lucilleUse Effective Herbal Remedies for Insomnia and Sleeplessness Treatment
Insomnia is a sleep disorder resulting in sleep deficiency due to inability to fall asleep. Insomnia leads to several day time activity impairments and much uneasiness. This is why the great Sophocles perhaps rightly stated, ‘sleep is the only medicine that gives ease’. Everyone desires for a peaceful sleep, but unfortunately many are deprived of that due to multiple factors ranging from work load, caffeine intoxication to serious underlying medical condition. Insomnia may attack people of all ages, but it generally increases with age.
The good part of the story is that many people can win over insomnia by simply making certain changes in lifestyle or following certain tasks before going to bed. They may not even have to rely on a doctor’s prescription or turn to sleeping pills. Since the amount of sleep required by one varies from person to person, insomnia is assessed by the quality of sleep and not the quantity or hours of sleep. However a rough classification of insomnia is often made on the basis of sleep duration: transient insomnia is a type that lasts for less than a week, short-term insomnia lasts for duration between one to three weeks, chronic or long-term insomnia lasts for more than a week. Women are more prone to insomnia than men.
Causes of Insomnia
1. Stress
2. Depression and anxiety
3. Post traumatic experience
4. High caffeine intake
5. High alcohol intake
6. Noisy, uncomfortable sleeping environment.
7. Day time naps
8. Changes in work shifts
9. Sexual dissatisfaction
10. Medications like certain antidepressants, cold and flu medications containing alcohol, pain killers containing caffeine, diuretics, high blood pressure medicines and certain corticosteroids.
11. Medical problems like asthma, Parkinson’s disease, acid reflux, allergies, urinary disorders, circulatory disorders, hyperthyroidism, and unbearable pain.
12. Sleep disorders like restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, narcolepsy etc.
Symptoms of Insomnia
1. Difficulty in sleeping in spite of being tired.
2. Waking up several times in the midst of sleep.
3. Difficulty in falling asleep again once awakened.
4. Un-refreshing sleep
5. Waking up too early in the morning
6. Taking help of sleeping pills or alcohol to fall asleep.
7. Daytime drowsiness
8. Daytime fatigue
9. Irritability
10. Impaired memory
11. Difficulty concentrating during day.
Tips to Treat Insomnia or Sleeplessness Effectively
1. Avoid day time naps
2. Limit the use of caffeine, tobacco and alcohol
3. De-stress yourself by practicing meditation and yoga.
4. Soft music listening before going to bed will calm your mind.
5. Go to sleep and get up at a fixed time every day.
6. Follow a bed time routine. You can take a warm bath or massage or drink a cup of warm milk every night before going to bed.
7. Do not overeat before going to bed
8. Exercise during daytime
9. Make sure that the sleep environment is quiet and dark.
Herbal Remedies for Sleeplessness
1. Passion flower rich in sedative and analgesic properties, helps in sleeping. It also checks muscular spasms.
2. Valerian is a sedative and anti-hypertensive herb. It helps to sleep peacefully by calming the mind.
3. Jamaica dogwood is a calming and pain relieving herb. It effectively promotes sleep.
4. Hops has relaxing and sleep inducing properties
5. Kava kava is also an effective sleep inducing herb.
6. Californian poppy soothes troubled mind, fights against menopausal insomnia and puts one to sleep
7. Chamomile tea or chamomile oil in bath water extremely soothes the mind and body, and helps falling asleep.
8. Balm relieves stress, lowers blood pressure and eradicates digestive disorder. It thus promotes sleep.
