Natural remedies for insomnia that actually work
Imagery Melanie McLaughlin // @theyinspace
Mathew Coyte // @mathewcoyte
Words Emma Vidgen // @emma_vee
Image Ben Blennerhassett // Unsplash
There’s a reason sleep deprivation is used as a form of torture: because it IS! Unfortunately when life gets hard/stressful/traumatic or all of the above, our sleep is often one of the first things to be affected.
We asked some of our favourite wellness experts to reveal how they help fix their own insomnia when they just. can’t. sleep. So step away from the medicine cabinet and give these a go next time you’re struggling with shut-eye.
FIX #1 ACUPRESSURE BEFORE BED
“The liver 3 point helps balance the liver channel which is associated with waking up between 1am and 3am,” TCM expert and acupuncturist Dr Emma Quine. With bare feet, measure two finger widths above the skin between your big toe and second toe. Apply firm pressure to the liver three points for two to three minutes, taking deep, slow breaths. Repeat on other foot.
The Liver 3 point
FIX #2 LEGS UP THE WALL
Whether it’s before bed or in the middle of the night, swing your legs around and pop your legs up without even getting out of bed. “This type of inversion is a great preparation for sleep too as well as it calms the nervous system and helps to put you back into deep relaxation zone even if you wake up through the night and you’re overthinking everything,” explains Mel McLaughlin founder of The Yin Space.
“Put your hands on your body (belly/ chest/thighs) and do soft belly breathing or breathe to your feet. Imagine every time you exhale you’re emptying your mind. Reaching your arms overhead can also pull directly into the heart channels and help to call an ‘unquiet spirit’ home and allow you to safely embody your body and go back to sleep,” says Mel. “After you’ve held the pose for three to five minutes. “If that fails put on some white noise or nature sounds or a guided yoga nidra.”
FIX #3: GRATITUDE
“For all insomnia and anxiety, it's a great idea to have a gratitude diary. When you are in bed about to go to sleep, grab a journal and write out five (or more) things you are grateful for in your life,” says Emma. “This reframes the way you perceive things, and creates a feeling of abundance rather than fixating on what we are lacking. When we practice gratitude, there is less room for anxiety. Spend some time writing about what you want to let go of as well – for example, anger or grief.”