Herbs to help you sleep

Information provided by Dieter L. - useNature - Editor

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Herbal Remedies or Herbal Teas to help you sleep

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Sleep

Too little sleep, and not coping with stress, renders people almost helpless to deal with life situations effectively. It weakens and exhausts their whole system and the zest for life is gone.

Anxiety, drug intake, indigestion, lack of nutrients (especially calcium and magnesium), excessive consumption of coffee or tea, late night dinners, loaded with stimulants like sugars and salt, pollution, physical aches and pains, pregnancy, hormone imbalances, work situations, and many more factors may contribute to poor sleep disorders.

Sleep and Anxiety disorders are common ailments. Natural remedies have been used for centuries in many cultures to alleviate symptoms with surprising effectiveness. [4]

However, a common cause for sleeplessness is stress and worry!

Are you a Think-aholic? Do you worry?

Does your brain never seem to shut down or are you worrying yourself half to death?

Do you go to bed, thinking about past or tomorrows problems or challenges?

Lots of Herbal Remedies[2] are at hand, by example:

Some traditional herbs may help, esp. in conjunction with a holistic Naturopathic treatment perspective:

• Try some Chamomile tea, or even better find a combination which works its synergistic magic for you.
  Herbs like, Hops, Valerian, Skullcap, Passionflower and as mentioned, Chamomile helps promote good, healthy restful sleep.
  These herbs can help relieve symptoms of stress, restlessness and sleeplessness.

• Chamomile[3]is well reputed to have a sedative and calming action.

• Hops reduces irritability and restlessness.

• Passionflower [4] The Algonquin people of North America used it as a herbal tranquilliser.

• Skullcap is mainly used as a nerve tonic and for its restorative properties. It helps support and nourish the nervous system.

• Valerian [1} has long been credited with magical properties and was used in ceremonies by the Druids of ancient Britain and Gaul. It is used to relieve mild stress and anxiety and is an ideal tonic for recovering from chronic illness.

Herbalist/Naturopathic Consultation Perspective:

For patients presenting with sleep disorders, cleared by medical practitioners of any serious diseases.

Holisting Naturopathic Evidence based advice:

1. Lifestyle:
   Regular exercise - no stimulating exercise at night - yoga at night - walking exercise.
   Try not to do anything work related, esp not on the computer at least 3 -4 hours before going to bed.
   Television is not a sleep inducer, it may subconsciously stimulate and keep the brain active.
   Go to bed around the same time each night. Try to keep noise levels low,and make sure your room is completely dark,
   

2. Nutrition:
   An individual diet plan may be prescribed. General guidelines are, No coffee or stimulating drinks after 3pm, no stimulating food, like sugar or salt.
   Try a a high protein snack (supper) 2-3 hours before sleep, may provide amino acid L-tryptophan, a precursor to melatonin and serotonin.
   Avoid snacking just before bedtime, particularly sweets, grains and sugars. - If you are not sensitive to milk, a warm glass of milk is an old remedy.

3. Herbs .. as above, but more likely a specific individualised herbal mixture.
   In addition a warm tea, not too hot, with herbs like, Chamomile, Lemon Balm, even some aroma scents like calming Lavender.
   

4. Combating stress:
   Relaxation, Meditation and Visualisation will be taught in an individual session, and may be extended with specific sleep inducing CD's either music, suggestive messages or both.

5. Counselling Sessions, if appropriate may also be suggested... including art creativity activities .. see here for info: Art Therapy

6. Other modalities may be considered in individual cases, such as a relaxing massage or a reflexology session.
   The evidence shows that this type of "reassuring attention" is supporting health in general.

7. Listen yourself to sleep for Free click > soundcloud.com/use-nature
   

Have you tried Meditation or Relaxation exercise? It's magical how much a mind can relax and how that helps with falling and staying asleep.

Try not to work on your computer or Mobile before you go to bed. The speed of life, caused partly by computers and online activities plays havoc with our brains .... give your brain and mind a chance to slow down ... you may even listen to some Alpha Calmness Music .

Article supplied by the editor of Use Nature - Dieter Luske

Chaos in Brainland? - A Guide for Creating a Stress and Anxiety Free Zone

* Disclaimer - Any general advice given in any article should not be relied upon and should not be taken as a substitute for visiting a qualified medical Doctor.

References:

1. Evidence suggests that valerian might improve sleep quality without producing side effects. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002934306002750

2. A Review of the Efficacy of Herbal Remedies for Managing Insomnia - http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/act.2012.18310 

3. Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmcarticles.htmPMC2995283/

4. Anxiety-related disorders - 24 studies that investigated five different CAM monotherapies : Passionflower - Kava - St John's wort - Lysine - Magnesium-
   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmcarticles.htmPMC2959081/

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More reading:

Naturopathy & Scientific Evidence - Naturopaths aim to restore optimal health by natural means, free of side-effects, free of drugs and their side effects and free of harm of any kind.