Insomnia Treatment Tips

Insomnia, the inability to fall asleep, can strike at any time and can leave you feeling restless, grouchy and irritable.

If you don’t want to go the medicinal route, the following 8 herbs can help. Use these herbs 20-30 minutes before bedtime to reap their benefits.

Chamomile – Chamomile is a natural sedative, which is safe to use by adult and children alike. Chamomile is also a common tea ingredient and is commonly used to release stress and tension.
Dosage: As a tea mixture, drink 1-2 cups daily. As a tincture, take 30 drops, 3 times a day.

Hops – This natural flavoring for beer has long been used to treat nervousness, restlessness and sleeplessness.
Dosage: As a tea mixture, drink 2-3 cups daily. As a tincture, take 30 to 40 drops, 2 to 3 times a day.

Lavender – Lavender calms and strengthens the nervous system.
Dosage: As a tea mixture, 2-3 cups daily. Essential oils may be used in massage, inhaled or added to bath water.

Passion flower – A natural sedative.
Dosage: As a tea mixture, drink 1 cup, 3 times daily. As a tincture, 30 to 60 drops, 3-4 times daily.

Valerian – A natural sedative that has been shown to reduce constant waking and can be used in combination with other herbs.
Dosage: As a tea mixture, drink 1 cup as needed. As a tincture, 2 to 5 dropper- fulls, 2-3 times daily.

California poppy – A mild sedative and analgesic.
Dosage: As a tea mixture, drink one cup 2-3 times daily. As a tincture, 30-40 drops, 2-3 times daily.

Kava Kava – Natural sedative that calms and relaxes the body.
Dosage: As a tea mixture, drink 1 cup 2-3 times daily. As a tincture, 3 to 4 dropper-fulls, 2-3 times daily.

St. John’s Wort – Helps relieve depression and chronic insomnia.
Dosage: As a tincture, 1/2 to 1 tsp. 2-3 x daily; In pill or capsule form, take 1 or 2, 3 times a day. The full effect will develop around 2-3 weeks.

If after considering all options, you decide that medication would be the best way to treat your insomnia, there are a few things you should consider. Many over the counter sleep aids are antihistamines, which do work for some people, but many report feeling groggy the next day or having a difficult time waking up. For the health conscious, it’s worth noting that of all insomnia drugs the ones you can purchase without a prescription have the least severe side effects. If you don’t have insurance, this will likely be the most affordable option. Supplements like Valerian root and melatonin are another option, and this is a good place to start.

If you need something more effective, however, it can be worth talking to your doctor about getting something prescribed. It’s important to make sure this drug will not interact with any others you might be taking. There are multiple options such as the popular Ambien and Lunesta, and it may take some trial and error before you find out what you’re comfortable with. The side effects for these drugs can be markedly more intense than those of antihistamine based insomnia drugs. Many Lunesta users report a very strong metallic and bitter taste that can last for 24 hours. Not good. Ambien’s side effects don’t generally cause similar kinds of discomfort, but some users find that any effective sleep aid can be habit forming.

It’s important that you ration your usage of such substances for a few reasons. If you use these drugs frequently, or even only as often as recommended, the possibility exists that your insomnia will worsen once you stop. The risk of this is increased in tandem with increased dependence. Be mindful of this and the other points I have made, and you should feel confident in taking steps toward treatment that may be beneficial for you.

Are you one of the over 50% of adults who suffer from insomnia? This lack of sleep that occurs on a regular basis may be a result of stress, depression, disease, your diet or other factors. Rather than taking an over-the-counter remedy containing antihistamines that can leave you feeling groggy the next day, consider natural remedies, some of which may address the root of your sleep problems.

Valerian, an herbal nutritional remedy available over-the-counter, affects the amount of the calming neurotransmitter GABA. The dietary supplement tryptophan, which often causes drowsiness after eating that Thanksgiving turkey, is known to increase serotonin, another neurotransmitter associated with sleep. When taken before bedtime, the hormone melatonin, found naturally in the body, can help with disturbances in the sleep/wake cycle. Other treatments include acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. Consult a doctor to find out about side effects and contraindications before trying these remedies.

Are your lifestyle choices affecting your sleep? Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine, found not only in coffee and tea, but in chocolate, some soft drinks, and cold medicines. Eat a healthy diet containing magnesium-rich foods such as dark leafy green vegetables, legumes and seeds, almonds, and whole grains, and limit sweets, which can throw off blood sugar levels and disrupt sleep. Regular exercise has been shown to relieve muscle tension and stress, and incorporating 20 minutes of relaxation techniques such as yoga or visualization can help you fall asleep faster and feel more rested.

Finally, consider playing gentle, slow music at bedtime or increasing your exposure to light during the day. Also, the smell of a few drops of lavender oil in a bath or handkerchief has been shown to have sedative qualities, usually with women. A few adjustments like these may be all you need for a more restful night.

Tired of those sleepless nights? Well, then read on and find some tips that could put you to sleep tonight and get you well on the road to feeling rested.

First, let’s cover those tried and true old remedies:

1. Take a warm bath – take a warm bath to relax tired muscles, add some Epsom salts and baking soda to release toxins or add a drop or two of the essential oil Lavender to melt away the stress. Don’t make the water hot, or you will drain yourself of all vitality instead of just relaxing yourself.

2. See a Doctor – maybe there is an underlying cause to your sleepless nights. Could you be overweight? Have Sleep Apnea? If your doctor doesn’t find any problems, then you are probably like most of us, who just struggle with stress, tension, and anxiety. For those of you who do have a physical problem, your doctor may prescribe sleep aids to help in getting you rested.

3. Get a massage – enlist your spouse, significant other, or even yourself give yourself a massage. A gentle back rub, face and neck massage may just lull you to sleep by releasing all that tension and stress that you’ve been carrying all day.

4. Listen to music – something soft and relaxing. There are even special CDs/tapes that are sold just for the purpose of relaxing you to sleep.

5. Drink warm milk – milk contains calcium which helps you to relax, plus for some people just the tradition of doing this makes them relax.

6. Drink herbal tea – there are many varieties for relaxing and sleep. Try varieties like chamomile, catnip, anise or fennel. Sleepy Time by Celestial Seasonings is a popular brand.

7. Eat a bedtime snack – some good choices would include a banana, a small bowl of cereal with milk, a piece of toast, a slice of cheese, an ounce of turkey, or cottage cheese (low protein, high carbohydrates are the preferred choice for the best rest).

8. Keep your bedroom well ventilated – it is hard to sleep in a stuffy room. It is much easier for most to add additional covers if they start to feel a chill so keep air moving and try not to make it too warm.

9. Get some physical exercise during the day – exercise will help your body to relax later in the day. Don’t do exercise too close to bed time, or you won’t be able to sleep, however, because exercise will rev you up before relaxing you. Try to exercise at least 1-2 hours before bed for the best results.

10. Don’t sleep in – your body needs to be on a schedule and when it is you will feel more rested.

11. Avoid naps – you will feel more tired at bed time and will be better able to sleep through the night.

12. Keep your bed a place for sleep – if you do work in bed, watch TV, argue with a spouse or loved one, or read while in bed it is no longer a relaxing place of rest. Try to keep your bedroom simple, remove bright alarm clocks and televisions from the room, and keep reading for the den. Do your work in the late afternoon, allowing yourself some down time before bed, and then keep your bed for just sleeping and sex.

If you’re like most people, you’re probably feeling pressure from all of the talk of gloom and doom about the economy. The mortgage meltdown, plunging stock prices, and the unstable economy, are enough to make your head spin. You may even be having trouble sleeping at night. In the midst of all of the uncertainty, you may be asking yourself, “How can I stop insomnia?”

Well, the answer depends on which road you want to take. For a natural approach, you can try making a few simple lifestyle changes. Set aside a certain time to go to sleep each night. Stay consistent so that your body can get used to winding down at a certain time. Make sure that your room is quiet. You can turn on some soothing music to help you relax. Drink a cup of warm milk or tea before you go to bed. This can also help you get into a restful mood. Lay in bed and read a book. You’ll be asleep before you know it. Avoid foods and drinks that may keep you awake at night, especially if it’s close to your bed time. That means no caffeine or spicy foods.

You may be able to get faster results by taking medication. There are a number of over the counter sleeping pills that may do the trick. Just be sure to follow the directions to prevent an accidental overdose. If that doesn’t work, you may be able to get a prescription from your doctor.

If you find yourself asking the question “How can I stop insomnia?”, you should also ask yourself how you are going to cope with your stress. Try yoga, or take up exercising, anything that can help you relax, and before you know it, you’ll find it easier to get a good night’s sleep.

Insomnia is often little understood by those who suffer from it, and many ask, “What causes insomnia?”

Well, the answer is not as simple as the question. The underlying causes of insomnia run the gamut from physical influences to mental or emotional ones. Examples of physical influences that could cause insomnia in some individuals are drugs like caffeine or stimulants used to treat ADHD. Have you changed or began taking any medications lately? Some people become more sensitive to caffeine as they age, and a cup of coffee too late keeps them up all night. In fact, natural internal changes in hormonal balances and body chemistry can also be the cause of insomnia in some cases.

The mind’s power over the body should also be duly considered. Worry over, or even positive anticipation of an event can often make it extremely difficult to sleep. After traumatic events, such the death of someone you love, the mind can become so preoccupied with information that it is very hard to “wind down,” so to speak. Even unresolved issues from the past that you don’t consciously think of on a regular basis, but still exist in your mind can come to the surface at times of mental stillness. Get rid of any baggage you might be holding on to, and remember, there’s no sense in worrying about things you have no control over. If you do have control over the situation, come up with a plan to solve the issue, and rest easy knowing you’re going to do something about it!

Having good sleeping habits, and maintaining an established pattern of activity and rest can also help. The topic of “sleep hygiene” may be of interest to you. There are a great many steps you can take to help your body know what to expect, and prevent disruption in your sleep and waking cycle. Keeping a written record with times and descriptions of sleep events or events that will directly effect how you sleep can be very helpful for recognizing problems and finding the root cause of your insomnia.

The first thing that must be done in order to cure insomnia is to eliminate all caffeine products from your diet. This includes chocolate, sugar ,teas and obviously coffee. Even if you have that morning cup it may still not completely filter out of your system especially if you are overweight. It takes a longer time to process the caffeine and filter it out of your body by bed time. This brings me to the next thing you must do.

This article is written to cure insomnia not tame it. It takes hard work and commitment as well as patience and time to cure this ailment. Venture slowly and pay attention to all the factors that may be contributing to your insomnia. The next important element is a consistent bedtime. Make sure you go through the motions of getting into bed with no TV and lights out at the same time every night. I enjoy reading before falling asleep. It really helps tame the mind before it goes into the overwhelming thought processing that churns and keeps us awake for hours.

Make sure you fit in some type of exercise. Anything as long as you move your body vigorously for 30 min. minimum. You elevate your heart rate and you will benefit with a deeper and more replenishing sleep. Your body needs to repair itself at night so give your body something to do. I understand work consumes our lives. It is the American way . Make a few sacrifices (take the stairs, skip the office gossip session and take a brisk walk around the building or jog to your car to “grab something”) really make an effort to move that body.

Last I found an excellent resource that will help tremendously. Go to your local book store and find a Self Hypnosis CD. It works like a dream. Put it on an ipod or MP3 player of choice and close your eyes and listen to the calming voice of your hypnotist… Barrie Konicov has a few different CDs to choose from. He has transformed my life and he will change yours as well. Sweet dreams.

Here you are lying in bed and you can’t sleep, you have tried everything but your brain just won’t shut off. You finally fall asleep and then bam! you are awake again and can’t fall back to sleep. You have insomnia, simply put, it is the inability to fall asleep and or stay asleep.

Insomnia is mainly caused by stress, and can last for one night or for several months. This sleep condition can also cause a multitude of problems, from depression, anxiety, irritability, and the danger of sleep deprivation. Chronic insomnia can then develop from insomnia; this is serious condition and should be treated by a doctor.

How do you treat insomnia? There are many treatments from relaxation techniques to medications. Most people tend to go for the pills, lets face it, we are a pill popping generation, and there is a pill for everything these days. You can find over the counter sleep remedies at any pharmacy, or if you have severe insomnia, your doctor may prescribe a stronger remedy. Medications that are prescribed run the risk of causing dependency, so discussing this option with a doctor is highly recommended.

There are ways other than medication that can be useful in treating insomnia, such as relaxation techniques, breathing techniques, wearing ear plugs and sleeping masks, avoiding foods that may trigger distress, avoiding caffeinated drinks and alcohol, exercise, supplements and practicing a sleep routine. Massage has also been shown to induce a healthy sleep pattern since stress can cause muscle tension.

So get yourself some warm milk, relaxing music, turn off the TV and relax. If at home remedies don’t do the trick, make an appointment with your doctor to treat the underlying cause.