Getting to sleep naturally and resting your brain and your body

By Karen Carnabucci, LCSW, TEP

"I can’t sleep. How do I get to sleep without medication?"

This common question is asked regularly, and I can tell you there are lots of people who are sleepless here, there and everywhere.

Deciding to find sleep without medication -- which many people find has limitations anyway -- means some effort and experimentation on your part. There are actually lots of choices, but you will have to decide which ones you are willing to try.

You'll have to make an investment in this process. You may need to consider new ideas, ones that may be unfamiliar to you or ones that you have dismissed in the past.

Prepare for bed with nighttime rituals. You will want your bedtime rituals to be comforting and able to slow you into dream time. Calming music, turning down the lights, taking a warm bath or shower, enjoying an inspirational reading, prayer or other simple practices will help you relax.

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