I have had really bad insomnia for the last two or three weeks. Are there any natural sleep aids that I can find at a drugstore that won’t cause dependence?
There are herbs that are helpful for sleep, eg, valerian root, kava kava, chamomile, hops, passion flower, skullcap. If you get the real herbs, you can make teas out of them. Otherwise get the herbs in capsule form. Probably, valerian root and kava kava are the best.
You can also try trytophan, 5-HTP and melatonin (1-2 mg). I would not take melatonin for over a month unless a doctor says it is ok. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland. If you take too much, your pineal gland might get "lazy" and produce less melatonin naturally. Life Extension and TwinLabs are probably the best brands, in that order.
A warm bath is a great way to relax in order to sleep. If you can’t take a bath, you can give yourself a foot massage with slightly warm massage oil, sesame oil, or castor oil from a health food store.
What was very helpful to me, especially when my mind was racing, was to lie in bed and listen to relaxation CDs, especially those that contain someone speaking with relaxing music in the background. Many of these CDs are available on eBay for very low prices.
A helpful technique is to relax your body one part at a time. So you could relax your feet, your lower legs, upper legs, moving up from your lower belly up to your chest, etc., etc.
Of course, guided relaxation methods can help, imagining yourself in the country, the beach, or whatever is most soothing to you.
If you have annoying thoughts or personal issues that run thru your mind when you are trying to sleep, you might have to deal with those issues first. You might want to talk to a counselor or therapist about that
Valerian root ,melatonin, and L-tryptophan. You can combine all three as in the new sleeping pill advertised and they are all available in health food stores .
References :
Insomnia treatment using Thiamine
Of the various food elements, thiamine or vitamin B is of special significance in the treatment of insomnia. It is vital for strong, healthy nerves. A body starved of thiamine over a long period will be unable to relax and fall asleep naturally. Valuable sources of this vitamin are wholegrain cereals, pulses, and nuts.
Insomnia treatment using Lettuce
Lettuce is beneficial in the treatment of insomnia as it contains a sleep-inducing substance, called ‘lectucarium’. The juice of this plant has been likened in effect to the sedative action of opium without the accompanying excitement. Lettuce seeds taken in a decoction are also useful in insomnia. One tablespoon of seeds should be boiled in half a litre of water, till it is reduced by one-third.
Insomnia treatment using Milk
Milk is very valuable in insomnia. A glass of milk, sweetened with honey, should be taken every night before going to bed in treating this condition. It acts as a tonic and a tranquilliser. Massaging the milk over the soles of the feet has also been found effective.
Insomnia treatment using Curd
Curd is also useful in insomnia. The patient should take plenty of curd and massage it on the head. This will induce sleep.
Insomnia treatment using Bottle Gourd
The mixture of bottle gourd juice and sesame oil in 50:50 ratio acts as an effective medicine for insomnia. It should be massaged over the scalp every night. The cooked leaves of bottle gourd taken as a vegetable are also beneficial in the treatment of this disease.
Insomnia treatment using Aniseed
A tea made from aniseed is valuable in sleeplessness. This tea is prepared by boiling about 375 ml of water in a vessel and adding a teaspoon of aniseed. The water should be covered with a lid and allowed to simmer for fifteen minutes. It should then be strained and drunk hot or warm. The tea may be sweetened with honey, and hot milk may also be added to it. This tea should be taken after meals or before going to bed.
Insomnia treatment using Honey
Honey is beneficial in the treatment of insomnia. It has a hypnotic action and induces a sound sleep. It should be taken with water, before going to bed, in doses of two teaspoons in a large cup of water. Babies generally fall asleep after taking honey.
Insomnia treatment using Rauwolfia
The herb rauwolfia is a valuable medicine for insomnia because of its indisputable efficacy as a sedative. The hypnotic action of the drug appears to have been known since ancient times. The very first dose of rauwolfia will enable a patient with a phlegmatic and gouty nature to go to sleep. The powder of the root in a quantity of 0.25 gm to 0.5 gm should be mixed with some scented substance like cardamom and given to the patient The patient will have a sound sleep during the entire night. If the disease is chronic, the patient should take O.25 gm twice a day, in the morning as well as at night before retiring.
References :
Valerian Root – Available at some Grocery Stores
About 4-8 dollars
Make sure you get capsules because the powder tastes bad!
If one is not enough take two.
References :
None of the natural stuff works.
But if you use prescription pills you may become addicted to them and then they are not so potent.
Make yourself naturally tired through the day then you will need a good nights sleep.
References :
There are herbs that are helpful for sleep, eg, valerian root, kava kava, chamomile, hops, passion flower, skullcap. If you get the real herbs, you can make teas out of them. Otherwise get the herbs in capsule form. Probably, valerian root and kava kava are the best.
You can also try trytophan, 5-HTP and melatonin (1-2 mg). I would not take melatonin for over a month unless a doctor says it is ok. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland. If you take too much, your pineal gland might get "lazy" and produce less melatonin naturally. Life Extension and TwinLabs are probably the best brands, in that order.
A warm bath is a great way to relax in order to sleep. If you can’t take a bath, you can give yourself a foot massage with slightly warm massage oil, sesame oil, or castor oil from a health food store.
What was very helpful to me, especially when my mind was racing, was to lie in bed and listen to relaxation CDs, especially those that contain someone speaking with relaxing music in the background. Many of these CDs are available on eBay for very low prices.
A helpful technique is to relax your body one part at a time. So you could relax your feet, your lower legs, upper legs, moving up from your lower belly up to your chest, etc., etc.
Of course, guided relaxation methods can help, imagining yourself in the country, the beach, or whatever is most soothing to you.
If you have annoying thoughts or personal issues that run thru your mind when you are trying to sleep, you might have to deal with those issues first. You might want to talk to a counselor or therapist about that
References :