Sleeping Well Through Midlife – Is it possible?

Getting a good night’s sleep is crucial to our attitude and energy level. Yet sleep in our older years tends to become elusive as our stress hormones are no longer mediated by the abundance of estrogen we had in younger years. When hormone levels fall, muscles harden, exacerbating migraines and tension.

Here are some natural ways to help you relax for deep sleep:

Hot baths before bed are notoriously effective in relaxing hypertension and regulating deep relaxation. Taken before bed, a bath can produce a relaxation effect within 20 minutes by dilating blood vessels and reducing blood pressure when cortisol levels wake you with worrisome or anxious thoughts.

Hold points on your governing meridian. Before going to sleep at night lie on your side and touch the spot at the very top of your head with one hand, and your tailbone with the other hand. Take slow, deep breaths, counting to four on the inhale, and four on the exhale. Imagine your breath filling your torso, and then sinking behind you, through your back and into the space behind you. You can also trace your mind up and down your spine, slowly, from top to bottom. This exercise helps to unwind tension, stress, and spinal trauma. With regular practice, you will definitely see the quality and quantity of your sleep improve.

Have a family member or friend hold your adrenal points. Two reflex points will release your adrenal stress before you go to sleep, enabling you to sleep more readily and more deeply. Once your partner finds the points, no pressure is needed. Just touching and holding those points will bring the system to equilibrium and put you to sleep.

The Adrenal Stress Points:
The location of the first point is on our shoulder blade 1″ from the medial border nearest the spine, and 1″ down from the top edge of the bone. If you touch the blade with 2 to 3 fingers, you can’t miss it, as it will be tender to the touch upon pressure. The second point is halfway down the back of the hand, between the 3rd and 4th hand bones (ring and little finger). Hold the points for 1-3 minutes on each side of the body or until you feel pulsation under your fingertips.

With a little attention and regularity, these simple steps will have you sleeping through the night and awakening fully restored and rejuvenated!