Herbs may help with sleeplessness
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It’s 3 a.m. and you’re awake, mind clicking off a list of all the things you have to do tomorrow. You worry about paying the mortgage and retirement. You hope your kids are happy and can find mates and work they love. You think about your family, and your heart overflows with love. You worry about getting old. The thought of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia edges its way into your brain. You check the clock — 3:10 a.m. You fluff your pillow and try to quiet your mind. The neighbor’s dog barks, and coyotes howl. You think about all the stuff in your garage.
If this scenario bears a resemblance to nights at your house, don’t feel bad. A 2004 study by the National Sleep Foundation reported the average adult sleeps 6 hours and 58 minutes per night during the workweek, according to the National Sleep Foundation poll. Sleep experts recommend 8 hours of sleep per night. (From the website www.sleepnet.com)
Stress, jobs, the economic climate, depression and sleep disorders all contribute to sleeplessness.
It’s always a good idea to check with a doctor to make sure there are no underlying physical causes for insomnia.
Some people who have trouble sleeping do not want to take traditional sleeping pills and try herbs and herbal combination supplements.
Just Google herbs for “sleepless” and a list of Internet sites pops up. Herbs such as valerian, kava kava, lemon balm, passion flower, hops and camomile as well as the hormone melatonin are all listed as sleep aids and/or stress reducers. Local health food stores, grocery stores and pharmacies usually stock the herbs.
In addition to herbs or combinations of herbs, experts suggest people who have trouble sleeping should do the following:
• Stick to a regular sleep schedule.
• Go to bed at the same time each night.
• Wake up at the same time each morning.
• Do not drink caffeinated drinks or do vigorous exercise in the evening.
• Try to spend time in your bed only when you are actually sleeping, so that your mind associates the bed with sleeping.
• If you cannot fall asleep within a short time, get out of bed and read.
• Do not study or watch TV in bed.
