Natural Sleeping Aids – Can They Help You?
Do you have trouble sleeping? Rest assured, you’re not alone. It is estimated around one in four people suffer from some form of sleeping disorder or simply have trouble getting to sleep. Some people suffer from not being able to get to sleep, others get long blocks of sleep but still feel tired and restless upon waking, others still are unable to sleep during conventional sleeping times and find their sleeping patterns out of sync with the rest of the world.
There are many factors that can disrupt our sleep; these can include sleeping disorders, stress, poor health, anxiety, being sensitive to certain foods or chemicals, and a plethora of other situations and reasons.
Whatever the cause or reason of a sleep disruption is, after many a restless night and bleary-eyed day, people often seek some sort of treatment for their sleeping problems. Some people’s problems are mild enough that simply changing a sleep-contrary situation, improving sleep hygiene or dosing with an old home remedy are enough to get them back in the sack and sawing logs all night.
Others suffer from sleeping problems that require some more drastic forms of treatment. While some suffer from sleeping disorders that absolutely require strong prescription treatments, many people are wary of these drugs because they can become habit forming, can be quite expensive, and can have drastic side effects and may cause other health issues.
If you are one of these people, an effective natural sleeping aid or natural sleeping pill could be the solution you are looking for. Once considered generally weak and ineffectual, modern natural sleeping aids can be quite powerful and effective, with the benefits of fewer side effects, no addictive qualities, they are much cheaper and much better for your health and wellbeing.
What’s in them?
Most natural sleeping pills are formulated with one of a few primary sleeping aids, and bolstered with a range of herbal extracts that promote calm and relaxation. The most common of these primary ingredients are discussed below.
Melatonin
The main ingredient that has boosted most modern natural sleeping pills in terms of effectiveness is Melatonin, and this is the ingredient you are likely to find in any natural formulation with a large degree of success in its user base. Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain, and is the chemical trigger telling our bodies when it is time to go to sleep and when it is time to wake up. It is theorised that many sleeping disorders could be caused by a lack of Melatonin. Literally thousands of people have successfully used Melatonin based treatments to treat a wide range of sleeping disorders, and their number is growing every day. The Melatonin used in these natural sleeping aids is a synthesised version of the hormone that is naturally produced by the brain.
Valerian
Often refered to as “Nature’s Valium”, Valerian is an herb native to Europe and Asia, and the roots and stems of this plant have been used as a sedative and relaxant by various cultures across the world for hundreds of years. Valerian is widely used to treat insomnia and other sleeping disorders, and studies have shown that valerian could improve the quality of sleep and reduce the time to fall asleep significantly with ongoing use.
Kava
Kava is a drug made from the roots of the plant Piper Methysticum, and has been used for centuries by island cultures as a sedative and muscle relaxant, and it also creates a feeling of wellbeing and calm. While not widely used in natural sleeping aids, there are a couple utilising this unique extract, and it is becoming more popular as its benefits for sleep problems are becoming more widely known. Expect more formulations to pop up in the near future using kava as a primary active ingredient.
Sleeping Disorders
This is by no means a conclusive list, but here is a brief description of some of the more common sleeping disorders that can be treated using the natural sleeping aids listed above. If you identify with any of these symptoms, then natural sleeping aids could be of great benefit to you.
Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome
This condition arises when the sufferer can’t keep a regular sleeping pattern, and the need for sleep doesn’t arise at the normal time and can occur at all hours of the day or night. This is a particularly distressing disorder, as it can make interacting in normal society (working day jobs, studying, socialising) very difficult for the sufferer, and can lead to depression and anxiety.
Insomnia
Insomnia is a conditon that entails difficulty getting to sleep, or the inability to stay asleep soundly throughout the night. Despite the common misconception, it is not a sleep disorder in of itself and is actually a symptom of one or any number of sleep disorders. Insomnia can be characterised as transient, which means it occurs for days at a stretch in intermittent periods of time, or acute, which means the period of sleeplessness lasts for weeks up to months at a time, and chronic insomnia, which can last up to years at a stretch.
Narcolepsy
This condition is characterised by excessive daytime fatigue or sleepiness. Sufferers will experience extreme fatigue during the day, and possibly will fall asleep at inappropriate times and places. Narcoleptics often experience disturbed night time sleep, and also exhibit an abnormal daytime sleep pattern. Narcolepsy also causes the sufferer to enter deep REM sleep in a period of five to ten minutes after falling asleep, whereas in an unaffected individual this sleep state should not occur until around 30 to 45 minutes after falling asleep.
Sleep Apnea
A particularly dangerous sleep disorder in which the sufferer experiences pauses in breathing during sleep. Usually accompanied by loud snoring during sleep, people with this disorder do not get enough oxygen during sleep. Cause by an obstruction or narrowing of the upper airway in the throat, the sufferer wakes briefly after a period of breathlessness, usually with no memory of waking up, and this can occur up to hundreds of times in a single night.
Restless Legs Syndrome
This condition causes a discomfort in the legs after a period of immobility, such as when trying to sleep, that can only be comforted by moving or stimulating the legs. Can cause insomnia or restless sleep.
Periodic Limb Movement
Characterised by leg movements or jerks which can range from a slight twitch to an almost violent kicking movement, which can occur sparsely throughout a period of sleep or as frequently as every 20 to 40 seconds. This condition causes sleep to be disrupted, and as a result the sufferer may experience daytime fatigue or insomnia.
Drowsy Driving
Named for its most common occurrence which is behind the wheel of a car, but drowsy driving can affect anyone who regularly performs a particular repetitive task. Ever felt your eyes drooping while driving, or suddenly realised you don’t remember the last few miles you drove? Ever been sitting at your desk and see the papers or computer screen go out of focus, and you can’t stop yawning? You might be experiencing Drowsy Driving.