Herbal Remedies For Sleeplessness
Despite claiming to be working longer hours than any other generation, a great deal of individuals suffer from sleepless nights. This is probably not due to not being not tired but to being stressed out. There could be other factors as well. In this article we will look at some natural methods of treating sleeplessness without recourse to over-the-counter sleeping tablets or tranquilizers, which some people have taken to eating like sweets unfortunately.
People have been using herbal remedies for thousands of years to cure ailments that we still suffer from today, it is just that we were weaned off these natural remedies by moving to cities in the Nineteenth Century and losing a country person’s knowledge of herbs and we were presented with simple choices in the form of over-the-counter medicines by pharmaceutical firms in the Twentieth Century.
Perhaps it is time to try to relearn the old ways. In, fact many people are doing just that, but it is not that easy to find someone to learn from and errors can get perilous.
Having said that, becoming addicted to sleeping tablets or Prozac is not good for you either. While on the topic of Prozac, a natural alternative to it is St. John’s Wort, which grows everywhere in temperate climates like Europe and America.
If you would like to try the alternative medicine approach and there are no courses where you live, you should buy a book – a decent book – on the subject and take very small doses, raising the dose with time until you find the amount that has the desired result for you.
If you advocate doses to friends or listen to friends’ suggestions, do keep in mind that your weight, age and sex could well make a significant difference to the dose that is correct for you.
It also depends what you want the result to be. You may want to take a herb and fall asleep instantly, whereas someone else may prefer to take a milder dose and enjoy the sensation of gradual drowsiness before drifting off to sleep. (By the way, the second approach is far better).
Expectant women and children ought to not test these natural ways because of the problem with dosage. Catnip is one of the herbs that has this soporific effect on most people.
Camomile (or chamomile) is another plant that has been used to treat states of mind like restlessness, stress and sleeplessness. Camomile lotion is very relaxing on the skin and is used to treat sunburn. Camomile tea can be bought in all good tea shops, so it cannot be that perilous or you could simply use the plant itself.
Hops, lavender, lemon balm and Valerian are other herbs that can be bought or grown anywhere. They are not banned substances. You can purchase these seven substances either already in tea bags, you can purchase them in dried, loose form (cheaper) or you can grow your own.
You may find that one works for you but another one does not, but that is not a problem, is it? Check them out; grow the ones that work for you and your family; grow those plants in the spring and summer and then cut them and dry them for winter use. It is much more satisfying than giving your money to the pharmaceuticals.
Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on several topics, but is now concerned with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. If you want to know more, please go to our website at Sleep Apnea Surgery Techniques