It’s normal to experience sleep problems every now and again. Work-related stress, a busy day or week ahead, or concerns about the well-being of friends and family can make for the occasional restless night. But in today’s questionable economic climate, an alarming number of Americans are experiencing insomnia—and they’re flocking to their docs for drugs. Over 50 million prescriptions for sleeping pills were written in 2011. If these drugs were benign, that would be one thing. But sleeping pills are riddled with side effects. In addition to increasing risk of falls, daytime sleepiness, and cognitive impairment, they’re highly addictive.
Go Natural. Fortunately, there are natural remedies that have been used for years to battle insomnia with impeccable safety records and unquestionable efficacy. Here are a few of my favorites.
L-theanine is an amino acid derived from green tea. Renowned for its calming effects, L-theanine works by enhancing alpha-wave activity in the brain, which results in relaxation, and by increasing levels of gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that calms the brain down and helps relieve anxiety.
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is the most common sleep aid in Europe, and studies suggest that this herb works as well as prescription drugs, without the side effects. Like L-theanine, it helps relieve anxiety by working on GABA pathways, but it also has a mild sedative effect that helps you fall asleep more quickly. In some studies, valerian is used in combination with hops. Although hops is best known as an ingredient in beer, it is an approved therapy in Germany for insomnia and nervousness.
Melatonin has long been one of my top recommendations for sleep. Produced naturally in the pineal gland, melatonin is the hormone that regulates your circadian rhythms, or “body clock.” As darkness falls, melatonin secretion rises, signaling your body that it’s time to sleep. After the age of 40, melatonin levels decline, which is one reason so many older people have trouble falling and staying asleep. In addition to facilitating sleep, melatonin is also useful for jetlag, and it’s a potent antioxidant that protects against disease.
People who consistently get too little sleep tend to run down their immune systems and suffer more illnesses and are more subject to stress and emotional upset. Whatever agents you try to help you sleep, avoid prescription drugs. They are not only potentially harmful and addictive, they also deprive you of an important regenerative stage of sleep.
