A difficulty in falling asleep and maintaining good sleep is how doctors describe insomnia. It is a symptom, not a disease or a diagnosis. The average person will experience insomnia once in their lifetime with up to 50 percent of people in the world suffering from it at one time or another for more than a few nights.
Many people do not like to take medications to help them sleep and look towards a more natural cure for insomnia. There are many things you can do to promote sleep, alleviate stress and reduce stimulation, the two major causes of insomnia.
One tried and true natural cure for insomnia is to drink warm milk before bed time. An alternative to milk is a few teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water or straight up. You could even eat a very light carbohydrate snack. 5-HTP delivered from tryptophan such as that found in turkey, is an amino acid that will help you fall asleep. 5-HTP boosts levels of serotonin, a brain chemical that helps to regulate sleep. Other foods that might contribute to a good nights sleep are starchy foods such as grains, potatoes, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice and oatmeal. However, you do not want to go to bed on a full stomach. These items should be eaten in moderation, as a light snack before bed. All of these methods should help you to gain a good night sleep and help you feel rested in the morning.
Don't like milk? Drink herbal teas like passionflower, skullcap, lavender, valerian, California poppy, St. Johns Wart, hops and chamomile which all have sedative properties that can help your mind and body ready itself for sleep. Most can be found at health food stores and should be sipped about an hour before turning in at night.
Getting enough vitamins is another essential ingredient to a natural cure for insomnia. Several different B vitamins have been shown to reduce insomnia so a B complex vitamin would be a good choice taken daily would help with your insomnia. Other vitamins include magnesium, zinc and calcium has long been known to calm the nervous system which will help you fall asleep.
Melatonin is a natural occurring, sleep inducing hormone in the brain. Although some people may lack the ability to produce this and that may be a cause of their insomnia. Scientists have discovered a way to duplicate this naturally and without any side effects, it is a natural cure for insomnia. The recommended dosage is between 0.3 to 3 milligrams per night.
Some people believe in magnetic therapy and sleep with negative magnets on a magnetic pad either all over their bed or around their head. However, it can be difficult to calibrate the exact amount of magnets, the strength and the positioning needed to help be a natural cure for insomnia.
Avoiding caffeine after 2 pm and exercising early in the day are good advice and will help work together with the above suggestions for a natural cure for insomnia.
Natural Cure For Insomnia That Works