Insomnia Remedy:
Natural Ways To Deal With Insomnia

Up in the Night?

Natural Ways to Deal with Insomnia

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia, or the inability to fall or remain asleep can take many different forms and has multiple causes. We can identify two main types of insomnia. Sleep-Onset Insomnia (problems falling asleep, also called Initial Insomnia) Sleep-maintenance insomnia (waking during the night and early in the morning) Many people have a combination of these two types of insomnia. Insomnia may also be chronic (nearly every night) or intermittent (occasional insomnia).

It is estimated that over 50% of adults suffer from some sort of insomnia. While we all have occasional nights when we struggle to fall asleep, nothing can describe the frustration of battling to go to sleep night after night!

What is Healthy Sleep?

In order to understand the causes of insomnia, we need to have a look at how the sleep cycle works.

The amino acid L-tryptophan (found naturally in certain foods) is converted during digestion into 5-HTP and used in the manufacture of a neuro-transmitter called serotonin. Serotonin, in turn, is transformed into a sleep hormone called melatonin by the pineal gland in the brain. The pineal gland only becomes active after dark. By regulating levels of melatonin, our bodies create the 'sleep-wake cycle'. Of course the process is more complex than this and there are other things that could contribute to sleep problems. However, sufficient production of serotonin and melatonin is crucial in promoting and maintaining healthy sleep.

What causes insomnia?

There are many potential causes of insomnia, including sleep apnea, snoring, bladder or prostate problems, stress or depression. People who are over 60 years old and women going through the menopause are more prone to insomnia, probably due to decreased levels of melatonin in the brain. Other causes of insomnia include 'restless legs' syndrome (RLS), magnesium or iron deficiency, hormonal imbalance, shift work and excessive consumption of caffeine or other stimulants. Insomnia is also a side effect of some prescription anti-depressant medication.

It is thought that more than 50% of all cases of insomnia are linked to psychological causes, including depression, anxiety and stress.

Sleep-onset insomnia is generally linked to environmental factors (e.g. noise, extreme temperatures, environmental change, etc), anxiety and stress, fear of insomnia or nightmares, pain, alcohol and caffeine.

Sleep-maintenance Insomnia is often associated with depression, sleep apnea, nocturnal myoclonus, Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), hypoglycemia, pain, drugs, alcohol and environmental factors.

What is the best way to treat insomnia?

The Conventional Medical Approach Doctors usually prescribe antihistamines (e.g. Nytol, Benadryl) or a class of drugs called benzodiazepines (e.g. Valium, Lorazapam, Alprazolam, etc) to treat insomnia. While these drugs may be effective in the short term, they can both cause serious long term problems, including addiction and disturbance of normal sleep patterns. Benzodiazepine addiction, in particular, can develop very quickly and using benzodiazepines for longer than a week or two may result in a lifetime of dependence. Using strong drugs to fall asleep often means that the body's natural sleep cycle is disturbed and the ability to fall asleep naturally is lost. The person often needs to take stronger and stronger medication in order to fall asleep at night. Grogginess in the morning is not uncommon.

Restoring Healthy Sleep the Natural Way

Sleep is like a barometer. When someone consistently struggles to sleep, this is a sign that something is wrong and needs to be investigated. Perhaps there are problems at work or in a relationship. Perhaps there is a depression that needs to be treated. Maybe there is a serotonin or a magnesium deficiency which needs attention. Maybe there is another condition which is causing the sleep problem. Simply taking strong drugs to fall asleep is not enough and can further complicate the picture.

Fortunately it is possible to treat insomnia in a natural and more holistic way, resulting in a long-term solution which does not damage your health or lead to addiction.

There are many different 'natural' remedies on the market. Not all of these are as 'natural' as they claim to be. Others are not very effective due to inferior formulation or failure to take a more detailed and scientific approach to the treatment of insomnia. Unfortunately this has meant that many people have given up on finding a healthy, natural approach to insomnia.

Insomnia can seriously affect your sense of well being and also your ability to cope.

Modern research has shown that in order to treat insomnia effectively, one first has to determine the type of insomnia one is dealing with as well as what is causing the insomnia and try and correct this so that a healthy sleep pattern can be re-established. Each person is different and has different needs. Recommending a natural remedy is only a part of the solution.

Use the following guidelines to determine thebest approach for you...

A. For people who are healthy but suffer from intermittent sleep-onset insomnia, not more than twice a week:

Some people suffer from intermittent sleep-onset insomnia caused by stress, worry or an overactive mind. This can be very distressing while you struggle to 'switch off' and fall asleep, knowing that you have to wake up and function in a couple of hours. Sometimes occasional insomnia becomes so bad, that it can develop into chronic insomnia due to the association between bed and stress. There are many herbs which can induce deep relaxation naturally, thereby helping you to drift off to sleep without strong drugs and preventing the development of more chronic insomnia. A combination of herbal and homeopathic ingredients offers a natural solution to help you fall asleep naturally and wake refreshed in the morning.

Useful Natural Remedies:

Avena sativa - used by herbalists to treat nervous exhaustion and insomnia and also as an effective nerve tonic.

Scuttelaria laterifolia - has a long history of effective use in the treatment of acute insomnia and stress. This herb is also useful in the treatment of epilepsy and nerve pain.

Passiflora incarnata - research has demonstrated the effectiveness of this relaxing herb in the treatment of anxiety and stress. It is also particularly useful for the person who lies awake worrying due to stress or overwork!

Coffea C30 - a homeopathic remedy known for its effectiveness in treating headaches, insomnia and restlessness. People who are over stimulated due to worry or excessive work will benefit very much from the addition of Coffea to the formula.

Nux Vomica C30 - also used homeopathically for the treatment of irritability and insomnia, Nux Vomica will also help the tense, ambitious, perfectionistic person who cannot sleep due to worrying about unfinished business or unresolved emotional issues.

Native Remedies makes a wonderful sleep tonic for this kind of insomnia called Serenite Plus

What Else You Can Do:

~ Make sure you have regular exercise.

~ Learn stress management and relaxation techniques.

~ Avoid alcohol, caffeine and other recreational drugs, especially close to bedtime.

B. For people who suffer from chronic insomnia (more than twice a week) and who struggle to fall asleep as well as remain asleep (sleep-maintenance insomnia)

Chronic insomnia is often linked to low serotonin levels caused by depression, anxiety, dietary deficiencies, chronic illness, prostate problems, menopause or being over the age of 60. Insomnia may be almost a nightly battle and you may also wake up in the middle of the night and early morning. People who suffer from chronic insomnia and fall into any of these categories, will need a little extra help. Inducing drowsiness may help initially, but would not be a complete solution.

Useful Natural Remedies:

Hypericum perforatum - a herb which is widely used as a natural alternative to the prescription drugs for depression and anxiety. research supports its effectiveness in stabilizing levels of neurotransmitters responsible for mood, sleep, concentration, libido and general feelings of well being.

Schizandra chinesis - also known in Traditional Chinese Medicine as Wu-wei-zi - is an effective adaptogen, increasing the body's ability to cope with stress and improving overall systemic functioning. Schizandra is also known to have a range of other benefits, including liver protection, anxiety reduction and improved immune system functioning.

Calcium lactate - a mineral essential for regular sleep patterns

Magnesium lactate - a deficiency in magnesium is known to be linked to insomnia

Vitamin B6 - often deficient in people who are under emotional or physical stress, the addition of Vitamin B6 to the daily supplements has been shown to assist with the treatment of chronic insomnia.

Native Remedies makes a wonderful holistic formula for chronic insomnia called Serenite-LT

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