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BANG FOR THE BITE
A 30-day supply of prescription Lunesta costs $138 vs. less than $20 for natural options.
COCKTAIL FACT
Some versions of the legend of the Pied Piper have him using valerian to attract rats since valerian has the opposite effect on rats as on humans.
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home › tip library › Natural Sleep Aids
Will reading this tip put you to sleep?
The Bite
We sure hope so. Conventional insomnia pills work, but nobody wants to lose sleep over side effects and potentially addictive ingredients. Opt for natural versions instead.The Benefits
- Non-addictive and free of serious side effects that come with prescription aids (like reduced sex drive and vomiting... we could end the benefits list right there, right?).
- Fewer synthetic chems in the pills = fewer that find their way into waterways.
- Avoid the "sleeping pill hangover."
- More affordable than
prescribed sleep aids.
Personally Speaking
An insomniac since age 11, Heather's tried every sleep remedy under the moon. These days, a good yoga inversion will usually do the trick for her, but when that doesn't work, she reaches for the Knock-Out.Wanna Try?
- Schiff Knock-Out - triple-threat combo of melatonin, valerian and the calming tea extract theanine ($15).
- Source Naturals Melatonin - timed-release for a full night's sleep ($7).
- Nature's Way Valerian Root - gelatin-free caps that get the job done - even if they do smell pretty bad ($7).
- Vermont Soap Organics Aromatherapy Spray - a shot of lavender in the bedroom promotes relaxation ($5).
- Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night Tea - with chamomile, catnip, hops and passionflower, all known for their sleep-inducing effects ($4).
- Yoga Journal - read more about insomnia and yoga poses to help combat it.
Mar 29,2007
Sponsor
All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.
You Snooze, You Lose?
Insomnia started plaguing me when I was 11. Yep, 11. Daylight savings time hit, I couldn't sleep, and, well, it was all downhill from there. I spent years unable to sleep. I tried everything. Things would work for a while, but then I'd hit a bad stretch again.
What did it take to lead me on the path to an insomnia cure?
A year off, actually. I was lucky enough, a few years ago, to have a whole year off. No obligations. No work. No apartment, even. And - most importantly - no alarms.
Once I had some time to let myself truly SLEEP, I learned what normal sleep meant for me. After years of professing "Oh - I only need about 5 or 6 hours a night..." I learned that my body really wants about 8 hours and 15 minutes. Sometimes a little less, but certainly not 6 hours...
Ever since that year, I've slept better. Sure, I still struggle at times and go through stressed-out periods where sleep is elusive. In those times, I reach for my all-natural options, breathe deeply, do some shoulder stands, and thank the stars for a gift of a year that taught me how it felt to experience life with a clear head and a good night's rest.
-Heather... off to prep for bed...
What did it take to lead me on the path to an insomnia cure?
A year off, actually. I was lucky enough, a few years ago, to have a whole year off. No obligations. No work. No apartment, even. And - most importantly - no alarms.
Once I had some time to let myself truly SLEEP, I learned what normal sleep meant for me. After years of professing "Oh - I only need about 5 or 6 hours a night..." I learned that my body really wants about 8 hours and 15 minutes. Sometimes a little less, but certainly not 6 hours...
Ever since that year, I've slept better. Sure, I still struggle at times and go through stressed-out periods where sleep is elusive. In those times, I reach for my all-natural options, breathe deeply, do some shoulder stands, and thank the stars for a gift of a year that taught me how it felt to experience life with a clear head and a good night's rest.
-Heather... off to prep for bed...
Biter Comments...
oh this tip is going to kill me tonight.
thanks alot! ;)
Tree Oil and Lavender were recently linked to breast tissue development in prepubescent boys. The one advantage of FDA-approved meds is that they actually have been tested and most of the time their side effects are known. Just because something is natural doesn't mean it's safe for everyone--or non-addictive.
I recently discovered Rescue Sleep, which comes from the same company (Dr. Bach) as Rescue Remedy. It really works for me and has worked for a friend I recommended it to. It's a combination of flower essences that comes in this tiny spray bottle. You spray it a couple times on your tongue. So besides being effective, it's very convenient.
As a person with terrible insomnia for years, I've tried almost everything. The usual things that work for most people with stress-induced insomnia don't work for me, like not using the bed for "anything other than sleep or sex" (like reading, studying, watching tv), not drinking caffeinated drinks after lunch, not eating after 8, etc. Nothing really worked. I tried knock-you-out sleeping pills but hated how they made me feel and wasn't about to take them every night.
A few months ago I talked to my doctor and he wrote me a prescription for Rozerem. It's a pharmaceutical grade melatonin supplement. Apparently you need about 8mg for it to really work, and most over the counter, unregulated supplements contain about 3mg. So you could ask your doc for Rozerem, or triple your dose of over the counter 3mg supplements.
Certain foods also increase melatonin production. It is synthesized from tryptophan, which accord to Wikipedia is "particularly plentiful in oats, bananas, dried dates, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, red meat, eggs, fish, poultry, sesame, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, spirulina and peanuts."
The only side effects that I've noticed are that I've been in a much better mood and have been able to gain more muscle and lose more weight from exercise!
The best product by far is Nutrasleep, by Source Naturals. It does not have any melatonin, a problem for many people because of its hormonal effects: wacky dreams, etc.
Elise (or others)
Just read a very promising article about CBT. Can you direct us to the software or program you used? I'm very curious.
Hmm...how about just drawing a line against the world and actively taking time to relax?!?!
Systems seem great, and drugs probably work, but those all seem a part of our ADD-creating, anxiety-raising society that gives a system, method or medicine for everything.
How about going against the prevailing idea that we MUST be doing this, or being that, or achieving both, even stuff as simple as feeling like you have to fold laundry while you watch TV or cook dinner. Society's sucked the simplicity out of life, requiring us to always be multi-tasking, always connected and demanding immediate responses... If I had a dollar for every one of my friends who felt they need to do laundry, wash clothes, listen to the news...all simultaneously while making dinner...
Insanity.
Oops, that should read "fold clothes".
While typing, I was on the phone. Honestly!
i stumbled upon hyland's calms forte for anxiety years ago, but i still use it for occasional insomnia. other than having some wicked weird dreams every once in a while when i take it, it does the trick. it's homeopathic and i've never had any side effects (aside from the weird dreams) from it. i take one for anxiety and two for insomnia. three is what brings the dreams. ;)
I have had periodic insomnia for almost 20 years. some things work for awhile, then cease working. i've tried meditating, using the bed only for sleep, melatonin (which amped me up like speed), sleepy-time tea, pm yoga, essential oil therapy... at worse, they didn't work at all, or at best worked for almost one month. A client recently observed that i looked tired, and i admitted i wasn't sleeping, again. she suggested calcium. since my doc had just recommended that i start taking calcium supplements, i thought, why not. worked great!!!! and the best thing was, if i laid there for 30 mins and couldn;t fall asleep, then remembered to take the calcium, i was asleep in about 15-20 mins. i took it for a month and ran out. but up until the daylight savings thing, i haven't had any problems getting to sleep, even going thru some major life changes over the last 6 months.
Valerian works for people with mild-moderate insomnia in the short term. It does not work for individuals with severe insomnia. That being said, according to scientific literature, the side effects are much less severe than those caused by pharmacutical drugs.
The other herbal rememdies have not been reseached in the same manner which valerian has, so it is unclear how effective they are.
One final thing to consider is that herbal remedies can interact with perscription medications, even though they are "all natural".
Ideal Bite, I really love your daily tips, but I'm not sure you should be giving out medical advice.
Calms Forte by Hylands, a homeopathic sleep and anxiety remedy, is THE BEST! I have been using it for some time now and the great thing is it's safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding. Many other herbal aids are not. There are no side effects and you gently and camly drift off to sleep...it feels very natural. I highly recommend it!!!
I've had really good luck with a new product called "Sleepy Bear". It has calcium as well as a blend of other herbs that are known to help the body fall asleep. Of course maintaining stress levels and exercise always helps...I've found that Sleepy Bear has been great when I'm feeling particularly antzy...no foggy feeling in the morning either.
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: Elise | March 29, 2007 at 05:09 AM