insomnia remedies

ESTABLISH A ROUTINE: go to bed at the same time every night, and only when you are sleepy. Get up at about the same time every morning, no matter when you fell asleep. Avoid napping. Moderate exercise (twenty minutes, three times a week) during the morning or afternoon may help you sleep better. Avoid activity before bedtime. If you have jet lag and you have to sleep during the day, keep the bedroom as quiet and dark as possible. If you’re working nights, install very bright lights at work and then wear dark glasses as you go home and prepare for sleep; this will help your circadian rhythm.

DON?T PUSH IT: insomnia that lasts only for a few days is usually due to tension, and often goes away when the stress passes. If you wake up at night, remain quiet in bed for awhile. You are still getting rest, even if you are not asleep. Don’t worry about a rigid schedule or about your insomnia, this may prolong the problem after the stress is gone. If sleep does not come, get out of bed and read (no TV) in a quiet, dim room. Avoid alcohol, which may help you to fall asleep at first, but then can interfere with the quality of sleep.

CREATE A SLEEPING ENVIRONMENT: make sure your bedroom is quiet, well ventilated, not too dry, and dark (light can enter through your eyelids). Try earplugs and eye shades to get rid of distractions. Avoid activity or a bright television screen just before bedtime. Instead, enjoy a quarter hour of quiet conversation, light reading or soft music. Eat a light starch snack ? a piece of toast or an apple. Avoid sweets, heavy meals or fruit juices. Warm milk can give psychological and some physical benefit. Try a warm candlelit bath with Epsom salt, an excellent muscle relaxant.

RELAX! If you’re a habitual insomniac, and trying to get to sleep just makes you more awake, the root of your insomnia may be stress. In that case, I can’t emphasize enough what a difference bedtime stretching and breathing exercises can make. After stretching, lie down and try this exercise: exhale through your mouth, inhale through your nose for four seconds, hold your breath for three seconds, then exhale through your mouth for eight seconds. Do this cycle three times, then keep breathing deeply and slowly while you “tell” your feet to relax: with every exhalation, picture more and more tension draining down out of your feet. When your feet feel relaxed, move up to your calves, your knees, and so on. Spend extra time on your pelvis, your stomach, chest, shoulders, neck and head. By this time you have relaxed your whole body. Now keep breathing, and visualize a beautiful scene. You can be walking through a sunny meadow or a fragrant pine forest, whatever image is peaceful to you. Make up a pleasant story of what you do there, and be sure to include all five senses in your imaginings. That is one simple exercise, many others can be found in books or on audio tape.

IF NOTHING WORKS: you may choose to consult a sleep specialist to evaluate your situation in depth. Insomnia may be due to a physical condition such as diabetes or menopause. Severe insomnia may be due to an underlying ailment and you might need medication. If you think that your insomnia is caused by depression, anxiety or stress, you may want to consult a psychiatrist.

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You asked about herbs for insomnia. I make a tea that contains a combination of these herbs: Hops, Skullcap, Passion flower, Dandelion root, Chamomile flowers, Hawthorn berries. That’ll get you some ZZZ’s!

Good luck!

Thalia C.

Herbal Home Remedies

insomnia remedies

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