Natural Remedies for InsomniaNatural remedies for insomnia can be a great aid when you need help falling asleep and staying asleep. They work gently and safely when used according to directions. With some adjustments on your part, and the help of Mother Nature in a variety of forms, your quality and quantity of sleep will most likely improve. If you address and resolve the cause of your sleeplessness, your insomnia will be a thing of the past. For best results, use these natural remedies for insomnia, including the natural insomnia cures, along with the insomnia tips. When You Need Help Falling AsleepWhen you have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, try these natural remedies for insomnia. Herbs and supplements are safer than over-the-counter or prescription drugs and are often more effective.Melatonin is the hormone that tells your body to go to sleep. As people get older, they may not make enough melatonin. Prolonged-release melatonin supplement in low doses (less than 1mg) appears to be most effective for older adults. 5-HTP is another effective natural sleep remedy. It's a precursor to serotonin, which is used to make melatonin. 100mg of 5-HTP a half-hour before bedtime is a recommended starting dose. Follow label directions when increasing dosage. Herbs can be quite useful when you need help falling asleep. An herbal insomnia remedy can be made up of one or several herbs. These herbs can help restore serotonin when you have an imbalance in brain chemistry. Note that you may need to take these herbs for several weeks before you notice a real change with chronic insomnia. You may need to take your remedy throughout the day. Then take another dose a half-hour or so before bedtime. One dose at bedtime alone probably won't be much help. Experiment to see what works best for you. Don't take strong sedative herbs during the day if you need to stay alert or drive. St. John's Wort helps when you have trouble falling asleep, wake up too early, and/or are mildly depressed. Passionflower relaxes tight muscles and a wound up mind. California poppy helps calm anxiety. It helps you fall asleep faster and improves the quality of your sleep. 
Perhaps the best herbal insomnia remedy is valerian. This natural remedy for insomnia rivals prescription medications for effectiveness.As a sedative herb, it depresses your central nervous system so you fall asleep faster and enjoy deeper sleep. Choose tinctures or valerian tea blends as it doesn't smell or taste very good. Fortunately, valerian combines well with the other sleep inducing herbs mentioned above. Also consider catnip (good for children), chamomile, hops, skullcap, lavender, and eleuthero. Learn more about these calming herbs here. Then choose the ones that may be best for you. For an herbal insomnia remedy you can cozy up with, make a sleep pillow or put herbs in a muslin bag. A combination of hops, lavender and chamomile kept within breathing distance will help soothe you to sleep. Natural Insomnia CuresAddressing the cause of a health problem when possible is always a good course of action. Insomnia is a symptom, not an illness. When you resolve the cause, you resolve the problem.If imbalances of melatonin and other hormones are behind your sleep troubles, look at your caffeine consumption and your stress levels. Drinking caffeinated beverages may be perk you up in the morning, but they can ruin your chances for a good night sleep. Stimulants like caffeine stress your adrenal glands and endocrine system. This sets the stage for hormonal imbalances. Eliminate caffeine and other stimulants and see if you sleep better. Also, try to get sunshine outdoors every morning for about 15 minutes. Your body is designed to use morning sunlight to make the melatonin that helps you sleep at night. Supplement your intake of magnesium and add magnesium chloride to your bath or beauty products. Magnesium helps you relax and promotes sleep, especially if you have a deficiency (which many people do). Doses depend on how deficient you are and the type you are using. Choose an absorbable oral form such as magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide or angstrom magnesium. Take small amounts throughout the day. If you get diarrhea, take less. As a natural remedy for insomnia, magnesium may help you feel more relaxed right away. It takes weeks or months to correct a deficiency. Give it time if you are using magnesium as one of your natural insomnia cures. ************************************************************* Look at the list of reasons for insomnia. Which ones may be causing you to stay awake?
Consistent use of the natural remedies for insomnia, and taking care to get the sunshine, minerals, and self care you need should have you sleeping well.
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