Natural Treatments for Insomnia - Tried, Tested and Effective

Posted by Davion Wong on April 29th, 2008 filed in Sleep Health

by Davion Wong

Medical treatments for insomnia can range from expensive to very expensive prices. Why would you shell out so much money when you can find natural treatments for insomnia in your very own kitchen? There are even available techniques so simple and familiar that it would fool the average person it can actually help in treating insomnia.

One of the most popular choices when it comes to natural treatments for insomnia is the use of herbal supplements. The most popular herb known to induce sleep is Valerian. Valerian works by affecting your calming neurotransmitter, GABA. This has been studied and was reported to be safe for general use and doesn’t contain any addictive properties.

Your melatonin levels can also be altered and is considered one of the many natural treatments for insomnia. Your pineal body produces serotonin everyday and when your body is less exposed to light during night time, serotonin is converted to melatonin and helps in putting you to sleep. Melatonin supplements can be taken before bedtime, for approximately thirty minutes beforehand.

You can also use an anti-anxiety herb such as Kava to treat insomnia naturally. Kava was studied to be effective in treating anxiety-related insomnia but its use for the public is still controlled because of rising reports of adverse effects to the body.

Another one of the numerous natural treatments for insomnia that most people take for granted are relaxation techniques. There are many relaxation techniques that can give you back your normal and healthy sleeping pattern. These techniques would include progressive muscle relaxation, Yoga, visualization, mindfulness and relaxation response.

In order to enhance the effects of these natural treatments, it is imperative that you change your lifestyle also, starting with your diet. Do avoid over consumption of caffeine. You should also avoid ingesting too much sugar as this gives you a burst of energy preventing you from sleeping. The foods you should be eating are those that contain Tryptophan which is a precursor to serotonin and magnesium-rich foods from vegetables and legumes. Magnesium is known to be a natural sedative.

You might also consider some more natural treatments for insomnia such as light therapy, music therapy, and aromatherapy. These are mood and sense-altering therapies that can help in lulling you to sleep. Chinese traditional medicines and acupuncture have also been known to treat insomnia.

The natural treatments for insomnia can be further explained in my health blog. You can explore other options of bringing back your normal sleeping pattern without using drugs only by visiting my blog today.

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