAL! When darkness comes the body produces Melatonin. This signals that it is time for sleep. When the sun comes up the level of Melatonin reduces and we awaken. When darkness is compromised by lighting, night shift schedule, or staying in the house without natural light the body’s production of Melatonin is compromised. This may lead to problems over time. A good nights sleep is crucial to good health.We know we don’t feel good when we don’t sleep. If we get less than 7 or 8 hours, we are grumpy, cloudy in thought, groggy, irritable and hard to get along with. Our hands may shake and our mood may be altered. We could experience visual or auditory hallucinations. Short term sleep deprivation can cause depression, wrinkles, blemishes and a decreased sex drive. Chronic sleep deprivation can create serious problems such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, Fibromyalgia, stroke and Alzheimers, Brain volume is affected thus affecting physical activity, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. There could be brain atrophy and memory loss. You need sleep to remember. A lack of adequate sleep can affect your weight. It can create binge eating, midnight cravings especially for unhealthy chemical laden foods carbohydrate high content foods. Wheat is highly addictive, which elevates cravings.

Different Kinds of Light

Different kinds of light have different kinds of affects. Blue light, such as from the sun and florescent lights (tablet and phone) keep us awake at night. Red and yellow lights from candle light, salt lamps or incandescent lights with dimmers, do not affect our sleep. They do not bother our circadian rhythms as severely as blue light. Complete darkness in the bedroom is always best while try to sleep. Get rid of your electric alarm clocks and get regular battery operated clocks. Get back to your natural rhythm.

Camping

Take a camping trip away from all the light. Just a couple of days. Lie on the ground and ground your body. You may find that you might be very nervous at first. We are addicted to our electronics. Take some time, start a fire and use the breathing exercise above.

Dark Bedroom

Make sure your bedroom is as dark as possible. Use heavy curtains shades or eye shades.

Rest Before Sleep

Go to bed a half hour earlier and just rest. Give yourself extra time to just lie there and relax.

Turn Down the Heat

Turn down the heat. Sleeping below 70 degrees is linked to promoting restful sleep. The colder the better. It activates brown fat, a metabolically active type of fat that contributes to your body’s rate of calorie burning.

Reduce the Height of Your Pillow

Make sure your sleep position is not affecting your snoozing time. Reduce the height of your pillow,

Nature is the Best Healer

Turn off your lights, leave your hand held and your computer behind. Go out of the city and away from the lights. Nature is the BEST healer.