Insomnia Cure - Natural Remedies For Insomnia

Insomnia is a sleeping disorder characterized by having trouble falling or staying asleep. It's one of the most common medical complaints.

It is unavoidable and perfectly normal that we cannot sleep well from time to time, but chronic insomnia is another story.  Not only will it affect our performance and productivity, chronic insomnia suppresses the immune system and leads to other disorders such as depression, chronic fatigue, headaches, and heart disease.

Exactly how much sleep is enough varies from person to person.  However, studies related to mental function show that most adults need eight hours of sleep every night.

Symptoms of Insomnia

    * Difficulty falling asleep at night
    * Awakening during the night
    * Awakening too early
    * Not feeling well rested after a night's sleep
    * Feeling fatigue or sleepy during day time
    * Irritability, depression or anxiety
    * Difficulty paying attention or focusing on tasks

Causes of Insomnia

There are a lot of possible factors that can cause insomnia, such as:

    * Stress and anxiety
    * Depression
    * Sleep Apnea
    * Aging
    * Stimulants
    * Health Problems

Natural Remedies for Insomnia

Many people try to get OTC sleeping aids for their insomnia.  Unfortunately, many such sleeping aids contain antihistamines that can not only make you feel drowsy but  also reduce the quality of your sleep.  In addition, these drugs cause a lot of side effects, such as dry mouth, blurred vision, and depression. Long-term use of such insomnia drugs can also be addictive.

A better, safer, and gentler alternative is the use of natural insomnia home remedies.  Herbs, aromatherapy, vitamins and minerals can help you overcome insomnia so you can get a good night sleep.

However, if your insomnia is chronic and the use of natural insomnia home remedies cannot solve your sleeping problem, be sure to consult with your doctor to see if there are other underlying health problems that may be causing the insomnia.

Herbs

There are several herbs that can make excellent insomnia home remedies, for example, valerian, chamomile, passionflower, St.-John's wort, and hops.   The good thing about using herbal remedies for insomnia is, they do not make you feel groggy the next day!

You can either take any of the above single herbs, or, for synergistic effects, you can combine half a teaspoon each of the tinctures of valerian, hops, passionflower and chamomile, and take the mixture about 30 minutes before bed.

Vitamins and Minerals

If you suffer from insomnia, the minerals calcium and magnesium can help to relax the nervous system so you can fall asleep easier.  Vitamin B6 is also effective since it facilitates the production of serotonin and other neurotransmitters that promote sleep.

Aromatherapy

Some essential oils have calming and relaxing effects on the body, for example, lavender, chamomile, valerian, neroli, hops, and marjoram.  These oils can be used in a warm bath or a foot bath.  In addition, you can add the oil to a diffuser in your bedroom, or just sprinkle a few drops on to your pillow.