A lot of us would prefer not to take over-the-counter drugs to fall asleep. An option is to check out the local natural supplement store for safer and gentler solutions, right? According to Dr. Michael Breus, a WebMD medical expert and American Board of Sleep Medicine doctor, there are 40 to 50 different herbs on the market that claim they can help you sleep. However, there are only four or five that have any scientific data behind them.
One is Valerian. This herb is not believed to be addictive or to cause grogginess in the morning. It is suggested that you take Valerian an hour before bedtime and it can take two to three weeks to actually work. Side effects can include headache, palpitations, dizziness and mild indigestion. For some folks, Valerian doesn’t work at all.
Kava-kava is another one. This herb is an anti-anxiety herb and could be good for anxiety-related insomnia. The FDA has issued an advisory about potential risk of liver injury resulting from the use of supplements containing kava.
Melatonin is a supplement but it isn’t an herb; it is actually a hormone found naturally in the body. Melatonin is typically taken about 30 minutes before bedtime. Long-term effects from Melatonin isn’t known, but some experts caution folks with depression schizophrenia, autoimmune diseases and other serious illnesses not use it.
Herbs may seem like a logical choice over synthetic drugs, but checking with your physician before taking something—including herb remedies—as a sleep aid is a good idea. If you are taking other drugs or supplements, introducing another herb into your system could produce unwanted results.
Bottom line…understand what you put into your body. And if you’re after peaceful sleep, try foods that help you sleep like Chamomile tea, avoid caffeine, get your exercise, relax before going to bed. If nothing works, be sure to see your doctor.
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