Sleeping Pills Are Not The Cure For Insomnia

When you suffer from insomnia, you are willing to try almost anything to get some sleep. That's why there's such a huge market for sleeping pills. They seem to offer a perfect solution: safe and effective treatment for your problem all wrapped up in a tidy little pill. Unfortunately, things are rarely as they seem. A better alternative is to try natural remedies that will be far safer and more effective in the long run.

You might be wondering why you shouldn't take advantage of the best of modern science has to offer. The problem is that with sleep medications, the benefits are often highlighted and information about the dangers is minimized. The truth is that prescription sleep aids tend to have many side effects. Even more dangerous is their risk of dependency and addiction. Instead of opting to take sleeping pills, you can try alternative medicines and pay attention to your sleep hygiene such as your daily routine, diet and other things.

During normal, natural sleep, your body restores and heals itself. But during drug-induced sleep, your body behaves differently. If you have ever taken sleeping pills in the past, you may have noticed the difference. Even after a full night of sleep, you may have woken up still feeling groggy. The feeling of physical refreshment that you would expect after a good night's sleep didn't seem to be there. The reason you're trying to beat insomnia in the first place is not the quality of your sleep, but how you feel when you wake up the next morning. Natural remedies for sleep respect the needs of your body and help you achieve a more rested feeling.

For example, you may find that melatonin can help you get some sleep. Melatonin is a hormone produced naturally by the body for the purpose of inducing sleep. There have been many instances where people have successfully restored their sleep patterns by using melatonin.

Valerian root is another natural sedative that can help in the battle against insomnia. In fact, valerian's sleep-promoting properties have been clinically proven. The name has the same root as the word "valor," meaning strong. Although this could easily refer to the herb's potency, it was actually named for it's strong and distinctive odor.

Other natural alternatives to sleeping pills include chamomile and other herbal teas. A cup of warm liquid brewed with these ingredients can be quite effective in producing drowsiness. Aromatherapy practices can also promote sleep. Infusing your room with the aroma of lavender is very effective for many people. And since you aren't introducing anything into your body at all, it's one of the safest sleep treatments around.

Hear something that you need to keep in mind. Natural treatments for insomnia are much safer and more effective than sleeping pills. But they do not work as quickly. Don't spray your sheets with lavender and expect an overnight miracle. Whenever you try a new alternative treatments, give them a few weeks to work. This time span enables your body to adapt to the changes that you have made. If you keep sleeping pills as your very last option, chances are you will never need them at all.