I TESTED 7 NATURAL WAYS TO FALL ASLEEP. HERE'S WHAT ACTUALLY WORKED

I TRIED 7 NATURAL WAYS TO FALL ASLEEP.  HERE'S WHAT ACTUALLY WORKED

By mindbodygreen.com - Leah Vanderveldt

For most of my life, I've had a hard time falling asleep. My mind seems to light up with random thoughts, worries, and stresses as soon as my head hits the pillow.

There was a phase when I relied heavily on reruns of The Office to drown out my noisy brain. But eventually I reached a stage when listening to the drama of Jim and Pam's relationship no longer cut it.

I turned to a few lifestyle changes like less caffeine, regular exercise, and a meditation practice (although irregular), which seemed to help.

Inevitably, there are still nights when despite how tired I am, I'm kept awake thinking about that email I forgot to send. I started to look for quick fixes for those times when I find myself wide awake at midnight, wishing for nothing more than to seamlessly drift off.

I tested seven natural tricks and methods designed to help me both fall asleep and get more restful sleep. But first, I laid some basic ground rules to make sure my sleep experiment wasn't altered by any big issues before testing out other natural methods.

The basic rules:

• No caffeine after 12 p.m.
• Minimal (0-1 serving) alcohol
• Avoid screens an hour before bed
• Eliminate light entirely (I'm all about the sleep mask)
• Regular exercise (5-6 mornings per week)

The sleep tricks:

1. Dab on lavender essential oil.

What I did: A dab of lavender essential oil on my wrists and temples.

The verdict: This felt really earth mothery, in the best kind of way. The smell was unexpectedly soothing. It might be a placebo effect, but it really helps me feel calmer and ready for sleep.

I actually integrated it into my bedtime routine, so now it's a signal to my brain that it's time to chill. But it's more of a de-stresser than a sleep aid.

2. Breathe through the left nostril.

What I did: This pranayama practice is simply about breathing through (you guessed it) your left nostril. I placed my thumb on the outside of my right nostril and pressed it closed. Then I just breathed deeply, counting to 26 breaths, as recommended.

The verdict: I felt a little silly, but it was good that I was focusing on my breathing and counting, which slowed my brain down. I lost track of my counting a few times and eventually drifted off. I guess that means it worked?

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