[box]Millions of people suffer from bouts of insomnia or restless nights on a regular basis. Tossing and turning in bed, your brain seems to be racing a mile a minute as soon as your head hits the pillow. So many people turn to their doctors for help, filling prescriptions for pharmaceutical sleep aids that can be extremely harmful to your health. Instead turn your attention to the best natural sleep remedies.[/box]
With the skyrocketing rate of pharmaceutical drug abuse, particularly pain killers and sleep aids, natural alternatives need to be more readily available and explored.
The best natural sleep remedies can far exceed the effects on a quality nights sleep than any pharmaceutical drug. Targeting our brain chemistry in a natural way which allows our body to re-sync itself and provide a natural restful sleep with no harmful side effects.
Best Natural Sleep Remedies
Some of the best sleep remedies come in a convenient capsule or pill and are composed of all natural ingredients that our body can easily absorb and put to use.
Melatonin for Improved Sleep
A hormone produced by our Pineal Gland in the brain. Melatonin helps control the sleep and waking cycles, acting like an internal clock that regulates sleep and restfulness. Your body produces higher amounts during the late afternoon and night time, with levels dropping in the morning. Your body takes the cue from light primarily, when it is dark your body produces more melatonin in order to help you sleep, when you are exposed to light in the early morning your body shuts down production.
As we age overall melatonin production drops, resulting in problems sleeping as we age. Supplementing Melatonin 20-30 minutes before we head to bed can have a dramatic effect on our ability to fall asleep and the quality of the sleep we have. Giving our body the cue to start the sleep cycle, naturally prompting sleep and improving the quality of the sleep we get.
Recommended dose of Melatonin for sleep – 3 mg – 5 mg
[box]Melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant. Studies are being done on its effects on minimizing the spread of cancer, improving the immune system and even slowing down the aging process.[/box]
Magnesium to Cure Insomnia
Playing a key role in sleep regulation, magnesium deficiency can cause your brain to have trouble settling down at night.
Often times people who have trouble sleeping at night, it is due to a magnesium deficiency. An extremely common deficiency which affects countless bodily systems and functions. A vital role in the function of GABA receptors, magnesium helps the brain understand when it should “power down”. Calming the glutamate activity in the brain which allows your mind to calm itself and fall asleep effortlessly.
Recommended dose of Magnesium for sleep – 100 mg – 200 mg
Wild Lettuce Supplements Sedative Qualities
Used for a variety of ailments such as treating a cough, asthma, restlessness, menstrual pains, circulation problems, nymphomania and insomnia Wild Lettuce is a relatively common supplement. Renowned for its mild sedative qualities, it is often described as a mild “opium like” sedation.
The sap or latex of the plant is used in a variety of medications and can be extracted and consumed through pill form, beverages or eaten as a whole.
Wild Lettuces sleep remedy abilities stem from its ability to calm, relax and relieve pain. By supplementing Wild Lettuce you can help overcome insomnia and achieve a much more restful and more relaxing sleep naturally.
Recommended dose of Wild Lettuce for sleep – 30 mg – 120 mg
Hops Help You Sleep
A popular plant that is used when brewing beer. Hops goes beyond simply brewing our favorite alcoholic beverage, it has remarkable sedative qualities that remedy a variety of conditions. This herb has a calming effect, as well as a hypnotic sleep inducing quality.
Studies show that Hops are a mild sedative useful in the treatment of insomnia, restlessness and anxiety. Its bitter taste makes ingesting it through capsule form ideal, however you can brew tea’s with it for similar effects. Promoting a deep refreshing sleep hops can help you overcome bouts of insomnia by relaxing your body and mind, supporting healthy sleep patterns.
The chemical responsible for Hops’ powerful sleep inducing characteristic is called Methylbutenol and it is responsible for putting Hops pickers to sleep due to overexposure to the chemical.
Recommended dose of Hops for sleep – 30 mg – 120 mg
Valerian, Popular Sleep Remedy
A common herb used as a sleep aid, Valerian root is also used in a variety of treatments including migraine relief, asthma, upset stomach, stress, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome and depression.
Acting as a sedative for our brain and nervous system, it can be added to a hot bath or supplemented to help overcome bouts of sleeplessness and insomnia. Acting on the GABA receptors, Valerian helps our brain calm itself when preparing for sleep. Used since ancient times with properties described by notable persons such as Hippocrates.
This therapeutic supplement has extremely powerful sleep inducing effects that provide a fantastic alternative to classic pharmaceutical sleep aids.
Recommended dose of Valerian for sleep – 200 mg – 800 mg
Other Powerful Natural Sleep Remedies
Beyond these natural supplements to improve your sleep and overcome those dreaded restless nights, try practicing meditation or yoga regularly. It has been shown that regular meditation or yoga practices can have a dramatic effect on the quality of our sleep. Breathing exercises and harnessing the power of calming our thoughts can improve your overall health, mindfulness, cognitive health and ability to fall asleep. Yielding a more restful sleep, leaving you feeling more relaxed, rested and alert when you awake; naturally.
