Time is no longer our greatest commodity, energy is. For most of us, a good night’s sleep is key to having the energy we need. Not only that, sleeping keeps our emotions under control for a better mood throughout the day. However, if you are dealing with insomnia, falling asleep for more than 4 hours can be hard. What’s worse is that getting quality sleep is impossible! Well you are not alone. In the US, 1 in 3 people have experienced insomnia whereas 3.3 million Canadians were diagnosed with insomnia back in 2002. It is a widespread condition but can be treated through a healthy diet.
What are the common causes of Insomnia?
-Stress
-Anxiety
-Depression
-High blood pressure & Obesity
-Too much late night snacking
-Caffeine, nicotine, alcohol
-Medication
-Medical conditions
4 Natural Remedies for Insomnia
1. L-Tryptophan & 5-HTP: All produced by the pineal gland, these compounds are naturally prescribed to treat insomnia. 5 HTP is a precursor that boosts seratonin levels helping with stress, anxiety, and depression. In our body, tryptophan converts into 5-HTP, which turns into seratonin and then melatonin! Both can be taken as supplements.
Recommended dose: 5-HTP(50-200mg); L-tryptophan (500-1000 mg)
2. Valerian root, Chamomile & Ashawgandha : Studies have proven that valerian root is an effective herb in treating insomnia patients! Both sleep structure and quality were improved. Valerian root and other herbs such as chamomile and ashawgandha are excellent natural remedies for insomnia!
Recommended dose: 300-500 mg of valerian root.
3.Bamboo shoots and Mung beans: In eastern traditional medicine, bamboo shoots are used to treat sleeping disorders. Often they are cooked together with mung beans for its high content of magnesium, responsible for relaxing the skeletal muscles.
4.Exercise!
This natural remedy doesn’t involve any other than your will to move. Aerobic exercise has been proven to drastically improve sleep, mood, and overall quality of life in patients with chronic insomnia!
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