Natural Cures For Insomnia
Insomnia is an inability to fall asleep or to stay asleep for any considerable length of time. It is important to note that this condition is really a symptom of some other underlying health condition. Insomnia is not a disease in itself – it is always caused by some other disease or medical condition. In many cases, psychological problems may also lead to insomnia. No matter what the cause, merely treating the insomnia itself is useless, especially if you use medication to force sleep. This can be dangerous in itself, besides the fact that such symptomatic treatment will allow the underlying problem to worsen.
If you are already aware of what is causing your insomnia and are still having trouble sleeping, there are a number of natural methods and home remedies that you can use to get sleep before you consider using drugs. There are many foods and herbs that can help you to sleep. Some of these may be things that are already in your kitchen, and are part of your diet. Honey is once such food; sugar is also thought to have a mild soporific effect, but honey is much healthier, and you can take a teaspoon before bedtime. Milk is another simple sedative. You can drink a glass of warm milk every night, about fifteen minutes before you got to bed. Among the herbs that will help you sleep are valerian and chamomile, cannabis. Cannabis use is of course restricted in most parts of the world, but many places are now allowing its medical use. The other two herbs and many like them should be easily available in any herbal store.
In general, it is also important for your diet to be healthy and balanced. Certain deficiencies are thought to contribute to insomnia – magnesium deficiency, for example, and an excess of fatty foods, chocolates, and sweets, especially at night, also has a negative effect. Consumption of alcohol and coffee should also be restricted. Caffeine obviously has a negative effect on sleep, but many people think alcohol will help them sleep. This is a misconception, and alcohol is more likely to lead to uneasy and interrupted sleep.
Exercise is another natural sedative, provided it is not done too close to bed time. Try to get in at least half an hour of exercise earlier in the day, and find a time that suits you. Apart from this, basic measures such as avoiding stress, avoiding day time naps, maintaining some sort of schedule, meditating, light reading, and relaxing music should also be tried.
