What is Insomnia?

Sleep is one of those luxuries in life that money can’t buy. We all need it and those who get a good night’s sleep habitually should be thankful because nowadays people who have insomnia are increasing in number quite rapidly.

Insomnia, in literal terms, means that you cannot sleep or you lack sleep not because you want to but you cannot help it. But, the meaning of insomnia is not limited to that alone. It can also mean that you are having a hard time getting sleep, or you may find it hard to complete the 6-8 hours recommended sleep because you keep waking up in between sleeps. This sleeping disorder is predominant among the upper society and to those who live in the city.

What Are the Symptoms of Insomnia?

Difficulty falling asleep is the most common sign when insomnia commences. Insomnia is not just as simple as not getting enough sleep like when you went to a party and couldn’t sleep after it or when you crammed for an exam and the next night you still couldn’t return to your old sleeping hours. Insomnia is accompanied by lapses of memory, inability to focus or concentrate well, altered sleep patterns, varying frequencies and length of sleep, and poor quality of sleep. Some may feel confused and may even lose their body’s coordination while others may become emotionally unstable.

What Are the Causes of Insomnia?

Insomnia may be triggered by the following factors:

Suppressed emotions – Negative emotions that are suppressed may, over time, become the cause of insomnia. Such feelings include anger, bitterness and resentment.

Tension, stress and anxiety – People who have lots of problems and worries often become victims of insomnia because these bring emotional tensions. Some people have difficult time dealing with them that these stressors even affect their sleep until they become insomniacs.

Eating, drinking and smoking habits – People who do not follow healthy eating and drinking habits are prone to insomnia. Eating too much can cause constipation and this can wake one up in bed. Eating too little is bad as well because hunger can wake one up in the middle of the night. Smoking and drinking too much caffeinated beverages such as tea and coffee may stimulate a person and prevent him from sleeping. Dyspepsia and other problems with digestion can also be the cause of insomnia.

Home Remedies for Insomnia

Since the olden times the herb rauwolfia is known to have effective sedating powers and thus, very good for insomniacs. Turn the root of the rauwolfia into powder. Then mix 0.25 gm to 0.5 gm of the pulverized root with cardamom or some other scented matter. Have the patient swallow the mixture. Once an insomniac with placid and unexcitable nature takes in his first rauwolfia medicine, it is guaranteed that he will have a good sleep during the night. However, if the disorder is already chronic, have the patient take the medicine twice a day, 0.25 gm in the morning and another one at night. This is one of the useful home remedies for insomnia.

Add 2 teaspoons of honey to one big cup of water. Have the patient drink it before sleeping. Honey is known for its hypnotic effect. Babies, for example, sleep soundly when they drink water and honey.

Another good home remedy for insomnia is to make a tea made of aniseed. Bring 375 mL of water to a boil, and then add 2 teaspoons of aniseed. Cover the pot then let it simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the aniseed using a strainer. One may choose to sweeten it with hot milk or honey. Have the patient drink it hot or warm before he goes to bed or after he takes his meals.

This vegetable is known to be effective to insomnia cure. Eat the bottle gourd’s leaves as vegetable and see how your sleep will improve. You may also make massage oil out of the mixture of sesame oil and bottle gourd in 50:50 ratios. Treat the patient by massaging the oil to his head before he sleeps.

Curd – Massage the curd to the patients head to induce sleep.

Milk – Milk has a sleep-inducing property that’s why children are given milk before going to bed. The same is true if an insomniac would drink milk before doing to bed. One may add honey to sweeten the taste. Milk can also be to massage the foot of the patient to help him relax and invite sleep. This is one of the simplest insomnia treatment.

Lettuce – Lettuce is curative because it has a substance called “lectarium” that is known to for its sleep-inducing effect. Lettuce’s juice is similar to the effect of opium but without giving the excited, addicting effect of the other. Decoct one tablespoon of lettuce seeds in ½ liter of water until the volume of the liquid is reduced by 1/3. This is one of the important insomnia home remedies.

Thiamine – Take in foods with lots of vitamin B, a.k.a. thiamine, such as nuts and wholegrain cereals. Thiamine is essential for the development and maintenance of healthy and strong nerves. When one lacks thiamine, his body will have a hard time relaxing and thus sleep will be far away. This is a good natural remedy for insomnia.

Without proper sleep, we cannot properly enjoy our lives. We will always feel that something valuable is missing. And we know what it is – sleep. So, try these home-made concoctions now so you can happily enjoy not only the waking hours of your life but also the sleeping hours as well.