Help With Insomnia

Posted on January 5, 2009
Filed Under Healthy Living | Leave a Comment

If you suffer from sleep problems but don’t want to run the risk of becoming addicted to drug-based sleeping pills, then consider natural sleeping aids. To learn more about insomnia and how you can beat it the natural way, keep reading.

Avoid Caffeine

Caffeine is in almost everything these days – from coffee to chocolate to cold medications to energy drinks. It’s hard to escape caffeine in this fast paced world, but it’s critical to do so to overcome insomnia and other sleeping problems. Until your sleeping patterns are back on track, you may want to drop the Starbucks.

And don’t assume that because you had your last cup of coffee at lunch it’s totally out of your system either. In fact, a full cup of coffee will typically continue to affect your body all the way until 10 o’clock at night.

Exercise

While exercise will give you energy, it can also help you fall asleep at night. By regularly getting physical activity, you can easily get yourself into regular and healthy sleeping patterns. You don’t even need to run a marathon – a simple walk after lunch or dinner could be all you require to fall asleep easily tonight.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea is one of the best natural sleeping aids. Not only is it warm and soothing, but chamomile actually works to soothe the nerves, stomach and body. It relaxes the system and literally forces you to come down after a long and hard day. Additionally, it fights anxiety, kills worry and just helps you to relax.

Valerian

Valerian may not smell pleasant, but it’s a fantastic sleep aid. Essentially, it’s a minor tranquilizer that binds to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain, the same receptors that respond to Dalmane, Valium, Xanax and other sedating drugs.

The other difference is that taking Valerian doesn’t lead to morning grogginess or trouble waking up. Instead, people report waking up feeling great and ready to take on the day. Remember, though, Valerian is a sedative and should only be taken before bed.

Hops

When you start talking about hops, you think of beer. And while beer may be a great sleep aid, it’s not always a good idea for daily use. However, hops isn’t just used for beer – it’s also used to relieve anxiety and insomnia.

Because hops does contain estrogen and can increase estrogen levels, long term use is not recommended. In addition, pregnant or nursing women shouldn’t take it.

Kava-kava

Kava-kava is one of several natural sleeping aids that come from the South Pacific islands. Multiple studies have been done that deem it as effective as pharmaceutical counterparts when it comes to reducing anxiety. However, it’s often recommended as a sleep aid that’s not habit-forming.

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