What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is the most common symptom of depression and other nervous disorders. It is the inability to or difficulty in falling or staying asleep. The pattern and quality of sleep are extremely disturbed and lead to various other symptoms of fatigue, irritability, headache, depression, inattention poor performance and extremely disturbed overall lifestyle.
Insomnia can either be chronic or acute. Chronic insomnia lasts longer than weeks and may last for months whereas acute insomnia is limited to a few days or a week. There can be multiple causes for insomnia that might include anxiety, stress, and even psychotic disorders. Other serious conditions like heart related diseases and arthritis can also take away a person’s sleep. Obesity can also be a contributing factor because snoring is much more common in obese people and intense snoring keeps them from sleeping comfortably at night.
Insomnia can be extremely debilitating and might disrupt the functioning of various aspects of the sufferer’s life. People take sleep-inducing tablets and drugs also known as sleeping pills. However, there are a few home based remedies that can be used to treat insomnia while staying at home. Here are the remedies:
- Cumin Seeds
People around the world use cumin seeds as a spice in culinary dishes, but it also has various medicinal properties, especially ones that aid digestion. The oil extracted from cumin seeds also has a soothing effect and tranquilizing the body. Cumin seeds have long been used in Ayurvedic medicine to induce sleep. Eating a mashed banana with cumin seeds before bedtime is highly beneficial in sleep induction. Cumin tea is also frequently consumed to treat fatigue and tiredness related to lack of sleep. Just boil water with a spoonful of cumin seeds and bring it to bowl. Consume the tea before going to bed.
2. Nutmeg
Nutmeg acts as a natural sleep aid and has fantastic sedative characteristics. It can be consumed by adding a dash of nutmeg powder into a cup of warm milk. It might also be added to warm water or a fruit juice, depending on the preferred way of intake.
3. Saffron
Saffron is a royal herb with multiple benefits for health. Saffron milk is highly beneficial in inducing sleep. Add two strands of saffron in a warm milk cup and take it a little while before going to bed. The many benefits of saffron amalgamated with milk will help soothe your senses and nerves.
4. Chamomile Tea
A renowned natural remedy for inducing sleep and improving its quality, chamomile tea provide significant benefits for calming the charged up nerves in the body. A compound called apigenin present in the chamomile tea is hugely responsible for the sedative effect the intake of tea causes. It can be sweetened with a pinch of cinnamon if you prefer a sweet taste.
5. Bananas
Bananas are a rich source of potassium and potassium has a soothing effect on the entire body. Furthermore, they contain an amino acid called tryptophan which has been found to raise the levels of serotonin that further aids in regulating sleep. Essential minerals like calcium and iron also help a great deal in tranquilizing the body.
6. Warm Milk
Cinnamon amalgamated milk helps regulate sleep as milk contains tryptophan as bananas do. Consuming warm milk mixed with cinnamon one hour before going to bed hugely increases the quality of sleep.
7. Fenugreek Juice
Fenugreek has been shown to hugely reduce the intensity of dizziness, insomnia, and anxiety. It has calming effects on lowering down the pressured nerves. Mix two teaspoons of fenugreek juice with one teaspoon of honey and use the tonic every day before going to sleep.
8. Valerian
Valerian is a herb that has copious amounts of sedative properties. Therefore, it is also widely used for medicinal purposes. It induces deep sleep and promotes relaxation. It relaxes muscles and provides good quality sleep. Amalgamate grated nutmeg and valerian root, half teaspoon each, in two cups of hot water. Let it stay for 15 minutes, strain and then drink it.
Make sure not to consume this tea for longer than a week because it has also been found to lead to withdrawal symptoms and heart problems due to its high sedative properties. Adding half teaspoon of valerian tincture with water and consuming it up to three times a day is also quite beneficial for bettering sleep quality.
9. Hot Bath
You can treat Insomnia by taking a hot shower two hours before going to bed. It is a great bedtime ritual as the shower eases the body and removes the germs that cause irritation, itchiness or otherwise unease in and outside the body. To make this remedy twice as efficient, try adding a couple of essential oils such as chamomile, lemon balm, lavender and rosemary oil. Adding these oils enhance the calming and soothing effect of the hot bath to a high degree. Not only because the oils have certain tranquilizing properties but also because they have a specific aroma that treats your sense of smell, ultimately giving your brain calming signals.
10. Honey and Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar helps break fatty acids, and it also has amino acids that relieve fatigue. Honey also increases levels of insulin which further cause a surge of serotonin. Serotonin is very beneficial in regulating sleep/wake cycle. Interestingly though, high level of serotonin cause wakefulness, therefore, honey intake should be limited to ideal teaspoon amount, only to keep the serotonin at a level that aids in the regulation of your sleep/wake cycle. You can make a tonic of apple cider vinegar by mixing a cup of honey with two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar. Take a tablespoon of this tonic before going to sleep to enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep every day.
Conclusion
The remedies above have proved to be highly beneficial in curing and decreasing the incidence of insomnia. It comes as no surprise that going down the spiral of not helping oneself is easy but taking a single towards your betterment and embarking on the path of self-recovery yields a million encouraging result. Therefore, choosing a good habit and keeping up with it might look difficult initially, but only making it, your lifestyle can ensure that it is going to stay with you in the longer run.
Along with the remedies and techniques described above, making sure that the environment in which you sleep is calm, peaceful and quite is also very important. Also, ascertain the fact that the place of your sleep is different from the lounge and is not where you sit or spend time all day. When you have a dedicated place to sleep, you should use it because it helps you fall asleep easily.
