It's one of life's most frustrating scenarios. You're tired, but restless and unable to stop the flow of thoughts, worries and fears that play across your mind. The next day, you're tired and feel even less able to cope with your day's stresses. These are classic symptoms in the cycles of insomnia and anxiety. Prescription sleep pills may help, but they can be costly and often come with side effects. Taking a natural approach to nighttime anxiety allows you to get immediate relief through a more holistic approach to dealing with anxiety throughout your day.
Valerian
An article published in the november 2009 issue of "Medical Science Monitor" found that persons who took valerian experienced a calming, relaxing effect. The study concluded that valerian can be a useful part of an insomnia or anxiety treatment plan. The Mayo Clinic points out that scientists have yet to conclusively determine appropriate dosages.
Lavender
Lavender is used by natural health practitioners to relax the body, calm the mind and promote sleep. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that people who received massage with lavender essentials oils showed a decrease in anxiety symptoms when compared with people who received only massage. It also reports that lavender flowers help study participants fall asleep faster by slowing nervous system activity. Try massaging your hands with lavender oil before bed and placing a sachet of lavender flowers in your pillow.
Exercise
According to the Mayo Clinic, regular exercise improves anxiety by releasing feel-good brain chemicals and raising core body temperature. Both these action have calming effects on the body that can last well after the exercise is complete. The Mayo Clinic also points out that exercise helps you fall asleep faster and sleep better. It's best to exercise early in the day because exercising before bed can energize you and may make your symptoms worse.
Cognitive-Behavioral Changes
Part of finding a way to alleviate those worries and racing thoughts that keep you up at night is identifying what triggers them and working toward solutions, according to "The New York Times." Identifying stressors, shifting priorities to remove stressful situations in your life, talking out the issues that bother you with a good friend or trained therapist, finding ways to relax and learning to change the way you respond to stress are the basic tenants of cognitive-behavioral therapy.
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