6 Remedies for Sleep Problems—Do They Work?
By Rachel Johnson, Ph.D, M.P.H., R.D., March/April 2008
Can anything we eat or drink help? Here’s what the science says.
1. Drink some warm milk before bedtime
Decades ago, scientists looked into this folk remedy and posited that tryptophan, an amino acid in milk (and turkey), might be responsible for its supposed sleep-inducing effects. Earlier research had shown that when tryptophan is released into the brain, it produces serotonin—a serenity-boosting neurotransmitter. But when milk (and other tryptophan-rich foods) were tested, they failed to affect sleep patterns. “Tryptophan-containing foods don’t produce the hypnotic effects pure tryptophan does, because other amino acids in those foods compete to get into the brain,” explains Art Spielman, M.D., an insomnia expert and professor of psychology at the City University of New York. Warm milk at bedtime may be comforting, but it won’t boost sleep-promoting serotonin.
2. Have a bedtime snack
A light bedtime snack can stave off hunger, a known sleep robber. But eating high-glycemic-index (GI) carbohydrates—hours earlier at dinner—might also help. (High-GI foods cause a greater rise in blood sugar and insulin than do lower-GI foods.) A recent paper in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when healthy sleepers ate carbohydrate-rich suppers of veggies and tomato sauce over rice, they fell asleep significantly faster at bedtime if the meal included high-GI jasmine rice rather than lower-GI long-grain rice. While the authors aren’t sure how it happened, they speculated that the greater amounts of insulin triggered by the high-GI meals increased the ratio of tryptophan relative to other amino acids in the blood, allowing proportionately more to get into the brain. Save high-GI carbs for dinnertime, when their side effect—drowsiness—is a plus.
3. Drink herbal tea
Chamomile, lemon balm, hops and passionflower are all touted for their sleep-promoting properties. You’ll often find them in “sleep-formula” tea blends, but unfortunately their effectiveness hasn’t been proven in clinical studies, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “I don’t doubt these teas work for some. A warm liquid before bed may produce sleepiness by generating body heat,” speculates Spielman. Beware: drinking liquids close to bedtime can mean nocturnal trips to the bathroom. A cup of “sleep-time” tea might be worth a try…if you have a strong bladder.
4. Take a ‘sleep supplement’
Shelves in supplement stores are stacked with sleep formulas. According to one NIH survey conducted in 2002, 1.6 million people tried complementary or alternative therapies like these, and over half of them reported their insomnia improved “a great deal.” However, those glowing anecdotes haven’t been backed up by rigorous scientific study; evaluations of most nutritional supplements haven’t shown any effects whatsoever. The one exception is valerian root, which seemed to help improve sleep with rare, and mild, side effects, such as stomach upset. But finding an effective formulation of valerian root is tricky, since the FDA doesn’t regulate herbal supplements. Don’t waste your money on sleep supplements; hold off on using valerian until standardized formulations become available.
5. Have a nightcap.
Though a glass of wine may help you fall asleep, excessive alcohol use can make you wake up in the night. One theory is that alcohol suppresses the REM (rapid eye movement) sleep state that’s critical to a good night’s sleep, says Spielman. “One of my insomnia patients became remarkably better when he reduced his alcohol intake from 20 to three drinks per week.” Drink moderately, if at all; avoid drinking within a few hours of bedtime.
6. Cut out all caffeine.
Caffeine affects everyone differently, so if you’re sensitive it might be worth trying to cut down—or limit caffeine to the morning only. This can mean more than just cutting out a cup of coffee. The major sources of caffeine in Americans’ diets are coffee (71 percent), soft drinks (16 percent) and teas (12 percent) but chocolate is also a source. “Our ability to excrete caffeine decreases with age,” says Spielman, so while you might have tolerated four cups of coffee a day when you were 20, you’ll probably need to cut down as you get older. Cut down on caffeine or limit it to the morning; if insomnia persists, consider going cold turkey.
I’m going to try all of the above advice in my quest for shuteye. I know enough about the placebo effect to be content with just believing it will work. As for my husband he’ll be content—no, grateful—if my nighttime shopping tapers off.
Rachel Johnson, EatingWell’s senior nutrition advisor, is dean of the University of Vermont College of Agriculture & Life Sciences.
MY THOUGHTS
Milk never worked for me. The Sleepytime Tea worked for awhile. What really worked for me is waking up early, getting early morning sun and lots of exercise. I've never slept better.
Showing posts with label chamomile. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chamomile. Show all posts
Friday, May 27, 2011
Friday, November 5, 2010
Natural Sleep Aids Part 2: Cure for Insomnia
Natural Sleep Aids
By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide
Updated October 04, 2007
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
6) Aromatherapy
The scent of English lavender has long been used as a folk remedy to help people fall asleep. Research is starting to confirm lavender's sedative qualities. It's been found to lengthen total sleep time, increase deep sleep, and make people feel refreshed. It appears to work better for women, possibly because women tend to have a more acute sense of smell.
The good thing about lavander is that it begins to work quickly. Try putting a lavender sachet under your pillow or place one to two drops of lavender essential oil in a handkerchief. Or add several drops of lavender oil to a bath -- the drop in body temperature after a warm bath also helps with sleep.
Other aromatherapy oils believed to help with sleep are chamomile and ylang ylang.
•How to Make a Relaxing Essential Oil Blend
•How to Use Essential Oils Safely
•Tips on Buying Essential Oils
•Lavender and Tea Tree Oil Alert
7) Light
If you have trouble falling asleep at night, you may need more light in the morning. Light exposure plays a key role in telling the body when to go to sleep and when to wake up. Try taking a walk first thing in the morning. Just be sure to wear sunscreen to protect your skin from ultraviolet rays.
On the other hand, if you find you're waking up too early in the morning, you may need more light in the afternoon. Try taking a walk in the late afternoon.
8) Music
Gentle, slow music is another remedy that can help to improve sleep without medication. Music has been found to improve sleep quality, decrease nightly wakenings, lengthen sleep time, and increase satisfaction with sleep.
9) Acupuncture
Acupuncture may help with insomnia. A University of Pittsburgh analysis concluded that acupuncture may be an effective treatment for insomnia. A preliminary study found that five weeks of acupuncture increase melatonin secretion in the evening and improved total sleep time.
•Acupuncture Fact Sheet
Find an Acupuncturist
•Poll: Does Acupuncture Hurt?
10) Traditional Chinese Medicine
In traditional Chinese medicine, insomnia often stems from kidney energy weakness. This syndrome is not necessarily related to kidney disease in Western medicine. A few signs of kidney energy weakness are low back ache, tiredness and fatigue, and a burst of energy at about 11 pm in the evening. Women in menopause often experience this type of insomnia. People who are taking anti-estrogenic drugs such as tamoxifen also experience this type of insomnia, however, they should not take herbal combinations such as the herbal formula liu wei di huang that may increase estrogen levels.
•Kidney Yin Deficiency
•Interpreting Emotions in Traditional Chinese Medicine
11) Ayurvedic Medicine
In Ayurvedic medicine, insomnia is often associated with a vata imbalance. Vata regulates breathing and circulation. People with a vata imbalance often notice irritability, anxiety, and fear with insomnia. One Ayurvedic treatment is the application of oil on the head and feet. For the pitta type, room temperature coconut oil is used, for the vata type, warm sesame oil is applied, and for the kapha type, warm mustard oil is often applied.
•What is your Ayurvedic type?
•Recommended foods for your Ayurvedic type
12) Exercise
Lack of exercise can contribute to poor sleep. Muscle tension and stress build in the body. Exercise can promote deep sleep that night. However, intense exercise too close to bed can increase adrenaline levels, leading to insomnia.
13) Other Natural Remedies
•For hot flashes, a thin, flat foam pillow insert, called a Chillow, can help to cool the head throughout the night.
•Chamomile, hops, passionflower, lemon balm, and ashwagandha are other herbs that are often used for insomnia. Some people may find benefit from simply having a cup of chamomile tea one to two hours before going to bed. Chamomile can reduce anxiety, calm the digestive system, and relieve muscle tension.
14) Feng Shui
Feng shui, which originates in the Chinese philosophy of Taoism, instructs on how to arrange rooms, furniture, offices, houses, and other arrangements to maximize favorable energy flow throughout living spaces. Here are some recommendations that may help promote relaxing sleep:
•Try not to have the bed in a corner of the room. The corners are where energy tends to be stagnant.
•Avoid putting your bed next to a window. Energy can be drained this way.
•The bed shouldn't be positioned so that the soles of the feet, when lying face-up in bed, directly face the doorway.
•When lying in bed, you should have full view of anyone coming in the door. If you can't do this directly, hang a mirror to reflect the entranceway.
•Try to avoid facing sharp corners from desks, bookcases, and other pieces of furniture.
MY THOUGHTS
chamomile helps. i know there's this tea drink called sleep time that also works. getting more sun is something i need to do often. the feng shui tips are very interesting. i wonder how it's done when you live in tight spaces. a condo,for instance, where everything is a corner. (Note: Please check previous blog on Natural Sleep Aids)
By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide
Updated October 04, 2007
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
6) Aromatherapy
The scent of English lavender has long been used as a folk remedy to help people fall asleep. Research is starting to confirm lavender's sedative qualities. It's been found to lengthen total sleep time, increase deep sleep, and make people feel refreshed. It appears to work better for women, possibly because women tend to have a more acute sense of smell.
The good thing about lavander is that it begins to work quickly. Try putting a lavender sachet under your pillow or place one to two drops of lavender essential oil in a handkerchief. Or add several drops of lavender oil to a bath -- the drop in body temperature after a warm bath also helps with sleep.
Other aromatherapy oils believed to help with sleep are chamomile and ylang ylang.
•How to Make a Relaxing Essential Oil Blend
•How to Use Essential Oils Safely
•Tips on Buying Essential Oils
•Lavender and Tea Tree Oil Alert
7) Light
If you have trouble falling asleep at night, you may need more light in the morning. Light exposure plays a key role in telling the body when to go to sleep and when to wake up. Try taking a walk first thing in the morning. Just be sure to wear sunscreen to protect your skin from ultraviolet rays.
On the other hand, if you find you're waking up too early in the morning, you may need more light in the afternoon. Try taking a walk in the late afternoon.
8) Music
Gentle, slow music is another remedy that can help to improve sleep without medication. Music has been found to improve sleep quality, decrease nightly wakenings, lengthen sleep time, and increase satisfaction with sleep.
9) Acupuncture
Acupuncture may help with insomnia. A University of Pittsburgh analysis concluded that acupuncture may be an effective treatment for insomnia. A preliminary study found that five weeks of acupuncture increase melatonin secretion in the evening and improved total sleep time.
•Acupuncture Fact Sheet
Find an Acupuncturist
•Poll: Does Acupuncture Hurt?
10) Traditional Chinese Medicine
In traditional Chinese medicine, insomnia often stems from kidney energy weakness. This syndrome is not necessarily related to kidney disease in Western medicine. A few signs of kidney energy weakness are low back ache, tiredness and fatigue, and a burst of energy at about 11 pm in the evening. Women in menopause often experience this type of insomnia. People who are taking anti-estrogenic drugs such as tamoxifen also experience this type of insomnia, however, they should not take herbal combinations such as the herbal formula liu wei di huang that may increase estrogen levels.
•Kidney Yin Deficiency
•Interpreting Emotions in Traditional Chinese Medicine
11) Ayurvedic Medicine
In Ayurvedic medicine, insomnia is often associated with a vata imbalance. Vata regulates breathing and circulation. People with a vata imbalance often notice irritability, anxiety, and fear with insomnia. One Ayurvedic treatment is the application of oil on the head and feet. For the pitta type, room temperature coconut oil is used, for the vata type, warm sesame oil is applied, and for the kapha type, warm mustard oil is often applied.
•What is your Ayurvedic type?
•Recommended foods for your Ayurvedic type
12) Exercise
Lack of exercise can contribute to poor sleep. Muscle tension and stress build in the body. Exercise can promote deep sleep that night. However, intense exercise too close to bed can increase adrenaline levels, leading to insomnia.
13) Other Natural Remedies
•For hot flashes, a thin, flat foam pillow insert, called a Chillow, can help to cool the head throughout the night.
•Chamomile, hops, passionflower, lemon balm, and ashwagandha are other herbs that are often used for insomnia. Some people may find benefit from simply having a cup of chamomile tea one to two hours before going to bed. Chamomile can reduce anxiety, calm the digestive system, and relieve muscle tension.
14) Feng Shui
Feng shui, which originates in the Chinese philosophy of Taoism, instructs on how to arrange rooms, furniture, offices, houses, and other arrangements to maximize favorable energy flow throughout living spaces. Here are some recommendations that may help promote relaxing sleep:
•Try not to have the bed in a corner of the room. The corners are where energy tends to be stagnant.
•Avoid putting your bed next to a window. Energy can be drained this way.
•The bed shouldn't be positioned so that the soles of the feet, when lying face-up in bed, directly face the doorway.
•When lying in bed, you should have full view of anyone coming in the door. If you can't do this directly, hang a mirror to reflect the entranceway.
•Try to avoid facing sharp corners from desks, bookcases, and other pieces of furniture.
MY THOUGHTS
chamomile helps. i know there's this tea drink called sleep time that also works. getting more sun is something i need to do often. the feng shui tips are very interesting. i wonder how it's done when you live in tight spaces. a condo,for instance, where everything is a corner. (Note: Please check previous blog on Natural Sleep Aids)
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