Insomnia is unpleasant. You get out of bed the next day feeling groggy and not ready to face the day. You drive to work tired and do your job tired. You may be irritable with co-workers and argumentative with your spouse. Insomnia is not a joke.
Insomnia can have many causes. Maybe you’re worried about an unpaid bill, stressed at work, suffering from another health problem. Whatever the cause, everyone needs sleep. Sleep helps the body to rejuvenate, the brain and the body to rest. This article aims to show that although pharmacological treatment works for insomnia, the use of a regular bedtime ritual in conjunction with natural therapies should be the first thing to try. After reading this article, the reader should be able to make more objective decisions regarding their insomnia treatment.
Drug treatment of insomnia
Benzodiazepines: diazepam, flunitrazepam, flurazepam, loprazolam, lormetazepam, nitrazepam, temazepam.
Function: is to act on the central nervous system (CNS) to reduce anxiety and induce sleep.
Side effects: dizziness, drowsiness, addiction, short-term memory impairment.
Antihistamines: diphenhydramine, doxylamine.
Function: to cause sedation.
Side effects: lightheadedness, clumsiness, dry mouth, constipation, visual disturbances.
Zolpidem tartrate:
Function: acts on CNC to induce sleep.
Side effects: daytime sleepiness, lightheadedness, dizziness, clumsiness, headache, diarrhea, nausea.
Night ritual to overcome insomnia
Here are five easy steps to follow to help you sleep better. Results should be seen within a month if the ‘ritual’ is followed every day.
1) Eliminate caffeine. Try to stop consuming caffeine completely. If you find this impossible, don’t drink caffeine more than six hours before bedtime.
two) Eliminate sugary and chocolate desserts. If you can’t handle this because of your ‘sweet tooth’, don’t eat more than six hours before bedtime.
3) Avoid alcohol and tobacco. If you can’t stop, make sure you don’t stop within two hours of bedtime. Remember never to drink alcohol to help you sleep, it can become a habit.
4) Do something you enjoy to relax before bed. The obvious one is to have sex, meditate, do yoga, take a hot bath, or do some reading.
5) If you can’t sleep, get up. Go to another room and do something relaxing to take your mind off the fact that you can’t sleep. Be sure not to drink alcoholic or caffeinated beverages.
This list is not exhaustive yet, if followed for a month, great improvements in sleep patterns can be achieved.
Natural therapies to overcome insomnia
California Poppy: California eschscholzia used in high doses it is sedative, and used in lower doses it can be used to treat anxiety.
Chamomile: feverfew recutitia It has been used for centuries to calm nerves and induce sleep.
kava-kava: it is particularly effective when insomnia is the result of anxiety.
Lemon balm: Melissa officinalis has many medicinal uses. It treats insomnia and tastes good, which means it’s not unpleasant to take.
Melatrol: is a proprietary blend of natural ingredients that are formed together to help you beat insomnia. These include:
5-HTP: is a short term for 5-hydroxytryptophan. This is an important “precursor” of serotonin. A precursor is a substance that precedes and is the source of another substance. Serotonin is vital in many functions of the body. 5-HTP supports melatonin production and helps relieve stress and anxiety. 5-HTP is a natural extract from the seeds of the Griffonia tree found in West African countries. Traditionally, Africans use all parts of the tree for various diseases. 5-HTP is generally well tolerated. However, slight nausea and some mild gastric discomfort may occur at first. These symptoms usually go away quickly. If you experience ongoing discomfort, please discuss this with your healthcare professional.
melatonin
Just as plant growth is affected by daylight hours, so are animals and humans. Darkness triggers the production of the hormone melatonin and makes you feel sleepy and drowsy, which is your body’s signal that it’s time to go to sleep. Bright light stops melatonin production.
Melatonin: It is produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It can also be produced by cells in the bone marrow, retina, and gastrointestinal tract. Even plants, like rice, produce
melatonin When you eat rice or other foods that contain melatonin, it will arrive and bind to sites in the brain.
In addition to helping you sleep, melatonin is an antioxidant. It helps protect DNA, protects the brain, and may play a role in increasing longevity. Melatonin is safe for the human body even when taken over a period of time. However, like all supplements, caution is advised not to take more than directed. High doses can cause complications.
valerian root
Valerian: It has been used to improve people’s lives since the times of ancient Greece and Rome. Hippocrates discussed its benefits, and Galen prescribed valerian as a remedy for insomnia.
Only the roots, rhizomes, and stolons (a horizontal stem that grows along the surface of the soil) of the plants are used. Valerian flowers are quite sweet smelling and can scent your entire garden.
On the other hand, the dried root has a pungent, unpleasant odor that some people say is like “dirty socks.” Herbalists often suggest valerian root to people who are nervous, anxious, and sleep-deprived.
gamma-aminobutyric acid
Gamma-aminobutyric acid: It is usually called GABA. It is an amino acid necessary for the action of certain cells. In adults, it has an inhibitory action. That is, it inhibits the entry of certain substances into cells. It is found mainly in the tissues of the nervous system.
GABA works as a neurotransmitter to prevent certain neurons from overreacting. This makes it possible for the brain to relax and reduces stress and anxiety.
Pink rhodiola extract
pink rhodiola: sometimes called “golden root” or “rose root”, it grows in the dry sandy areas of high mountains from Iceland to Siberia.
It was not named Rosea for its flower, but for the sweet rose fragrance of the freshly cut root.
Until the 1960s, Rhodiola rosea was not widely known in this country. For many years, the people of the northern latitudes kept it a secret.
In 1725, Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus gave the herb its modern name. The plant extract was later determined to be a powerful adaptogen.
Herbalists use the term adaptogen to refer to a natural herbal product that is proposed to increase the body’s resistance to stress and anxiety. In the past, they have been called “rejuvenating herbs.”
Flower of the Passion
The passion flower: it is a frequent sight in many gardens. It’s a lovely vine, which can climb up to 30 feet and is covered in purple and white flowers during blooming season.
The unique flowers give the plant its name. In 1609 Jacomo Bosio, a monk and scholar in Rome, thought that the shape of the flowers resembled the crown of thorns placed on the head of Jesus. He felt that it represented the mysteries of the cross and the passion of Jesus.
Passion Flower has been used for centuries for people with anxiety, insomnia and “hysteria”. Herbalists today still use Passion Flower for people with occasional sleep problems, tension, and nervousness.
Passion Flower is said to bring sweet dreams to the user, but there is no scientific evidence to support this.
There is no doubt that pharmaceutical drugs will help you sleep. However, there are some pretty serious side effects and some can be habit forming (addictive).
Before taking the pharmaceutical route, it would seem worth trying a nightly ritual and using available natural therapies for at least a month.
The reader should now have some knowledge of available therapies for insomnia, and as such should be able to make more objective decisions regarding their own insomnia treatment.