From Insomnia to Better Sleep

Benzodiazepines and Z drugs (drugs called zaleplon, zolpidem, and zopiclone) are the most common sleeping tablets and are available only on prescription. These as well as other sleeping tablets are only prescribed for short periods as the body tends to build up a tolerance to them, and could lead to a dependency on these insomnia drugs.

There are pros and cons of each type of medication. Sleeping tablets and insomnia medications as prescribed have and can be a real help for people.

Common Insomnia Medications

Lunesta – Lunesta helps you fall asleep quickly and studies show people sleep an average of 7 to 8 hours. Don’t take Lunesta unless you are able to get a full night’s sleep as it could cause grogginess.

Rozerem – Rozerem is a new sleep medication that works differently to others. It works by targeting the sleep-wake cycle, not by causing central nervous system depression. It is prescribed for people who have difficulty falling asleep. Rozerem can be prescribed for long-term use and the medication has shown no evidence of abuse and dependence.

Sonata – Of all the new sleeping pills, Sonata stays active in the body for the shortest amount of time – which means you can try to fall asleep on your own. Then, if you’re still staring at the clock at 2 a.m., you can take it without feeling drowsy in the morning. However, if you tend to wake during the night, this might not be the best choice for you.

Benzodiazepines – These older sleeping pills (Halcion, Restoril, and others) are useful when you want an insomnia medication that stays in your system longer. For instance, they have been effectively used to treat sleep problems such as sleepwalking and night terrors. However, these drugs may cause you to feel sleepy during the day and can also cause dependence, meaning you may always need the drug to sleep.

Natural Insomnia Remedies

Whereas lifestyle changes, herbal or natural insomnia medications could take longer to show effects, they don’t have the side effects of sleeping tablets. If you have tried everything to no avail, consult an expert.

Herbal remedies have been used for thousands of years, many have been used as remedies for insomnia. There are far too many herbs that help with insomnia so here you fill find a few of the more popular ones. You can also visit your local health food shops as many remedies for insomnia can be found there along with advice from shop assistants.

Most herbal remedies are in the form of a tea, but there are many available in tablet form. These herbal insomnia remedies will also come with instruction regarding the amount to take and the best time to take them.

Valerian

Valerian is one of the better known and very popular herbal remedies for insomnia. Valerian is know to promote relaxation and also induces sleep. The herb also relieves spasms, calms the digestion, and it also helps to lower blood pressure. Valerian is useful for severe insomnia, especially when the insomnia has been caused by pain or anxiety. Clinical studies have also been conducted on valerian and it has been shown to improve the quality of sleep quality and relieving insomnia.

Passion flower

Another calming and sleep inducing herb is passion flower. Passion flower has been found to also relieve pain and muscular spasms. Passion flower has been found useful for the treatment of general insomnia.

Jamaica dogwood

Jamaica dogwood is wonderful herb that eases “mental chatter” when one is trying to get to sleep. Jamaica dogwood has a calming effect and also eases pain. Jamaica dogwood is good for insomnia caused by nervous tension and stress and is usually taken orally or in the form of a herbal bath.

Chamomile

Chamomile is a very relaxing herb. The most common way to take it is in a tea. Chamomile helps ease pain and has been found to help heal wounds. Chamomile is a gentle herbal remedy used to help with anxiety and acts as a mild sedative. One great way to take it is to mix it in equal parts with hops. Chamomile can also be used in a bath.

Lavender

Lavender is a great aid in sleep and coping with insomnia. Lavender flowers can be brewed in a tea and it can be used in the form of an essential oil, distilled from the leaves, flowers and stems of the plant.

A cure for insomnia will be a personal thing. There is not one single source of insomnia, so a cure for insomnia could be based on many variables. A cure will usually be based on lifestyle changes, introducing natural cures for insomnia, relaxation techniques, or indeed medical help. There are things that you can do for insomnia, so try not to go on hoping. Insomnia can be cured, you have to find the right one for you. Einsteins definition of insanity was “doing the same thing but expecting different results”. If whatever you are doing isn’t working, then change it!

Natural remedies for insomnia

Taking herbal tea in the evenings and cutting back or eliminating tea and coffee during the day works well for many people.

Natural cures for insomnia may take some time to get into the system. If you try a natural or herbal remedy for insomnia, be prepared to stick with it for a few days before you start to see any changes.

Sleep hygiene and lifestyle changes to prevent insomnia

Sleep hygiene refers to poor sleeping habits. Things such as staying up too late and get up too early. Interrupting sleep by using drugs, chemicals, overwork, and over stimulation by late-night activities such as television are all included in sleep hygiene. Try and cut back on these types of activities and you will start to see an improvement in your insomnia in no time.

Relaxation techniques

Some people find that learning a particular relaxation technique will help them to ease their minds and let the body relax and therefore promote a good deep sleep. There are many CDs that contain relaxing music and sometimes a guided relaxation instruction to help you unwind and drift off into sleep. One I can highly recommend is the Insight program. I personally have had tremendous results using this.

Positive thinking

Sometimes we bombard ourselves with negativity. We do it sometimes without realizing it. By continually repeating “I cant get to sleep” when one has insomnia is reinforcing the fact that you are not asleep. Instead try to be positive and think things such as “I am relaxed” and “I can easily sleep”.

To cure insomnia it is important to then keep up the new routine and not fall back into the same old pattern.

The point is that there is not a “one size fits all” insomnia cure. You can become more causative over it rather than effect. Finding the right one for you might take a little research. Keep working on it. If it makes a difference, keep doing it. If it doesn’t, then change.

A great way to get in the habit of a restful sleep is to quietly talk to yourself before falling asleep. You are really talking directly to the subconscious mind. The instructions that you are giving the subconscious reinforces the idea of getting a good night’s sleep, and a refreshed feeling when you awake. Positive thinking has been and is being used by many successful business people, olympic athletes, tennis players, climbers, the list goes on.

You could say things like:

• I sleep through the night. I sleep deeply and well
• I wake up relaxed, refreshed, restored, renewed, revived
• I will have a great day tomorrow. I’ll meet the right people and speak with the right people. Everything goes my way
• I am healthy and well. I am healthy and well

After a few nights of positive self talk you will notice that you fall asleep quicker and that your days become much easier.

More than $2 billion per year is spent by Americans on sleep medications. Sleep is natural function of the body, so why is there a problem with this natural process? There are many problems getting in the way of a good night’s sleep.

The daily stresses we have such as problems at work, the state of our finances, family issues, the list goes on. Unresolved experiences one has during the day can all add up and keep a person up at night. The mental chatter that goes on and the replaying of the events of the day, over and over again, create anxiety and worry while the minutes and maybe even hours tick away. What you can do to minimize the mental chatter is to deal with each problem or misunderstanding as it arises. How many times have you sat wondering about what you should have said or could have said. What you need to do is communicate to the person or persons involved and get some closure. This releases a lot of your attention. Another thing to do is imagine leaving all the mental baggage from the working day outside your front door – do not bring the office back to your home. Your home is an environment for relaxing, entertainment, fun, and family. It is best to keep it that way.

Eating snacks or large meals at night can interfere with your ability to sleep. Late night meals engage all the resources of your digestive system – your body is actually doing a lot of work when it’s supposed to be resting. A lot of this late night food is stored as fat, creating additional problems. Try to aviod large meals and snacks such as potato chips and chocolate.

Exercise contributes to restful sleep. When you have done vigorous physical work the body needs to recover. Sleep lets your body repair and rebuild, getting stronger in the process. Regardless of the stresses and worries, vigorous exercise makes a physical demand on your body that will relax you and bring about a restful sleep. If you do not engage in regular exercise, the strong physiologic need for deep rest is missing, and you’ll likely be tossing and turning the night away.

Soft, old and lumpy mattresses can also disturb sleep. Too firm mattresses can also cause problems. A good mattress is supportive and comfortable. It “gives” in all the right places and provides a balanced, springy platform for a restful night’s sleep. Ensure that your bed is right for you. Make sure that your pillows are supportive too, enabling your body to relax.