Davion W asked:

Natural treatments for insomnia are slowly receiving acceptance from insomnia patients as a preferred choice of treatment for insomnia. Our generation has always been a generation that seeks for instant gratification and answers to our problems and needs. This has influenced our philosophy towards illnesses and diseases. We want quick fixes to our sicknesses. Unfortunately, a lot of these quick fixes such as over-the-counter and prescribed medicines and drugs for insomnia can only take care of our problems for a moment. Perhaps the answer we are seeking for our insomnia problems lie in natural treatments for insomnia.

Sleep is needed in order for our bodies to recover and rejuvenate. A recent studies conducted showed that as much as 20 percent of our adult population suffer from insomnia at different stages of their lives. Another staggering finding reveals that more than half of our elderly folks are experiencing difficulties in sleeping. Surely this makes the understanding of insomnia and its proper treatment important.

It is easy to obtain over-the-counter (OTC) and prescribed medicines and drugs for insomnia. We may pop a sleeping pill or two on the days we find hard to fall asleep. But pill popping seems to have taken center stage in many homes as the number one method of treating insomnia. There are health risks and drawbacks in doing so. Antihistamines or benzodiazepines are often prescribed to treat insomnia. These drugs may be able to put you to sleep almost instantly but taking them regularly for a prolonged period of time could result in harmful side effects like drug addiction, withdrawal symptoms, disruption of natural sleep patterns and drug tolerance. People using OTC and prescribed medicines may suffer from side effects like blurring of vision, urinary problems, giddiness and abdominal problems.

Natural treatments for insomnia on the other hand tend to emphasize on curing the root causes of insomnia. Most of the time, they do not interfere with the natural sleep cycle but aids the body to respond and readjust to its natural sleeping patterns. Some foods, herbs and supplements have been used quite widely to improve sleep.

Changing your diet is a good step towards treating insomnia. An anti-insomnia diet is one of the best natural treatments for insomnia. Eating foods which are rich in tryptophan would help to improve sleep. Tyrotophan, an essential amino acid promotes production of melatonin a sleep-inducing hormone. Dairy products such as cheese and milk, poultry, whole grains, soy products such as tofu, soy bean milk, nuts such as peanuts and hazelnuts and eggs are all rich in tryptophan.

Foods high in carbohydrates are great sleepers. They prepare your body to enter into sleep faster. Honey, jam, spaghetti, pasta, chocolate, cakes, cereals and milk are all great sources of carbohydrates. But do remember to eat in moderation. For those who are more health conscious, peas and beans, vegetables and fruits are also good substitutes.

Herbs such as chamomile, mugwort, passion flower, valerian root, lemon balm, Siberian ginseng, spearmint, thyme and linden have been used as natural treatments for insomnia.

Cure your insomnia using effective natural treatments for insomnia revealed in my blog. This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any ezine, newsletter, blog or website. The author’s name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.

gladys906 asked:


Although we often ask ‘what causes insomnia’, it is important to understand that the causes will depend very much on whether you are suffering from primary or secondary insomnia.

Primary insomnia is insomnia which does not have a specific medical or emotional root. For example, primary insomnia is insomnia that does not appear as a side-effect of medication or as a symptom of an emotional or medical disorder. In other words primary disorder can be linked directly to its cause and is a primary, rather than a secondary, result of that cause.

A good example of primary insomnia would be insomnia resulting from long-haul air travel. Here it is the shift in your body’s internal clock, which is a direct result of air travel, which causes your insomnia. Another good example is shift work insomnia in which you are asking your body to sleep when its internal clock says you should be awake and to work when your clock says you should be sleeping.

Secondary insomnia is often much more complex and can be caused by a whole variety of different things.

A common cause of secondary insomnia is an emotional disorder such as anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. Other emotional disorders also giving rise to insomnia as a secondary symptom might include Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

There are also a number of common medical conditions which can give rise to insomnia including those with accompanying chronic pain, such as arthritis; those which affect breathing, such as asthma or certain heart problems and a range of general conditions including an overactive thyroid, gastrointestinal difficulties and heartburn.

Other sleep problems can themselves also give rise to insomnia and a good example of this would be restless leg syndrome.

Perhaps the commonest cause of secondary insomnia however is seen in the side-effects of a range of medications and in other chemical substances which we put into our bodies.

Medicines used to treat the common cold, asthma, allergies and heart conditions can often lead to insomnia. In addition, alcohol, caffeine and nicotine account for a substantial proportion of people suffering from insomnia.

Perhaps the most surprising cause of secondary insomnia however is to be found in sedatives – the common sleeping pill. Although sleeping pills can be very helpful in the short-term many people continue to take them for extended periods and unwittingly cause rather than cure their insomnia.

Colleen Lilly asked:


(c) 2008 Your Mind Body and Soul 123

Insomnia refers to a persistent inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, despite a person’s best efforts. Any sleep disturbance that lasts over three weeks may be considered insomnia. Insomnia can have many root causes, and many solutions, too. It is estimated that 64 million people suffer from insomnia. Thinking about that statistic can be enough to keep you up at night!

Chronic insomnia can be caused by many different things. Insomnia can be a symptom of an underlying medical condition, or it can be caused by stress in your life or anxiety. Insomnia treatment should target the root cause of the chronic insomnia. Some people choose to using medication for insomnia, such as Ambien; but using Ambien for insomnia can also make the problem worse, as you may begin to feel anxiety that you will not be able to sleep without your medication. It can be helpful to discuss your insomnia with your doctor, to make sure that you don’t have symptoms of another more serious medical condition, such as arthritis, migraines, prostatic hypertrophy, or menopause, all of which may cause insomnia and also require additional medical attention.

Common Causes of Insomnia

People that use nicotine, alcohol, and even some prescription drugs used for allergies and asthma, are at a higher risk for insomnia. Those who keep erratic hours, shift workers for example, also suffer from frequent insomnia as they try to keep their bodies and sleep schedules regulated. On the other hand, people who are especially sedentary or quiet may also experience insomnia as they do not have enough stimulation.

How to Treat Insomnia

Insomnia treatment often involves beginning with focusing on establishing good sleep hygiene and good sleep habits. Learning relaxation techniques and changing certain lifestyle habits can help improve insomnia dramatically. Recommendations include limiting noise and light from your sleeping area. Try using room darkening shades. Perhaps a fan will help drown out noise if you have close neighbors, a crazy work schedule, or live near a highway or an airport.

Try to establish a good bedtime routine

Unwind before bed with a good book or a television program you enjoy. Generally avoid watching television in bed, though, this can keep you up much later than you intended. Avoid things like exercise, eating, confrontation, alcohol, or smoking before you turn in for the night. However, an early-evening walk and a healthy snack may have positive effects a few hours later when you try to sleep.

Many people suffer from insomnia at some point in their lives. Those that experience chronic insomnia are all too familiar with the anxiety insomnia can causeonce you wake up in the middle of the night, you instantly start to worry that you won’t fall back asleep. Lack of sleep is listed for many as one of the biggest causes of stress, anxiety, poor job performance, and relationship issues. Understanding some of the causes, and learning about some of the non-medicinal treatments that can cure insomnia can help insomnia sufferers get a good night’s rest.

Cindy Heller asked:


With increased awareness in the media and health food circles, alternative approaches to healing are growing, which includes alternative insomnia medicine. One such therapy for insomnia is the use of valerian root. Valerian root is an herb which has been used extensively throughout the ages as a calming and relaxing herb. It is often referred to as “nature’s Valium” for its sedative qualities. Another alternative insomnia medicine is melatonin. Melatonin also helps to induce sleep.

Homeopathic Remedies for Insomnia

The world of homeopathic treatment offers many alternative solutions for a full gamut of diseases, ailments, and sicknesses, including insomnia. Aconitum apellus is a remedy specified for someone who has panic attacks associated with insomnia. This homeopathic remedy for insomnia helps to calm and soothe the fears that occur shortly before falling asleep. Ignatia is another homeopathic remedy which is supposed to help a person struggling with insomnia because of an emotional struggle such as grieving the loss of a loved one. Calcarea Phosphorica lessens the joint pains in adults and growing pains in children. Various supplements of calcium and magnesium also help to calm the nervous system and are recommended to take at bedtime to help sleep to come.

Herbal Treatment for Insomnia – It Can Be Treated Naturally

There are plenty of the over-the-counter medicines that can successfully treat this disease. Nonetheless, a good majority of people still prefer to go for the herbal treatment for insomnia because they feel it has fewer side effects. Some of the common (read traditional) herbal treatments for insomnia will include remedies with plants such as passion flower, valerian root, Californian poppy seeds, dog wood, and so on.

Home Remedies for Insomnia

Self help is the best help. You could be your own doctor whereby you may get relief much faster.

Home Insomnia Cure No. 1 – When you find that you cannot sleep, the first step should be to try and relax. You will never be able to do this on the bed, because your inability to fall asleep will irritate you further and aggravate your condition. Hence, if you stayed more than 30 minutes in bed and you find that sleep evades you, get up from the bed and do something that relaxes you. Have a hot cup of chamomile tea, read a favorite bestseller, have a hot mug of milk and generally try to relax. You will find that in no time, you will feel sleepy.

Home Insomnia Cures No. 2 – Reading has always been a great relaxing technique. However, not all type of reading will be helpful to you. Avoid any such topics that would excite you further, such as ghost stories, sexual fantasy stories, or puzzles. The best would be to read something that is pleasant yet simple – such as a magazine, newspaper, comic books, or a favorite bestseller.

Home Insomnia Cures No 3 – immerse yourself in hot water and a long drawn bath. You could use aromatic oils before or after the bath, and or aromatic candles to create a relaxing and pleasing atmosphere all around you.

Home insomnia cures No 4 – listening to music might help as well. This could work best while or after taking the hot water bath, though it is okay when used singly also. As is the case of the books, you should choose music that is soothing and soft so it can relax you and induce sleep.

Behavioral Therapy

Self-hypnosis and auto-suggestion methods work pretty well. You will need to master the art of self-hypnosis from a professional. You will also find certain specific exercises (such as yoga) that promote sleep in the long run – if you prefer to have only natural means to treat this disease. This type of treatment is also called behavioral therapy and it is normally applied singly or in combination with other types of treatments, depending on the response of the person to the medicines, sleep therapies and so on.

Often all it needs to cure insomnia is a simple change of life-style habits and a few stringent and serious measures which influence sleep:

1. Avoid any caffeine in any form at least four hours before sleep; preferably you should eliminate it totally from your diet.

2. Avoid alcohol intake of any kind.

3. Avoid having your meals too late at night (allow at least four hours between the last meal and your bed time).

Natural Sleeping Remedies

One of the most common insomnia solutions is drinking milk before you go to bed. Drinking a warm glass of milk has been proven to be effective insomnia solution throughout the years. Another very practical insomnia solution is exercise. Simple physical exercises performed a few hours before going to sleep can be a good insomnia solution. Yoga exercise is very calming that even if you had a very busy day, all your stress will be gone when you do yoga exercises. Sleeping at regular hours can cure insomnia.

Rohit Chopra asked:

There are millions in this world today who suffer from insomnia. When sleeplessness moves beyond the normal range of a few days into weeks and months, you have a really serious problem afflicting you that requires express treatment. However, first you must have a basic understanding of insomnia and its different aspects.

How would you identify your problem as insomnia? For this you need to understand insomnia symptoms. The fundamental symptom that will plague you if you have insomnia is inability to sleep night after night for a long time at a stretch. You must understand that insomnia also refers to waking up in the night and not being able to get back to sleep again.

If this problem occurs regularly, you can call yourself an insomniac. As a consequence of these two basic symptoms you will suffer from other problems like, tiredness throughout the day, lack of concentration, headaches and heaviness in the mind. You may also feel like spending the daytime sleeping.

Once you are able to understand insomnia and identify it as the cause of your problems, you should look at the underlying sources of the trouble so as to get rid of the ones that afflict you. Stress is the number one cause of insomnia in todays world. Often people with trouble and anxiety on their minds keep awake thinking about it. These worrying recurring thoughts prevent them from falling asleep.

Another reason that causes insomnia is depression. At the same time, you must also understand that insomnia too can cause depression. Some medical problems are at the root of insomnia like, diabetes, kidney troubles and sleep apnoea that is a very big contributor to sleeplessness. Similarly, pain and injuries can create havoc in your sleep pattern. Certain medications, especially anti-depressants, too have an adverse effect on the sleep of people so after consultation with your doctor you should consider taking it during the daytime. If you tend to work late and go to bed with your mind buzzing with office work, you stand a good chance of losing sleep. If this becomes a habit you must understand that insomnia is round the corner.

Modern lifestyle is a big culprit in causing insomnia. If you do not exercise, or eat hearty meals just before going to bed, or have stimulants like coffee, cola etc. late in the evening, insomnia could be a likely fallout along with other problems.

To effectively tackle insomnia you must also understand insomnia treatment methods that can be used. Firstly, have a complete check up done to rule out any other medical condition as a cause of your sleeplessness. Insomnia treatment would aim at striking at the root of the problem. So, you must make an attempt to understand the cause of insomnia in your case.

If stress is affecting you employ relaxation methods like, yoga, meditation or listen to soft music to calm your mind. You may also consider joining a stress management course where you will learn to control stressful conditions without letting it affect you too much. Bring about changes in your lifestyle. Eat healthy and ensure that you have a light meal at least a couple of hours before hitting the bed. Give up stimulants or at least restrict them. Make exercise an integral part of your life.

This is one factor that you should understand would not only treat insomnia but also have a positive effect on your health in general. Avoid working late and make your bedroom a comfortable and relaxing place.

If in spite of all these measures you are unable to get a good nights sleep you must understand that your insomnia problem requires medication. Apart from the conventional sleeping pills you can try out herbal medications in consultation with your doctor.

Insomnia is a sleeping disorder that unfortunately has steadily crept into our lives. However, remember that it is curable; all that it requires is for you to understand insomnia and accordingly deal with it.