published: January 4th, 2009
Herbal Sleeping Aid Choices That Are Healthy
When you stop to consider the terrible suffering that takes place throughout the world (perhaps your own personal world) - diseases, disorders, and other persistent maladies - some of our ailments like insomnia may seem minor. But for those who toss and turn throughout the night without getting a good night’s sleep, there is nothing minor about it.
Do you suffer from sleeping problems but want natural sleeping aids that aren’t habit forming? If so, please read on for a list of suggestions and herbal remedies that will help you get to sleep tonight.
Stay Away from 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.
Remember that caffeine can stay in the system and affect the body for 8 to 12 hours after it’s been consumed. That means your lunch time coffee could be what’s keeping you awake at night.
Get Regular Physical Activity
Regular exercise can help regulate your sleep patterns. Typically, people who exercise regularly have healthy and normal sleeping patterns. If you don’t have time to run five miles, even a 15-minute, brisk walk around the block after dinner can do wonders for your sleep.
Chamomile
People have used herbs for centuries to relax, and chamomile is one of the oldest. It soothes the mind, calms the nerves and lulls the spirit - helping to reduce your anxiety and get you ready for bed. In fact, a cup of warm chamomile tea is one of the best natural sleeping aids available.
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.
However, unlike these drugs, morning drowsiness and an inability to wake up are rarely reported with Valerian. Instead, people who use this natural sleep remedy typically wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
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.
Hops should not be taken for a long period of time by pregnant women, nursing women or women at high risk for breast cancer. This is because hops contains estrogen which can imbalance a woman’s estrogen levels.
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.