Curing Insomnia With Natural Herb Remedies
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009 at
4:42 pm
Many people prefer not to take synthetically created remedies for the symptoms of insomnia – preferring instead to stick to traditional herb remedies which have been around for 100′s of years in many cases. While many herbal sleeping aids are effective, some have side-effects which users need to be aware of. This article outlines the 5 most common herb cures for insomnia and gives the benefits, and any drawbacks, for each.
Herb #1 – Chamomile
This is most commonly found in the form of chamomile tea, which is used to soothe and relax. This natural herbal insomnia remedy has a mild sedative effect and is actually used in the treatment of many conditions. The effect only lasts for a short time, which makes this treatment ideal for falling asleep. One small drawback is that a small percentage of people show allergy symptoms to this herb.
Herb #2 – Valerian
While potentially dangerous at high doses, Valerian has been successful in the treatment of sleep-onset insomnia (the inability to fall asleep). While the exact mechanism of the sleep-inducing effect is not fully known, this is thought to concern a brain-chemical known as GABA. Children and pregnant women are advised to avoid Valerian, which can have psycho-active effects when consumed in high doses.
Herb #3 – St Johns Wort
This is another herbal cure for insomnia which goes back to historical times. St Johns Wort is an all-purpose herbal cure which has been traditionally used in the treatment of Bed-wetting, depression and many other conditions which are related to anxiety. While this has been found an effective herbal insomnia medicine, it needs to be noted that it may have detrimental effects on other medicine you are currently taking.
Herb #4 – Tryptophan
This is more a naturally occurring chemical than a herb in the traditional sense of the word. Tryptophan and its derivative ‘L-tryptophan’ are found in foods containing carbohydrates but can also be purchased in tablet form. Consumption of this herbal cure leads to an increase in the brain-chemical serotonin, which is closely involved in sleeping.
Herb #5 – Melatonin
Actually a hormone rather than a herb, but commonly sold alongside other herbal insomnia treatments, Melatonin is what regulates our body clock in terms of the light and darkness cycle. Natural production is triggered by darkness, inducing sleep, and stopped by daylight. While some success has be anecdotally reported, wider studies have yet to find significant positive results when compared to placebos.
By: Geoff Brown
About the Author:
Herb #1 – Chamomile
This is most commonly found in the form of chamomile tea, which is used to soothe and relax. This natural herbal insomnia remedy has a mild sedative effect and is actually used in the treatment of many conditions. The effect only lasts for a short time, which makes this treatment ideal for falling asleep. One small drawback is that a small percentage of people show allergy symptoms to this herb.
Herb #2 – Valerian
While potentially dangerous at high doses, Valerian has been successful in the treatment of sleep-onset insomnia (the inability to fall asleep). While the exact mechanism of the sleep-inducing effect is not fully known, this is thought to concern a brain-chemical known as GABA. Children and pregnant women are advised to avoid Valerian, which can have psycho-active effects when consumed in high doses.
Herb #3 – St Johns Wort
This is another herbal cure for insomnia which goes back to historical times. St Johns Wort is an all-purpose herbal cure which has been traditionally used in the treatment of Bed-wetting, depression and many other conditions which are related to anxiety. While this has been found an effective herbal insomnia medicine, it needs to be noted that it may have detrimental effects on other medicine you are currently taking.
Herb #4 – Tryptophan
This is more a naturally occurring chemical than a herb in the traditional sense of the word. Tryptophan and its derivative ‘L-tryptophan’ are found in foods containing carbohydrates but can also be purchased in tablet form. Consumption of this herbal cure leads to an increase in the brain-chemical serotonin, which is closely involved in sleeping.
Herb #5 – Melatonin
Actually a hormone rather than a herb, but commonly sold alongside other herbal insomnia treatments, Melatonin is what regulates our body clock in terms of the light and darkness cycle. Natural production is triggered by darkness, inducing sleep, and stopped by daylight. While some success has be anecdotally reported, wider studies have yet to find significant positive results when compared to placebos.
By: Geoff Brown
About the Author:
For comprehensive yet straightforward information on sleeping disorders, insomnia treatments and great tips for better sleep – click now to visit the number #1 dedicated insomnia information portal: Best Insomnia Treatment
Filed under: Insomnia
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