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Did you know that grief can have a serious impact on our sleep patterns? This was something I discovered after losing my husband. I had been such a great sleeper prior to his death, having no problem falling asleep and staying asleep for the duration of the night. What I learned was that grief and trauma can mess up even the best sleep habits and it took me about 22 months to finally find something that helped me to regularly get a decent night’s sleep. I’m going to share with you about how grief affects sleep and some of the natural tips and tricks that worked for me.
Grief & Sleep
It’s very common to experience a change in sleeping patterns after losing a loved one. Someone who is grieving may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Reasons why someone who is experiencing grief may have difficulty sleeping after the death of a loved one include:
- Intrusive thoughts
- Bad dreams
- worries and anxieties
- Depression, Insomnia and PTSD
In some cases the lack of sleep can be so noticeable that it’s impossible to ignore the impacts it is having. But in many cases the loss of sleep can seem so marginal that it’s easy to overlook the impact that fatigue begins to have on the overall physical and emotional wellness of the griever.
Research shows that long term sleep disruption can lead to increased risk of health conditions such as stroke, heart disease, cancer and premature death. Even a couple nights of poor sleep can make it harder when dealing with the complicated emotions of grief.
Although it can seem like grief and sleep can not co-exist, I am here to share with you some of the natural things that worked for me after trying many different options.
3 Natural sleep tips that actually work!
Obviously there are pharmaceutical options available to help with sleep. Which is a perfectly acceptable method and helpful when needed. However, in my case, I wanted to try to find alternatives that were as natural as possible. Here are my favorite methods of getting a great nights sleep:
- Meditation – This is a great way to relax the body and brain. Studies have found that meditation can help reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, and increase natural melatonin levels which help with more restful sleep. I designed this hypno-meditation album for grief and loss available on iTunes, Google Music and Spotify. There is even a track specific to helping with sleeping better. Click here to checkout my guided hypno-meditation album.
- Mushroom Chai Powder – Reishi, Chaga, Turkey Tail and Cordyceps mushrooms all contain powerful properties that help to boost the immune system, reduce stress, improve sleep and lessen fatigue. And the best part is when ground into mushroom powder you wouldn’t even now you were consuming mushrooms making it great for anyone who despises the fungi. I found this delicious mushroom chai powder that I love taking before bed to help me unwind and get a good night’s sleep. Click here to order some for yourself!
- Sleep Spray – I got turned onto this powerful sleep spray by a dear friend who knew that I was having sleep problems after the loss of my husband. I couldn’t believe how well it worked and I love sharing it with others. It comes in a spray vial and contains melatonin and 5-HTP. Click here to order this magic sleep spray!
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