Natural Health Article

 

Natural Remedies for Insomnia
By Amy Phillips-Gary

"My hands are locked up tight in fists
My mind is racing, filled with
lists
of things to do and things I've done
Another sleepless night's
begun

Lids down, I count sheep
I count heartbeats
The only thing that
counts is
that I won't sleep..." -- Barenaked Ladies

The number of people in the United States who chronically have trouble sleeping is in the tens of millions. That's a lot of people who
struggle getting one of the basic necessities of life.

A restful and rejuvenating night's sleep is absolutely essential to
good health and simply being able to function during your awake hours.

Traffic accidents, inability to focus and concentrate on work,
headaches, a weakened immune system and even heart disease have been linked to insomnia.

There are different types of insomnia ranging from mild to moderate to chronic and more extreme. There are also various kinds of sleep disorders including sleep apnea (a temporary cessation of breathing during sleep), snoring, narcolepsy (falling asleep at inappropriate or un-chosen times) and insomnia.

Insomnia is the inability or difficulty getting quality sleep. A
person who has insomnia might restlessly toss and turn at night and literally be unable to fall asleep. Or he or she might awake in the very early morning hours and then can't get back to sleep.

Other times the person with insomnia may be able to sleep; but he or she wakes up in the morning feeling tired and unrested because of a poor quality sleep.

What's behind insomnia?
Anxiety, stress and depression are huge factors contributing to
insomnia. You might have a shorter-term situation happening in your life such as anxiety about a job or financial challenge.

It could be that you are depressed about a longer-lasting issue such as overall low self esteem or lacking self-worth. You might find that as you take steps to process your feelings and deal with these deep-seated beliefs and issues, your ability to get quality sleep will improve.

Working with a psychologist, counselor or coach can help you learn new tools to use with anxiety, stress or depression when it crops up for you.

There are also many many potential physical causes for insomnia that include everything from premenstrual syndrome in women, allergies, asthma, heart problems, hormonal imbalances and others.

Please consult your health care professional with any specific questions you have about these conditions.

Insomnia can be treated in many ways. As you are probably already aware, there are many prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines that are marketed to help those with insomnia.

These can be effective in cases but most have side effects that are
undesirable. You could also become overly-reliant on the sleep aid.

Natural Remedies for Insomnia
There are quite a few natural remedies for insomnia. Most of these
have few, if any, side effects and derive from natural plants or
involve massage or other interactions with the body or mind.

I recommend that you do further research on these suggested remedies and experiment with different methods and combinations until you find what works for you.

Herbal Remedies: Brew these in a homemade tea or take them in capsule form.

Chamomile, Hops, Kava, California Poppy, Lemon Balm, Passionflower, Rooibos, St. John's Wart, Skullcap, Valerian and Oat Straw

Homeopathic Remedies: Homeopathy is a precise science involving matching an array of symptoms and attributes with a particular remedy. You might need to consult with a trained homeopath if you do not experience improvement within a few days or weeks.

Aconitum apellus, Arsenicum album, Calcarea phosphorica, Cocculus, Coffea cruda, Ignatia, Kali phosphoricum, Lycopodium, Nux Vomica, Silicea, Sulphur and Zincum metallicum

Essential Oils: Aromatherapy can be a powerful way to relax and
address challenges or even imbalances in your body and life overall.

These are readily available at natural foods stores in diluted or
concentrated forms. Use essential oils in a relaxing bath just before bed or place a few drops on a handkerchief that you lie down beside.

Roman Chamomile, Geranium, Chamomile, Lavender, Neroli, Rose, Sweet Marjoram, Benzoin, Jasmine, Melissa (Lemon Balm), Sandalwood and Ylang Ylang

Dietary Changes and Vitamins: Alcohol and caffeinated beverages may spark insomnia or make it worse. Certain foods consumed in the hours before attempting to sleep might also interfere with sleep.

These include: fried or fatty foods, highly processed carbohydrates and spicy foods.

Other foods have actually been recommended as aids to insomnia. Some natural food remedies suggested are: lettuce, mandarin oranges and a blend of honey, cinnamon and milk.

Vitamin B12 (and other B complex vitamins), Magnesium and Melatonin are a few vitamins and supplements that are commonly used to promote a restful sleep.

Massage: Some people have experienced improvement in sleep patterns after receiving an adjustment or physical manipulation from a chiropractor, massage therapist, polarity therapist or other energy worker.

Relaxation Techniques: Find a guided meditation tape that appeals to you and listen to it just before you fall asleep at night. After time, you can learn to guide yourself through stress release
techniques or create your own relaxing visualization that will
encourage a restful night's sleep.
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Amy Phillips-Gary is a freelance writer, homeschool mom and personal growth adventurer.









 

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