St. Johnswort is an herbal sleep remedy.

Sleepless again?  Instead of reaching for a pill, you may want to consider trying herbs for sleep instead.  People have been using herbal sleep remedies for centuries.  Sipping a warm cup of soothing herb tea may help you drift off to dreamland sooner than you expected.  Read on to find out which herb may be best to help you sleep.

Valerian

Valerian for sleep is a time-honored remedy.  This herb has been shown to help people fall asleep faster, and stay asleep longer.

The main drawback is that it has a pretty funky smell.  Some people compare it to old socks.  To get around this, you may want to take this herb as a pill.  Or try it mixed with lemon balm, another calming herb with a pleasant lemony fragrance and taste.

It’s best taken right before bedtime.  It works right away for some folks, but others need to take it for at least a month before seeing any results.

Chamomile

People have been sipping chamomile tea as a cure-all for centuries.  A calming herb that helps to relieve insomnia, this herb tea has a pleasant apple flavor.  It’s great for upset tummies, and menstrual cramps, too.

When making tea, to get the most out of it, use two or three teabags.  Cover the pot with a lid while it’s steeping so the oils don’t evaporate.

If you’re allergic to ragweed, you may be allergic to this herb, too.  Also avoid it if you’re pregnant, as it can stimulate the uterus.

St. Johnswort

It would be hard to miss all the buzz about St. Johnswort.  Many people take it for symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as for trouble sleeping.

It seems to work by boosting serotonin levels in your brain.  And of couse, serotonin is essential for regulating your sleep cycle.

This herb can interfere with antidepressants, so if you take them, check with your doctor before using this herb.

Schizandra

Also known as schisandra, this herb is a staple of traditional Chinese medicine.

This versatile herb is an adaptogen, which means it helps return you to a balanced state.  If you’re too hyper, it will help you calm down, and if you’re too sleepy, it can help wake you up.  If you’re dealing with a lot of stress in your life, this herb comes highly recommended to help you stay on an even keel.

Kava

Although this herb is known to help people relax so they can fall asleep faster, it does seem to have a black cloud hovering over it right now.  It’s been assciated with at least 30 cases of liver damage in Europe.  It’s not known whether kava caused the damage by itself or in combination with other herbs.

Liver damage is serious business.  Since there are questions about how safe this herb is, it’s probably best to avoid it until these questions are answered.

One of these herbal sleep remedies may be just what you need to help you sleep.

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Natural Good Sleep:  Tips on Melatonin, Valerian, and More
Kava Kava

Sleep supplements may be more important than you think if you’re suffering from sleeping problems.  Chronic insomnia and restless sleep can often be traced to deficiencies in calcium, magnesium, and even vitamin B-6 .

Why do these natural sleeping remedies help?  If your body just doesn’t produce enough melatonin and serotonin, you’re going to have trouble when you hit the hay.  The first helps to set your biological clock, which tells you when to sleep and when to wake up.  The second regulates your sleep cycles.

New evidence shows that vitamin deficiencies can lead to trouble sleeping.  Why?  Because your body needs certain nutrients in order to produce the sleep-inducing substances mentioned above.  If you’re lacking these nutrients, you’re probably going to struggle with insomnia.  Read on to learn why vitamins for sleep are so important.

Calcium Supports Sleep Patterns

Know why you often feel sleepy after eating turkey?  It’s because turkey (and even chicken) contains the amino acid tryptothan.  Your body uses tryptothan to make both serotonin and melatonin.

But if your calcium levels are too low, tryptothan stays tryptothan, and the result can be long, wakeful nights.  This is why dairy products, including milk and yogurt, can help you drift off to dreamland.

Magnesium Is Also A Necessary Nutrient For A Good Night’s Rest

Did you know that magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant?  This mineral has many uses in the body.  If you’re plagued with restless nights, and you wake up often, you may need more of this essential mineral.  It works with calcium to help your body synthesize the sleep-producing substances you need.

It’s best to take calcium and magnesium together to be sure you’re getting enough of both.

B-6, The Stress-Busting Vitamin

People who are under a lot of emotional or physical stress are often low on vitamin B-6.  It’s hard to say if the stress causes the deficiency, or if the deficiency contributes to the stress.  Whichever the reason, you may need more B-6 if you have a lot of stress in your life.

What you may not be aware of is that B-6 is used by your body to produce melatonin and serotonin.  So if you’re running low on B-6, you may also be having trouble catching 40 winks at night.

Natural Sleeping Remedies Are Safe And Effective

Many people try prescription drugs and over-the-counter products in search of a cure for insomnia.  But these drugs can be habit-forming.  Some can cause you to feel groggy the next day because it’s hard to wake up.  Others may even cause insomnia if used for too long.

It’s entirely possible that your problem may be due to some simple vitamin deficiencies.  Try these natural sleep supplements first.  You may not need anything else.

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Melatonin supplements may help when you can't get to sleep.

If you can’t get to sleep at night, you may be thinking about melatonin supplements.  Many people would like to try melatonin for sleep, but they don’t really know much about it.  Here are answers to your questions.

What Is Melatonin?

This hormone is produced by your body from tryptothan, an amino acid.  It’s made by the pineal gland in your brain.  Your body produces more of it in the late afternoon and evening hours, as the amount of daylight is dropping.

As the levels of this hormone rise, you start to feel sleepy.  Early in the morning, as it gets lighter, the body makes less of it, and you start waking up.

Why Use Melatonin For Sleep?

Sometimes people have trouble falling asleep.  Sometimes it’s because they have lower levels of this important hormone in their bodies.

Children have the highest levels, and they usually have no trouble getting to dreamland.  But as you age, your levels tend to drop, which explains why insomnia in the elderly is more common.  If your cry is “help, I can’t sleep,” you may find that taking melatonin supplements a half hour to two hours before bedtime will help them to drop off faster.

People who work odd shifts can have a hard time getting to sleep because their internal clocks get messed up from being up at night.  Some shift workers say these supplements help them, others say they don’t.  The best way to see if it benefits you is to try it.

Traveling across time zones is a sure way to disrupt your internal clock.  This is called jet lag, and it’s a common problem for air travelers.

To prevent this problem, it’s recommended that you take melatonin for jet lag the day you leave, and then take it again when you want to go to bed at your destination.  You should take it for several days.  It doesn’t work for everyone, but again, it doesn’t hurt to give this sleep help remedy a try.

Are There Any Side Effects?

Sometimes there are.  The good thing is that any side effects you may experience will go away as soon as you stop taking it.  It can cause drowsiness, so it’s best not to take melatonin before you get in the car to drive somewhere, or if you operate heavy machinery at work.

Some people experience headaches, dizziness, and irritability.  Others feel groggy the next morning when they get up.  A few people report vivid dreams, too.

Always check with your doctor before taking this supplement, as it can interact with blood pressure medications, coumadin, and antidepressants, among others.  Avoid taking it if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, too.

Can these supplements help you get a good night’s rest?    If you need help to sleep, try this natural sleep aid for yourself, and find out.

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Valerian has been used as a natural sleep aid for centuries.

Everybody needs help sleeping now and then.  Some people need it more often.  If you’re looking for a natural sleep aid, valerian may be just the ticket.

What Is Valerian?

The root of this plant, which grows all over Europe and Asia, has been used for centuries as an herbal sleep aid.  Ancient Greeks and Romans found this herb to be effective for a wide variety of ailments, including digestive upsets, heart palpitations, and tension headaches, as well as for promoting sleep.

When prescription sleeping pills came along, the use of valerian for sleep seemed to fade into the background.  But when people get tired of the side effects of these medications, they often return to the old tried and true natural remedies.

How To Use Valerian

This versatile herb comes in many forms; as a powder, or a liquid, in pills, and also as a tea made from the dried root.  The one off-putting thing about it is that it smells like dirty old socks.  This is probably why it’s often used in combination with other calming herbs like lemon balm, chamomile, St. Johnswort, kava, or passionflower, especially in teas.

Valerian should be taken right before bedtime.  It’s known to help people fall asleep faster, and also to stay asleep longer.  The best part about this herb is that most people don’t feel sleepy or groggy the next day, like you do after using sleeping pills.

Most people find relief from insomnia right away with this herb.  For others it takes longer to work.  Try taking it daily for least a month before giving up on it.

Side Effects Of Valerian

There are very few side effects associated with this herb.  Rarely, people have reported headaches and upset stomachs after using it.  A few people find that if they use it for too long, it can cause insomnia.  In this case, you need to take a break from it for a few weeks.

Valerian is broken down in the liver.  There have been a few rare reports of liver damage associated with this herb.  It’s not known whether the herb caused the problem, or if a contaminant in the herbal preparation was at fault.  Anyone who’s had liver problems in the past should probably try a different herb for those sleepless nights.

If you take prescription medications for insomnia or anxiety, check with your doctor to avoid any drug interactions.  This herb can interact with benzodiazepines and some antidepressant drugs.

And of course, if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s best to avoid herbal remedies altogether, unless cleared by your doctor or midwife.

Most people who try valerian for sleep find that it works as advertised, with no unpleasant side effects at all.

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This little guy never needs help with sleeping!

Do you need help with sleeping?  Are you tired of tossing and turning all night?  People who suffer from insomnia are asking the urgent question, “how can I sleep better?”

If you can’t sleep, read on to find seven tips for better sleep.

1.  Make A Schedule And Stick To It

Go to bed at the same time every night, and get up at the same time every morning, even if you’re on vacation.  You’re training yourself to learn a sleep cycle, and to stick with it.

If you don’t fall asleep within fifteen minutes after retiring, don’t lay there and fume.  Get up and read, take a warm shower, or do something else that relaxes you.  Stay away from the tv or laptop, as they can leave you wide awake.  Go back to bed when you start nodding off.

2.  Bedtime Rituals Can Set The Stage For A Good Night’s Rest

Do the same thing every night to get ready for bed.  A warm shower and a light snack, along with a few stretching exercises, will help you get into the proper mindframe to relax and slip off to dreamland.

3.  Avoid Big Meals And Spicy Foods Late In The Evening

But don’t go to bed hungry either.  You’ll have difficulty sleeping either way.  Instead, have a light snack of oatmeal and milk, or a handful of almonds, or half a tuna sandwich, or some hummus.  These foods contain tryptothan and magnesium, which encourage a good night’s rest.

4.  A Glass Of Wine Won’t Help Relax You

Well, it might for a little while.  While alcohol can help you get to sleep faster, it can also disrupt sleep patterns later on, leading to a restless night.  Skip alcoholic beverages if you have trouble catching a few ZZZZZ’s at night.

5.  Lay Off The Cigarettes, Too

Nicotine is a stimulant.  It won’t relax you.  On the contrary, a cigarette before bedtime, or when you wake up at two in the morning, will keep your little eyes wide open.

6.  Cut The Caffeine

It goes without saying that you shouldn’t be drinking anything that contains caffeine after noontime.  Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and pop can keep you awake hours after you drink them.  Sip on herb tea instead.  A good choice at bedtime is chamomile or valerian.

7.  Make Your Bedroom A Comfy Little Nest

Draw the shades or close the blinds.  Run a fan or the air conditioning to block out any noise.  Keep the bedroom at a comfy 68 degrees.  It should be just right, not too hot, and not too cold.

Does Fluffy or Rover sleep with you?  Kick them out.  Somebody scratching or licking themselves in the middle of the night will make it harder for you to catch 40 winks.  Instead, provide a basket or blanket for your furry friends to sleep on, and encourage them to use it.

A good night’s rest is no accident.  Make sure it happens by doing these seven things to help you sleep.

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Alcohol and sleep don’t go together.  Contrary to popular belief, a beer or a glass of wine before bed isn’t a great idea.  Even though an alcoholic drink may help you fall asleep faster, it may keep you from sleeping through the night.  This is called a “rebound effect.”  And women are affected more than men are.

Why Alcohol Can Cause Restless Sleep

We all have a sleep control center that’s located in the lower brain stem.  Certain nerve cells in this center produce serotonin, which regulates our appetites, our moods, and even our sleep cycles.  Different nerve cells produce other chemicals that also regulate sleeping patterns.

Basically, this control center determines how quickly we fall asleep, and how long we stay in dreamland, as well.  Alcohol interferes with how this control center works, often resulting in insomnia.  If you can’t sleep through the night, alcohol may be part of your sleeping difficulties.

If you have a drink within an hour of going to bed, it may help you conk out a little faster.  But during the second half of the night, you may doze fitfully, waking up easily, and having trouble sleeping again.

This effect is even more pronounced in the elderly, who often have problems resting at night.  An older person who has a drink before bedtime may have even more problems catching 40 winks.

What about having a drink during “happy hour,” or with dinner?  Even though the alcohol itself is no longer present in the body, the effects linger, causing restless sleep in those early morning hours, especially among women.

Avoid Alcohol If You Have Sleep Apnea

People with sleep apnea often have trouble sleeping through the night.  These people will stop breathing for a few seconds, usually because the throat closes while they’re asleep.  This can happen hundreds of times in a single night.  Even if the victim doesn’t wake up all the way, the apnea episodes definitely interrupt a good night’s rest.

Drinking alcohol often makes sleep apnea even worse.  Alcohol can cause apnea episodes even in people who don’t normally suffer from it.

Pregnant And Nursing Mothers Should Avoid Alcohol Too

You’d have to be living in a cave if you haven’t heard about the effects of alcohol on unborn babies.  But some people aren’t aware that alcohol goes into the breast milk of nursing mothers, too.

Babies of mamas who have as little as one drink a day may fall asleep a little faster, but they have trouble staying that way, and even wake up sooner.  It’s not known how long these effects can last, as the child grows older.  The best advice:  don’t drink while pregnant or nursing.

Do you have difficulty sleeping all night?  Then it’s probably best to avoid alcohol completely.
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Having trouble sleeping? You may feel like our friend here.

Are you having trouble sleeping?  Do you wake up, and then can’t go back to sleep?  Join the crowd.  In our fast-paced lifestyle, many people have difficulty sleeping.

A fancy name for waking up at night is “sleep maintenance insomnia.”  It’s often associated with some sort of stressful situation going on in your life.  Whatever the reason, it’s frustrating to lay awake at night, watching the clock, wishing you could just drift off.  Here are some suggestions that may help.

What To Do If You Can’t Sleep Through The Night

Take a look at your daily routine.  Are you eating too much too late at night?  Do you love chowing down on spicy foods, even though you’re having a late meal?  A too-full stomach can certainly keep you awake at night.  And heartburn from those chili dogs you scarfed down can make it impossible to stay in slumberland for long.

Instead, snack on a handful of almonds, or a banana with peanut butter on it.  Almonds, peanuts, and bananas all contain tryptothan, a precursor to serotonin, which helps to regulate your sleep cycle.  They also contain magnesium, a muscle relaxant.

Speaking of relaxed muscles, try some gentle stretching or yoga to relax tight muscles.  A warm soothing shower will also help you calm down.  Avoid hot showers; they’re too stimulating.

Think a beer or a glass of wine will knock you out?  Think again.  Alcohol may help you get to dreamland for a while, but it disrupts the sleep cycle later on in the night.  Stay away from alcoholic drinks within an hour of bedtime.

Get some exercise during the day.  A brisk walk for a half-hour every day will keep you healthy, and will make it easier to catch 40 winks at night, too.

Establish a bedtime routine.  A warm shower, a soothing cup of chamomile or valerian tea, and some quiet music will help you shed the cares of the day.  Don’t go to bed until you’re sleepy.  When you start nodding off, head straight to bed.

Put the clock where you can’t see it.  If you wake up and can’t get back to sleep, watching the clock won’t help.  Get up after 20 minutes, and read or do something quiet until you feel drowsy again.  Don’t sleep in or nap the next day after a wakeful night; this only messes up your sleep patterns.

Are you struggling with depression or anxiety?  These conditions can cause difficulty sleeping.  Physical problems, including chronic pain, or restless leg syndrome, can also interfere with a restful night.  See your doctor if you suffer from these conditions.

If you’re having trouble sleeping, these easy cures for insomnia may help.

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Find home remedies for sleeplessness at your local grocery store!

If you’re having difficulty sleeping, your biggest question is, “What will help me sleep?”  You may not know that there are quite a few foods that make you sleepy.  Wouldn’t it be great if one of the best home remedies for sleeplessness was sitting on your kitchen counter right now?

The idea is to boost the levels of serotonin in your body.  This substance regulates your moods, and also helps you feel sleepy.  Your body makes serotonin from tryptophan, an amino acid found in proteins.

You also need to eat some carbs, too.  Here’s why.  Eating carbs raises the level of insulin in your system.  Insulin causes your body to store glucose and amino acids for use later on.  The only amino acid that glucose doesn’t put into storage is tryptothan.

So, about an hour before bedtime, you should eat a light snack that’s low in protein and that contains a few carbs as well.  Here are five foods that fit the bill perfectly.

1.  Hummus

Hummus is made from chickpeas, which contain both protein and carbs.  This yummy snack comes in a multitude of flavors, and is readily available at any grocery store.  It’s very easy to make yourself, too.  So be sure to keep some on hand.

2.  A Glass Of Warm Milk

This old standby is loaded with tryptothan.  However, warm milk just doesn’t cut it for a lot of people.  What else would work?  Try a cup of yogurt instead.  Flavored yogurt can be loaded with sugar, so try eating it unflavored, or look for a low-sugar variety to keep the calorie count down.

3.  Oatmeal With Milk And Almonds

Oatmeal’s not just for breakfast anymore.  Oats and milk make a great combination of carbs and protein.  Almonds contain tryptothan and magnesium, which can help to relax your muscles.  Or slice a banana over your oatmeal.  Bananas are loaded with tryptophan, melatonin, serotonin, and magnesium, which is just the ticket for anyone who’s having difficulty sleeping.

4.  Turkey

Turkey is just bursting with tryptothan, but did you know that chicken works just as well?  Try half a turkey or chicken sandwich, and you’ll likely be sawing logs before you know it.

5.  Tart Cherries

Bet you didn’t know these delicious little morsels are chock-full of the goodness of melatonin.   This hormone is essential for regulating your circadian rhythm, which is your internal clock that tells you when to go to sleep.  Make sure you get tart cherries, not the sweet Bings.

Load up with some of these foods that make you sleepy the next time you go shopping, and the chances are that you won’t be asking “what will help me sleep” anymore.

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Valerian root is an effective herbal sleep aid.

If you’re having trouble sleeping, natural sleep aids may solve your problems.  People have been using herbal remedies for centuries to encourage restful nights.  If you’re unable to sleep, you have nothing to lose by giving these old remedies a try.

Valerian

Valerian root has been used for centuries by insomniacs in search of a peaceful trip to slumberland.  This safe and gentle herb is a popular alternative to medications prescribed by the doctor.  The best part about it is, no side effects!

One thing to keep in mind is that it affects people differently.  Some people find relief from sleeplessness right away with valerian, while others have to take it for a month or more before it starts working.  Don’t give up on it too quickly if it doesn’t work right away.

Valerian does have a distinctive odor.  It smells something like dirty socks, which can make drinking valerian tea a bit of a challenge.  But once you get used to the smell, you’ll find it helpful for those nights when you’re unable to sleep.

Passionflower

This calming herb has a long history as an herbal sleep remedy.  In fact, it’s still used today for these problems.  A small study of 36 people found that passionflower is as effective as oxazepam, a drug used to treat symptoms of anxiety disorder.

Passionflower is a bit milder in its effects than valerian.  If you’re looking for some great herbal sleeping remedies, it’s hard to beat the combination of valerian and  passionflower.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone that’s essential for maintaining the body’s circadian ryhthm.  This 24-hour internal clock tells us when to go to sleep, and when to wake up.  If the circadian rhythm gets messed up, it can be just about impossible to drift off to dreamland easily.

Melatonin is mostly produced at night.  Bright lights reduce its production, which is why shift work, too much light at night, and too little light during the day can cause reduced levels.

Kids have high levels of melatonin, which probably explains why they can nap at the drop of a hat.  Melatonin levels tend to drop as people age, which is why older folks often suffer more from insomnia than younger ones do.

5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan)

We all know what happens after eating a turkey dinner…zzzzzz.  Why?  Because turkey contains an amino acid called tryptothan.  When you eat turkey, your body converts the tryptothan into 5-hydroxytryptophan, and then into serotonin. Serotonin regulates your mood and appetite, as well as causing you to feel like you need a snooze.  Not enough serotonin in your system?  You may have problems with your sleep cycle.

Having trouble sleeping?  Natural sleep aids may be just what you need.

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Sleepless nights aren't a problem for this youngster!

If you’re tired but can’t sleep, you’re probably feeling pretty frustrated.  It’s annoying to lay awake most of the night, and then drag around feeling exhausted and out of sorts the next day.

Everyone has problems sleeping at night now and then.  But when the sleepness nights continue for three weeks or more, you may have chronic insomnia.

What Are The Symptoms Of Insomnia?

There are four main symptoms.  You may have just one symptom, or you may suffer from a combination of these problems:

• You just can’t go to sleep.  Instead, you lay there, tossing and turning most of the night.
• You can’t stay asleep.  It seems that as soon as you finally conk out, you wake up again.
• You finally manage to get to dreamland, but a good night’s rest eludes you, and you wake up feeling tired, not refreshed.
• Or you wake up early, and now you’re wide awake.  You find yourself staring at the clock at 3 AM, wishing you could just relax enough to get some rest.

Do You Know The Causes Of Insomnia?

Unfortunately, there are as many causes as there are people.  It’s hard to make a blanket statement as to what could be causing the problem.  A little detective work may be needed to find out what the issue is.

It could be as simple as drinking too much coffee, tea, or caffeinated pop during the day.  Perhaps that spicy meal you had late last night kept you awake.  Pay attention to what you’re eating and drinking, and when you’re doing it.

Shift work can also lead to sleepless nights.  People who work the night shift, or who work rotating shifts can find it very difficult to catch a few zzzz’s.

Hormonal imbalances in pregnant ladies and women going through menopause can make it hard to snooze at bedtime.

Men may have trouble with enlarged prostrates as they get older.  Numerous trips to the bathroom during the night makes getting more than forty winks at a time very difficult.

People with sleep apnea stop breathing for a few seconds while asleep.  This can happen as many as 300 times every night.  Even though the person isn’t aware of the problem, this condition disrupts normal sleep patterns, leaving the victim feeling tired and groggy the next day.

Restless legs syndrome, or RLS, is an unpleasant feeling in the legs that causes a person to need to move them around.  Often this problem seems to get worse when someone is trying to fall asleep.  Or else, the sensation of having to move the legs will cause the person to wake up, and be unable to return to slumberland again.

You can see that there are many causes for sleepless nights.  It’s important to get to the root of the problem so you can finally get a good night’s rest.

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