Natural Remedies for Better Sleep Without Medication
Natural herbs, lifestyle changes, and many other means are being searched out by many people to rely on for sleep improvements in natural ways without meditative remedies.
Most herbal tea formulations marketed with sleep benefits contain Chamomile. Its sleep-inducing properties have been scientifically proven, but there are some types of drugs that are contraindicated for it.
Chamomile
The flowers of chamomile look like small daisies. Its natural habitat is almost everywhere. It has been useful in the most trivial condition of hay fever to severe insomnia cases. This compound apigenin binds at certain brain receptors causing reduction in anxiety and inducement of its soothing effect. This herb is enhanced potency added with Melatonin or valerian root.
The main "use" of chamomile is taking it as a cup of tea, but its anti-inflammatory properties can also make it useful applied topically alleviating digestive discomforts such as bloating and gases and, more importantly, severe conditions such as IBS, menstrual cramps, arthritis, etc.
Chamoemile has some antibacterial and antifungal properties that will help lower your chances of infection. However, inhaling hot steam with this herb will help to cure nasal obstruction and sinuses pressure due to influenza. Unfortunately, such a person is not quite chamomile friendly if they are, however, allergic to the ragweed, daisy, marigold, or chrysanthemum family.
Kava is contraindicated to people with liver-related ailments. Most drugs purportedly present adverse interactions with kava, including antidepressants. Not to mention that chronic use would damage the liver.
Kava will be made available as a supplement in either capsules, tablets, or tincture-dissolved in alcohol. It is important therefore, to consult a physician before commencing kava therapy when the issue is depression, liver disease, or bipolar disorder. That's for starting slowly and commencing initial little doses before increasing them later as symptoms seem to appear- of using high doses for extended periods could lead to Kava Dermopathy which entails dry scaling under-exposed skin with yellowish discolored patches. Of course, this happens at a much lower risk among Pacific Islanders who often consume Kava but it is still wiser to seek medical advice before embarking on its use!
Passionflower
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), otherwise known as purple passion flower or maypop, has historically proven to be an excellent agent of insomnia and anxiety therapy. The most recent studies suggest it may elevate the levels of Gamma-AminoButyric Acid (GABA)-the brain's inhibitory neurotransmitter-in an aroused disquieted nervous system, which is inhibiting activity of the brain while simultaneously decreasing excitatory responses.
Mice studies indicated that the extract from passionflower increases total sleep time as well as time spent awake after sleep onset while settling both body and mind for peaceful sleep. Passionflower has also been shown to possess antianxiolytic and sedative activities in humans.
This plant has also been discovered to cause a reduction in anxiety and even boost memory improvement. It is available primarily in tea and liquid extracts but some products are enriched with valerian or kava for further sleep benefits.
There really is no reason to keep such important stuff from the patient, for the simple fact that they do not get the same regulatory structure that prescription drugs do, and therefore need independent quality testing. Talk with your physician prior to trying out any herb or supplement: they will assess the risks and possible benefits. Generally, passionflower extract is safe for moderate dosages, but larger dosages may lead to some depression of the central nervous system with lower heart rates, irregular rhythms, minor gastrointestinal side effects, and potential drug-drug interactions with concurrently taken medications or by pregnant women on antidepressants.
Glycine
Glycine conform to be the neurotransmitter that actually allows the body to relax and thus fall into a deep. Glycine is also responsible for creatine, an important building block in muscles, as well as for producing glutathione, a master antioxidant, which is instrumental in delaying or reversing premature aging.
Natural foods containing glycine include meats and beans; a dietary supplement is the form that can be taken by those sleepless in nights. In this study, it has been seen that 3g glycine from sleep deprivation shows significant improvement in reflection of the trial done the next day compared to the control group. Consult your doctor before taking any fresh supplement to avoid interference with your medications.
Glycine has great potential to improve dream quality and avoid insomnia or narrow sleeping times while prolonging the length of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and decreasing non-REM sleep duration in the number of hours spent asleep. This amino acid has proven itself effective at increasing REM experiences while shortening non-REM ones.
