7 Home Remedies for Insomnia

Insomnia (or “sleeplessness”) rears its ugly head at one time or another. For some people, it’s an occasional thing, whereas other people suffer from it all the time.

It can be caused by a number of things such as stress, parenthood, shift work, poor diet and exercise, health problems and certain medications. You can go to the GP and ask for a script for sleeping pills, but a better way to combat the problem starts with a lifestyle and habit change before you begin to rely on pharmaceutical help. Here’s some great home remedies you can try to get yourself off into the dreamy land of slumber!

One of the best ways to help yourself get to sleep is to simply relax. You can relax by reading a book, having an aromatherapy bath, a massage and some quiet time (turn off the TV!).

1. Herbal Tea/Remedies

Herbal teas are great to help with insomnia as they have no caffeine. The best herbal tea to sip on to induce relaxation and sleepiness is chamomile tea (and don’t add sugar or milk!). Other effective herbal teas are lemon balm and passionflower. A great herbal remedy for sleeplessness is Valerian – you can buy valerian tablets from your chemist or in the health aisle of some supermarkets.

2. Essential Oils

There are many essential oils you can use, either in a vapouriser, oil burner or bath or mixed in with a massage oil, that will aid sleep. Lavender is probably the best oil to use, but others include roman chamomile, geranium, neroli and ylang ylang. Just be aware that essential oils should not be used during pregnancy unless you have consulted a qualified aromatherapist or naturopath, as they can have adverse effects on the unborn baby and mother.

3. Eliminate Stress

This is a hard one as we all have varying degrees of stress in our lives and often don’t have control over that! Try and cut down on the effects of stress by getting some regular exercise during the day, going for a massage or reiki treatment or do some meditation.

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