It may be tempting to turn to sleep pills when you don’t know how to treat sleeplessness. But taking medication is only effective in the short term and not a long-lasting solution. Sleeping pills are a temporary band-aid and at worst, they’re addictive, which can make sleeplessness worse. Natural alternatives and herbal remedies are healthier options that can help you effectively combat sleeplessness.
What is sleeplessness?
This is a common sleep condition marked by trouble falling asleep, waking up repeatedly during the night, or getting up earlier than expected. Suffering from sleeplessness can take its toll on your health with serious effects that lead to excessive daytime fatigue, lowered concentration, and an increased risk of accidents.
People can experience sleeplessness over a brief period while for some it can last for months. When people have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, it reduces the time spent in deep sleep (REM). REM sleep is particularly important for memory consolidation, dreaming, emotional processing, and brain development.
What are the signs and symptoms of sleeplessness?
Short-term insomnia lasts a few days or weeks and is frequently brought on by stress. When sleep problems persist at least three times a week for three months or longer, it is called chronic insomnia. Besides having the issues of falling asleep and waking up frequently or too early, other signs and symptoms include:
- Anxiety, despair, or irritability.
- Not feeling rested after a night’s sleep with feeling fatigued during the day.
- Problems paying attention, focusing on duties, or remembering details.
- Increased mistakes or mishaps.
- Constant concerns about sleep.
Why is it a common problem today?
Sleep disorders are common in modern society due to several factors. More people are spending an excessive amount of time on their phones, watching TV, and gaming, which is prevalent in adolescents. In the evening, more than two hours of screen use substantially impairs the melatonin spike required for sleep.
Stress is an inevitable part of a busy, modern life and many people develop coping mechanisms that are dependent on too much caffeine or alcohol, and less exercise. Life stressors have a significant impact on the quality of sleep. It could be worrying about money, jobs, family, and major world events that are all factors that cause psychological stress.
How to treat sleeplessness?
Those experiencing insomnia who wish to avoid medication, such as sleeping pills, can try the following natural and herbal remedies for sleeplessness to encourage the onset of sleep and improve its quality and duration.
Remedies for sleeplessness
There are healthy ways to tackle sleeplessness without reaching for prescription pills. These natural remedies can help with relaxation and reduce stressful behaviors to improve your quality of sleep and develop resilience and wellbeing.
Limit Screen Time
There is no need to be connected 24/7, so cut down on the time spent on devices. Unplugging can make a real difference to your stress levels. Spend the time doing something relaxing such as reading a book, going for a walk, or gardening for a heightened state of calmness.
Exercise and Meditation
We live in a world with constant stimulation around us. Meditation slows breathing and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps to reduce the heart rate. People who engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise will enjoy better quality sleep. By participating in an exercise that you enjoy, you will elevate your heart rate, helping to create the necessary processes in the brain and body that contribute to restfulness and minimize feelings of stress.
Improve Lifestyle Habits
Unhealthy coping skills such as indulging in caffeine, alcohol, eating processed foods, and being disorganized all contribute to daily stress and feelings of angst. Replace destructive habits with healthy ones such as eating a nutritious diet, being more organized, and taking up a relaxing hobby to induce positive feelings and improve overall health.
Herbal remedies for sleeplessness
Herbal medicine can be traced back to ancient civilizations and involves the medicinal use of plants to enhance general health and wellbeing. The goal of herbal medicine is to naturally restore the body’s equilibrium to heal.
Melatonin
The pineal gland produces melatonin, which is a natural hormone in the brain that aids in the regulation of your sleep cycle. Melatonin is produced when it becomes dark, and it stimulates sleep by acting on receptors in the body. Melatonin is the best remedy for sleeplessness that increases your body’s natural supply of the hormone. This will assist you in falling asleep and improving the quality of your sleep.
Gaba with L-Theanine
L-theanine helps the body cope with stress by increasing serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain that affect sleep, mood, and emotion. L-theanine boosts alpha brain waves, which are linked to a relaxed state of wakefulness. The soothing effects of L-theanine are enhanced when combined with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
When your nervous system is stressed, GABA operates as a neurotransmitter, signaling your nervous system to calm down. Because of the link between L-Theanine and GABA, it’s a great supplement to add to your bedtime routine to help you relax, sleep better, and reduce stress.
Lipocalm
LipoCalm is a premium sleep solution that contains a precise blend of GABA and strong botanicals to help the body relax and fall asleep. The central nervous system’s major neurotransmitter is GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) which works to help the brain and nervous system relax. It includes Skullcap, Passionflower, and Egyptian Chamomile.
Skullcap calms nervous tension, relieves muscle spasms, reduces blood pressure, and induces sleep. Passionflower promotes relaxation and has modest sedative and anti-anxiety properties. Egyptian Chamomile is a soothing herb with antispasmodic qualities to reduce muscle and nervous stress.
Aromatherapy Candle
Vanilla-scented aromatherapy candles are known to aid in relaxation. Vanilla is often used to help the mind and body relax as it works to induce feelings of warmth, positiveness, and calm. Vanilla also helps with stress, sleeplessness, and irritability by lowering blood pressure, relieving muscle tension, and having a soothing impact on the brain.
The benefits of natural sleeplessness treatment and herbal remedies for sleeplessness
People who are having trouble sleeping can pick from a variety of non-drug treatments to assist them in sleep. Herbal and natural therapies are popular since they do not have the negative side effects that pharmaceutical sleeping pills have. Furthermore, people soon develop a tolerance to sleeping pills’ sedative effects, requiring greater and higher doses to get the same effect.
Take the time to implement beneficial lifestyle and behavioral techniques, exercise, and herbs for sleeplessness as they are safe and can be utilized long-term without any risk of addiction or health complications.
