A few suggestions to help you sleep

In the middle of the night when you have a million things on my mind and worry about not getting enough sleep there are a few things you might help.

• Make sure the temperature in the room is cool and I have enough blankets to keep me comfortable.
• Consciously relax every muscle in my body.
• Drink a glass of milk and/or eat a banana.

If your blood sugar is low it can cause restlessness. Alcohol lowers blood sugar, so you might want to limit your alcohol intake to one drink. Protein and starch will help elevate blood sugar and last through the rest of the night. A cup of chamomile tea with lavender can do wonders to help you relax your mind.

• Pretend to be asleep.
• Read for twenty minutes.

Some physicians recommend taking an anti-histamine but it may leave you feeling drowsy in the morning.

I recently read about taking supplement at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Health. They have a very informative site with descriptions of several types of herbal supplements.

Two that might help promote sleep are chamomile and Valerian. It is important to read and know about
these before making a decision to take them -- or not.

To read WebMD's information on Lavender

To read the NIH information on Valerian.

To read the NIH information on Chamomile.

A microwave heating pad on your feet will also help you relax, especially if your feet are tired and sore or are cold. An extra large Back Warmer is versatile and can be used to relax or warm feet.

Tips to promote sleep without taking medications

When we are worried about jobs, money, our health, families, or friends it can be difficult to relax and go to sleep. It seems impossible when we are over-worked, over-tired, over-stressed, and need sleep the most, to access it.

Here are a few tips to help promote relaxation and go to sleep without the use of medications.

1. Drink plenty of water during the day time.
2. Limit alcohol intake.
3. Write down a list of things that need to be dealt with the next day.
4. Read something light before bed or if sleep is interrupted to help shift the mind away from pressing issues.
5. Find a comfortable position in bed and concentrate on relaxing muscles starting with the toes and working your way up to the head.
6. Practice being still.
7. Adjust the blankets so you are not too hot or too cold.
8. Soak the feet in warm water then massage them with moisturizing cream.
9. Use a microwave heating pad to help relax tense neck, back, and leg muscles.
10. If necessary, get up in the night to do a few of the things that need doing in order get them off your mind and to relax. Make sure it is for no more than an hour.

Maine Warmers'  Panda Bear bed & body warmer is just the thing to help relax tense muscles. A Cozy Sheep, like all of their microwave heating pads, placed on the feet will deliver ultimate relaxation. Because these heating pads don't look medicinal, both will decorate a bed when not in use.