Insomnia is something that many of us have experienced at one time or another. Anyone can have a sleepless night or two—or three. Before you reach for that over-the-counter sleeping pill or a prescription-strength remedy, however, consider some dietary and lifestyle changes to help catch up on your rest. It’s just common sense to eliminate caffeinated beverages and alcohol from your diet. Caffeine—whether from coffee, tea, or caffeinated soft drinks—is a nervous system stimulant that can keep you up at night. As for alcoholic drinks, they may seem like a shortcut to dreamland, but alcohol actually disrupts the chemical messengers that help initiate sleep.
Moderate aerobic exercise, as long as you time it right, is good for improving sleep. Try to get at least 20 minutes of exercise a day in the morning or afternoon, but not right before bedtime. This might be enough to help you quickly fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.
If you still have insomnia after taking these steps, you can try herbal and nutritional supplements. Herbal sedatives naturally calm your nervous system. Some relieve anxiety and serve as mild tranquilizers. Others, like magnesium and calcium, relax tense muscles and stimulate sleep-related brain chemicals. There is also a hormone supplement that works with your body’s own natural sleep-wake cycles.
Valerian for Steady Sleep
Long before over-the-counter and prescription sleeping pills became available, herbal sedatives were widely used. One of nature’s more popular herbal sedatives, used centuries ago and today, is valerian. This herb sends you off to dreamland more quickly. Once you nod off, the deep sleep stages are deepened. What’s more, you won’t wake up as often during the night, nor will you feel fatigued and drowsy in the morning.
Valerian’s active ingredients, found in the roots, include a group of compounds called valepotriates. Research shows that these components attach to the same brain receptors as two types of pharmaceutical tranquilizers. Unlike the pharmaceuticals, however, valerian produces few side effects, and it doesn’t carry the risk of dependency.
"Valerian root is a great herbal sleep aid because it sedates the central nervous system," says Chris Meletis, N.D., professor of natural pharmacology at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon.
If anxiety, muscle tension, or muscle spasms leave you staring at the ceiling, valerian root can help relax these annoyances and send you off to la-la land, says Thomas Kruzel, N.D., a naturopathic physician in Portland, Oregon.
Dr. Meletis recommends taking 400 to 425 milligrams of valerian root one hour before bedtime. "That will give the valerian plenty of time to wind down your nervous system," he says.
In some people, however, valerian acts as a stimulant, causing nervousness and heart palpitations. If this is the case, simply stop using it, advises Dr. Meletis. Also avoid valerian if you’re taking sleep-enhancing or mood-regulating medications such as diazepam (Valium) or amitriptyline (Elavil).
Snoozing with Kava
Kava kava, another time-honored herbal insomnia fighter and muscle relaxant, can put you fast asleep if stress has been keeping you awake. Kava relieves anxiety and acts as a tranquilizer, says Kristy Fassler, N.D., a naturopathic doctor in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
"Kava helps shift the body into the parasympathetic nervous system, a state of total relaxation, which is required for sleep," says Dr. Fassler. "Normally, people are in the sympathetic nervous system, or the fight-or-flight response mode—rushing here and rushing there."
Kava’s active ingredients are a group of chemicals called kavalactones. Animal studies show that these ingredients act on your limbic system, the part of the brain that is the center of your emotions. People who have taken kava for insomnia say that it continues to be effective over time, and it’s not addictive. Also, it doesn’t leave you feeling spaced-out or groggy the next morning as many of the prescription drugs do, says Dr. Fassler.
| 5-HTP: A Natural Serotonin Booster Considering the many people who would love to find a shortcut to sounder sleep, it’s hardly surprising that the promise of another natural sleep aid has grabbed the attention of consumers. The pill is 5-hydroxy tryptophan, or 5-HTP for short. Actually, 5-HTP started its reign of popularity as a substitute for another sleep aid, l-tryptophan. An over-the-counter product, l-tryptophan was taken off the market because of a product contamination scare in the late 1980s. Since it was introduced to the market, 5-HTP has been called one of the next best alternatives to the hormone supplement melatonin. This substance is an immediate precursor of serotonin, a vital brain chemical that regulates our moods, behavior, appetite, and sleep patterns. When you pop a supplement, the 5-HTP is absorbed from your gastrointestinal tract and travels to your brain, where it’s converted into serotonin, says Ray Sahelian, M.D., a physician in Marina del Rey, California, and author of 5-HTP: Nature’s Serotonin Solution. The serotonin is then converted into melatonin, which is stored in your brain’s pineal gland. At night, when it’s secreted by the gland, the extra melatonin helps promote restful sleep, says Dr. Sahelian. Studies show that 5-HTP can shorten the time it takes to nod off and reduce middle-of-the-night awakenings. It is reported to increase the time you spend in REM sleep (the dream state) and in the deep sleep stages that you need to feel fully rested in the morning. To fall asleep shortly after your head hits the pillow, take 25 to 50 milligrams of 5-HTP one hour before bedtime on an empty stomach or at least two hours after dinner, says Chris Meletis, N.D., professor of natural pharmacology at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon. Because 5-HTP may lose its effectiveness over time if you use it every night, Dr. Sahelian suggests that you take it only once or twice a week. It’s advisable to consult your doctor before taking it, especially if you’re taking prescription antidepressants, some of which interact with 5-HTP. The supplement has sedative effects that could be dangerous if you drive or operate heavy machinery, and high doses can cause nausea in some people. Women who are pregnant or trying to conceive should not take 5-HTP. |
A 125-pound person should take two 150-milligram capsules, says Dr. Fassler. For each additional 30 pounds of body weight, add another 75 milligrams of kava, she advises. Kava begins working its magic pretty quickly, so take it about 20 minutes before bedtime. Do not take it if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive.
Magnesium and Calcium: A Snoozer’s Duo
If tense muscles are keeping you up, pop some magnesium and calcium. Taken together, these two minerals act as mild muscle relaxants, says Dr. Meletis.
"Magnesium and calcium are minerals that are used in every muscle movement we make, so taking them together will relax your muscles and help promote sleep," says Dr. Fassler.
Some research suggests that people who get less than 200 milligrams a day of magnesium can have shallow sleep patterns and more nighttime awakenings. These patterns of insomnia sometimes show up among people who have reduced their calorie intakes or have started on weight-loss diets.
Even if your magnesium intake is normal, certain medications such as diuretics for high blood pressure, which reduce water retention, cause the kidneys to excrete excessive amounts of the mineral. The Daily Value for magnesium is 400 milligrams from food and supplements, and this amount should be enough to prevent sleep problems. If you still have trouble sleeping, take 500 milligrams of magnesium and 500 milligrams of calcium, along with a carbohydrate like bread, within one hour of bedtime, says Dr. Kruzel.
Doze Off with Melatonin
Trumpeted as a panacea for jet lag, cancer, and depression, melatonin has been widely accepted for treating insomnia. This hormone is secreted by the pineal gland, a pea-size gland in your brain that helps control periods of sleepiness and wakefulness.
The pineal gland releases melatonin into the bloodstream. At night, your body produces more melatonin, while the stimulus of light inhibits production. Between 2:00 and 4:00 a.m., production hits a peak. Then, toward dawn, it tapers off.
Before taking supplemental melatonin, have your doctor check your natural levels of melatonin. If they are low, take up to one milligram at least two hours before you go to bed, suggests Dr. Meletis. If you don’t respond to this dosage, two to three milligrams may do the trick.
This supplement is for short-term use only. "Although melatonin works very well as a sleep aid, you shouldn’t take it indiscriminately," Dr. Meletis says.
There hasn’t been enough research to show whether there are long-term side effects from melatonin, he notes. It’s possible that even at the recommended dosages, melatonin could disrupt your normal cycles of sleeping and waking, and other risks have also been associated with this supplement.
