We’ve all had those restless nights of tossing and turning,
staring at the ceiling, unable to get more than a couple hours of shuteye. The
more you worry about not sleeping, the more your mind races, and next thing you
know, the sun is peeking through the window. I’ve spent one too many nights
this way and needed to put an end to my poor sleeping patterns. I came across
this delicious tea recipe and it improved my cycle completely.
Irregular sleeping patterns or even insomnia can stem from
several different things like depression, stress and anxiety. Almost every
night, I would get into bed and my mind would be racing. Whether I was thinking
about work, family, or simply the things I needed to get done the next day, I
just couldn’t allow myself to relax. If your mind is active, chances are you
won’t fall asleep.
Certain medications can also cause insomnia. Pain
medications, antihistamines, and heart and blood pressure medicines are among
the many that contribute to sleep loss. Yes, some meds might actually make you
drowsy at first, but they can also trigger frequent bathroom trips or anxiety
which can further disturb your rest.
Whether it’s one of these issues or maybe it’s that you’re
addicted to your phone when you should be sleeping, something needs to change.
Banana
Tea
Using only a couple items that are likely already in your
kitchen, you can whip together a banana tea in no time! This organic,
banana-infused sleep remedy works wonders and tastes so good. How does it work?
Bananas, especially the peels, are loaded with potassium and magnesium. While
magnesium helps prevent sleep disturbances, both magnesium and potassium work
together to help relax muscles. In fact, magnesium is one of the best minerals
for relaxation! Keep in mind, this recipe calls for 100% organic bananas.
Bananas that are not organic are loaded with harmful pesticides and since we
encourage you to eat the boiled peel, it must be chemical-free.
This tea takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and can be
enjoyed every night before bed.
Ingredients
1 organic banana
1 small pot of water
a dash of cinnamon (optional)
All you need to do is cut off both ends of the banana and
place it, peel and all, into boiling water. Boil it for around 10 minutes.
Using a colander, pour the water into a mug. If you’re feeling adventurous,
sprinkle the cinnamon into the tea. Drink it one hour before bed time.
If you’re worried about being wasteful, you’ve clearly never
had a boiled banana before! After the banana has been boiled, sprinkle some
cinnamon over it. Eating the warm, gooey fruit and its peel along with the tea
will increase its soothing effects… Not to mention it makes a yummy dessert!
Why
Sleeping Pills Are Bad
Out of despair, many of us have resorted to sleeping pills
and with almost half of the American population suffering from insomnia or poor
sleep, it’s no wonder. But here’s the thing: sleeping pills cannot help you
long-term. They provide a short-term fix.
The majority of sleeping pills are a specific type of drug
that induces and maintains sleep. They’re classified as something called
sedative hypnotics. Among other sedative hypnotic drugs are benzodiazepines and
barbiturates. Benzodiazepines—like Xanax and Valium—can be addictive and are
used to treat anxiety disorders by increasing drowsiness. Barbiturates depress
the central nervous system are used as anesthetics and sedatives.
As with all drugs, there’s a list of side effects that
accompany sleeping pills. Aside from the likeliness of them being
habit-forming, they can cause the following:
Constipation
Dizziness
Difficulty focusing and remembering
Stomach pain
Weakness
Uncontrollable shaking
Parasomnias (Doing things without realizing it… Scary!)
Sleeping pills also cause your breathing rhythm to slow down
and significantly lighten. This means that if you’re already suffering from
lung diseases like COPD or even asthma, these meds can be dangerous and even
fatal.
How
Sleep Deprivation Affects the Body
Getting less than eight hours of sleep is bad for your body.
When I found out the consequences little to no sleep had on my body, I
panicked!
When your body doesn’t get enough rest, generally less than
eight hours, it suffers. Cognitive function—your long- and short-term memory—is
seriously affected. Have you ever tried to focus on a task while running on
zero fuel? I have and I know it’s near impossible. Processing even the simplest
things seems challenging and your emotional responses to things become totally
skewed. The scariest part is that sleep deprivation has been linked to serious
health problems including obesity, diabetes and cancer.
It’s important to figure out why you’re not sleeping the way
you used to and work on fixing it. I now look forward to this tea each night;
it’s 100% natural, it smells and tastes great, and it has worked tremendously
for me.
Via : Womansvibe