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Some Tips to Manage Fear and Elevated Cortisol

A few simple lifestyle changes, nutritional nourishment for your adrenals and some special herbs called adaptogens will help you obtain a much deeper level of sleep at night.

Tip One: Make Some Simple Changes in the Way You Nurture Yourself

Choose a few of these tried and true ways to reduce stress and lower your cortisol before you go to sleep:

• Turn off the TV - Especially in the evening. You'll find that you can sleep better at night. Read a book instead.
• Dim the lights - When your eyes are exposed to lights your pineal gland (a tiny endocrine organ in your brain) will not secrete the melatonin you need for a good night's sleep.
  Listen to relaxing music.
• Take a hot bath with Epsom salts before bed.
• Use essential oils, like lavender.
• Ask someone to give you a foot massage (aka foot reflexology) - when cortisol levels are up, you can be certain that too much energy has gone up into your head. A foot massage is a great way to calm down that excessive nervous energy in your head.
  Make a list of all the things you are grateful for - I've heard that Oprah Winfrey does this every night.

Tip Two: Make Changes in Your Diet

• Be sure you have at least one of the grain-like seeds (Quinoa, Millet, Buckwheat and Amaranth) as part of your evening meal - these delicious vegetarian, protein-rich seeds are gluten-free, have the benefits of grains and are calming. Eating them for dinner will help you sleep better.
• Make sure you are eating high quality proteins that are best for your blood type. You must also be digesting your protein. Research shows that when you are deficient in protein your cortisol levels will be chronically elevated.
• Include good quality, unrefined fats - especially those rich in Omega 3 fatty acids help lower cortisol and the inflammation it causes.

Tip Three: Make an Effort to Grow Emotionally Happier. EFT Can Help

If you are currently having trouble sleeping, consider the Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT. It is an excellent technique that can quickly help you eliminate deep-seated stress and fear. Many times these emotions are rooted in early life experiences and must be eliminated from our subconscious mind. EFT is both effective and very easy to do. Many people are using EFT to clear negative energy and get relief from pain, addictions, diseases and other negative emotions like guilt, sadness and anger.

Tip Four: Make An Effort to Grow Spiritually

Honour your individuality and uniqueness not only in our physical body but in our mental, emotional and spiritual body as well. We must each connect to our own understanding of the Creative Divine Power as we understand it. This understanding will continually grow and evolve. It is important to follow your heart and seek the Truth that works for you.

Spiritual masters have always encouraged us to strive toward connecting our physical self with the more sacred part of us - our soul. As we grow spiritually we learn that everything in life is in perfect divine order. When we truly master this capacity to trust in the Divine Power, we feel safe. We let go and relax. This state of being takes a tremendous burden off out adrenals.

Tip Five: Add Some Special Supplements Called Adaptogens

We sleep better at night when we build energy during the day. Adaptogens are safe yet effective choices for building energy and fortunately they are abundantly grown in the earth's garden. They increase the general capacity of the human body to adapt to stress and they increase resistance to disease. They are not localized to a specific body organ but have a "normalizing" effect (restorative rather than curative) on the imbalances caused by physical or emotional stress. Examples of physical and emotional stress would include depression, anxiety, noise and occupational tension, biological stress from infection, chemical stress from alcohol, salt and environmental toxins and even changes in external conditions such as high altitude, extreme climate or irregular day rhythms.

Here are some great options:

• Holy Basil - the most revered of all the Ayruvedic herbs Holy Basil is not related to the basil we grow in our gardens. Also known as Tulsi, Holy Basil has been used to lower elevated cortisol and regulate blood sugar.
• Ashwagandha - the herb that has been shown to increase energy and mental alertness during the day has also been shown in research to help you sleep better at night.
• Shatavari - means a woman with a thousand husbands. This should give you an idea of how effective it is for building energy,
• Dong Quai is also called Angelica sinsensis and is said to be the "queen" of herbs for balancing a women hormones. Interestingly, it is also used by men to improve the health of their prostrate gland. It creates energy and yet is calming.
• Other wonderful examples of adaptogens are Schizandra, Gynostemma, Astragalus and Rhodiola.

Tip Six: Be Sure You Retain Lots of Minerals

Minerals feed your adrenals so that you can build energy. In order to get the benefits of minerals in your body, you have to digest them from the mineral-rich foods you eat. A healthy inner ecosystem, full of healthy microflora, plays a critical role in assimilating and retaining minerals.

With some simple lifestyle changes, the right nutritional nourishment for your adrenals and special herbs called adaptogens you can soon obtain a much deeper level of sleep at night.

Remember that changing old habits takes time. And unless you are seriously ill, I am a firm believer in making dietary changes step-by-step. Go at your own pace to avoid becoming overwhelmed. While small steps might seem like the slow approach to reach your goal, before you know it you'll be waking up feeling as rested as a healthy baby who just slept soundly through the night!

Insomnia | Trouble sleeping

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