Trouble sleeping? Try these natural and safe solutions to help you fall asleep. An all natural choice to help you sleep is far safer than popping over the counter sleeping pills. Research shows a 10-15% higher risk of death from stroke, heart attack and cancer among those who take sleeping pills a few times a month as compared to people who don’t. Instead try the
helpers described below. Happy Zzzzz’s!
CAMOMILE – Camomile is an herb that works on the parts of the brain that anti-anxiety drugs work on. Camomile has a sedating effect and is a muscle relaxer. Enjoy a cup of Camomile tea before bed. It can also be taken as a tincture. Just one teaspoon will do it. Or take one capsule at night with water. For a stronger effect you can brew 3 tea bags per cup. Be sure to let it steep 5-7 minutes before drinking. Then say, Nitey-nite!
MAGNESIUM – Magnesium is a mineral. Your sleep can be disrupted because of stress. Stress depletes your body of magnesium. This can cause leg cramps, muscle twitching and anxiety. Look for a supplement of magnesium citrate, taurate, aspertate or glycinate for easy absorption by your body. Take 300mg right before bedtime. Then sleep like a baby! Zzz…
VALERIAN – Valerian is another herb that helps soothe anxiety, aiding in falling asleep faster.
You can buy it in capsules. Be sure it contains 0.8% valeric or valerenic acid. 30-45 minutes before bed time take 3 – 500 mg capules. Swallow with water. Quickly and easily drift off to sleep!
MILK & HONEY – The combination of warm milk and honey is amazing! Warm some milk in a pan. Pour it into a nice size mug. Add a teaspoon to tablespoon of honey to it and stir to let it
Melt into the milk. Yum! This creates a combination of tryptophan (a sleep inducing amino acid)
and carbohydrates. The tryptophan increases serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone that works like a natural sedative. While the carbs from honey transmit the serotonin to your brain faster. Another option is to eat a banana with the warm milk before bed. The B6 from the banana helps convert tryptophan to serotonin too. Feel yourself melting into your bed for a relaxing night’s rest!
MELATONIN – Melatonin is a hormone produced by your pineal gland. When the sun goes down and it gets darker outside your melatonin level rises and remains higher until daylight. Melatonin signals the body to darkness thereby preparing the body to rest. Make sure your bedroom is dark. Only take melatonin at night when you’re ready to go to sleep. Do not take it in order to nap during the day or you could experience adverse effects because the daylight will cause mixed signals to your body and brain. You should not take it longer than two weeks at a time to avoid side effects. Your body’s circadian rhythms will reset on a two week regimen of melatonin. A woman who is pregnant or breastfeeding should not use a melatonin supplement. It should only be taken by adults. The correct dosage can vary by person. 0.5 to 5 ml one hour before bed should be sufficient. Enjoy a good night’s sleep and feel refreshed in the morning!
There are many more natural helps for great sleep. You can research more online if you like. However, these 5 work well and are a great start to alleviate insomnia. Blessed resting!
