Using the herbal remedy for insomnia-Valerian

Are having trouble sleeping even after implementing good sleep hygiene practices? ( Note: links open in a new tab.)

If so you may be desperate enough to be considering resorting to prescription sleeping pills. But before going down that route why not give one of the herbal supplements a try?  There are natural remedies for sleeplessness that are quite effective and yet under used.

Doctors very rarely mention them because they are not included in doctor training. That and the fact that the big drug companies are not interested in natural remedies, means we think of them as old fashioned and ineffective. But that is very far from the truth. In Europe herbal medicines are still prescribed by doctors because many of them work.

Valerian

One of the most effective herbal supplement for insomnia is Valerian which comes from the root of the Valerian plant. Valerian has been in use for hundreds of years for pain, anxiety and stomach problems. It is also used to calm the nerves and is an antispasmodic as well as indigestion.

Its folk name is “All Heal”  and it was widely used in the Victorian era.Valerian  is considered to be perfectly safe and non addictive.  When taken for insomnia its calms, soothes, and promotes a good night’s sleep naturally.

Valerian root is dried to make the active ingredient of the supplement. The dried root has a rather unpleasant smell which has been compared to “dirty socks” ! I think that my cat would agree because he goes crazy when he smells my Valerian supplement and we all know how cats love the smell of worn shoes and socks. Trouble is when he finds the tablets he has no idea what to do with them!

How To Take Valerian

If you purchase Valerian it will nearly always be in the form of tablets or capsules. Valerian can also be taken as a herbal tea or a tincture. It is better not to use the tea as it may be old and so will have lost some of its potency.If you can grow and dry,  or purchase Valerian root then you can make your own tea.  To improve the taste mix with other soothing herbs such as camomile. Sometimes you can buy Valerian combined with other sedative herbs such as hops.

Usually 2 capsules or tablets are to be taken at night. If using in the daytime take only 1. The effects of Valerian may be delayed so you need to be patient as you wait for it to work. Studies show that it will improve sleep if taken every day for two weeks.

Do you have trouble falling asleep? I do and I want to share a sleep tip that will help you to fall asleep more easily. This pretty much works every time for me. It is based on the fact that relaxation is a must for falling asleep. This relaxation exercise helps you to clear your mind of everyday affairs by simply watching your breath. You may have come across this before as it isn’t new, .

How to watch your breath and fall asleep:

Make yourself comfortable in bed and then begin to notice your breath as it flows into your nostrils and down into your lungs and then as it is expelled again. You don’t have to change your breathing in any way at all. Don’t try to take deeper breaths or anything, just ‘watch’ the breath as it flows in and then out again. You may feel the air flowing into your nostrils or consider the air filling your lungs as your belly rises and then falls. You can attend to the watching of your breath in these areas if  you like.

Now you are bound to find that your mind wanders away from this breath watching. This is normal and happens to everyone. So don’t give up when this keeps occurring and don’t be irritated by it. Simply notice that this has happened and come back to watching your breath as it flows in and out.

This is all you need to do. The the breath watching clears your mind of other things and allows you to become relaxed enough to fall asleep. You can go further though if you wish.If you want to you can begin to concentrate on your body beginning with your toes and working up to the top of your head. Simply observe each part  scanning  for any discomfort or tension and releasing any tension. This will allow you to fall asleep. (As long as you haven’t been drinking coffee!)

Mindfulness For Falling Asleep

Sleep Tips

I learned about mindfulness from Jon Kabbat Zinn’s CDs and books.

Who is Jon Kabat Zinn? He is Professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where he was founding executive director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society, and founder (in 1979) and former director of its world-renowned Stress Reduction Clinic. He is also the author of many wonderful books on mindfulness in every day life:

Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting. Everyday Blessings was rated by Amazon.com as one of the top ten books of 1998 in the inspirational category. Another is Coming to Our Senses: Healing Ourselves and the World Through Mindfulness and The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness, Mindfulness for Beginners and many others. I am a great fan!

I had another email this week from a sleep deprived shift worker. Shift work sleep disorder is a difficult problem to resolve. The difficulty arises because shift workers tend to revert  to daytime hours when off duty. This means of they are bound to develop shift work sleep disorder since they never fully adapt to being awake during the night time.

 The only possible way to adapt to working nights is to keep to the same hours when you are not at work. But of course shift workers want  stay awake in the daytime whenever they can so that they can have a normal social life. If they do this they will develop shift work sleep disorder. Its like being stuck between a rock and a hard place!

I can’ t find anything very helpful on this topic.  This is the most recent addvice from the National Sleep Foundation (NSF).

 If at all possible take naps during the night shift. If you employer doesn’t like this you may be able to nap during your meal breaks.  If you can’t nap during a meal break do the opposite and take some exercise instead.

Talk to your boss or union representative about allowing naps during the shift. This has been shown to reduce fatigue-related accidents and injuries which is in the employer’s interest to do. Your employer may be liable for such accidents if naps are not allowed.

 Once you are finsihed with work try not to expose yourself to daylight. Wear sunglasses if you have to be be outside on the way home.

 Other than that normal sleep hygiene  is important:

• Keep to the same bed and rising times on days off
• Do not take caffeinated beverages such as tea, coffee and colas in the last 4 hours before bedtime
• Ensure that you have a quiet darkened room to sleep in or use a sleeping mask
• Don’t go to bed after eating a heavy meal
• Don’t use nicotine

Perhaps another solution might be to use something to help you to get off to sleep. Consider using a self hypnosis audio or try the sleep Sound Sound audio which uses brainwave entrainment to help you get to sleep. Using sleeping pills though is not recommened as a long term solution to shift work sleep disorder.

Meditation can be tricky as you will know if you have ever tried it. I have always found that my mind- what they call ‘the monkey mind’ just won’t stop wandering.

This is a very common problem  and we are told that you must simply refocus without any fuss. Well I don’t know about you but it bothers me. Sometimes I was thinking of other things the whole time and made no progress that I could tell.

I have always wanted to get the benefits of meditation and so when I came across brainwave entrainment for meditation I decided to try it. The idea is that it is OK if your mind wanders when listening. The entrainment will work by sending your brain waves into a deep alpha rhythm- just like the Zen monks!

You have to set time aside and relax quietly alone of course. But if you do that regularly every day you begin to see some benefit.

If you have trouble sleeping then meditation will help you especially if your insomnia is caused by stress or anxiety.

I have made a video that you might like to look at. It gives you 5 minutes of the ‘Meditate ‘ mp3 and some relaxing pictures to watch as you listen. Meditation Video

Get Your Beauty Sleep

Why is it known as beauty sleep? If you have trouble sleeping you already know that this can leave you looking a little ragged.  But the effects of insomnia or too many late nights goes far deeper than that. In fact getting your beauty sleep is more beneficial than the most expensive beauty treatment.

Growth hormone, released during deep sleep, is used to repair cells and to build lean muscle and bone. There is also reduction in the breakdown of proteins during this stage of sleep. A recent study at the University of Chicago has found that a reduction in deep wave, or stage 3 sleep, contributes to increased body fat and reduced lean muscle.

So without enough sleep you will get fat and flabby and the structure of your skin and other organs will deteriorate. In other words, a lack of deep sleep causes premature aging and that is why we call it beauty sleep.

Make sure that you are getting enough beauty sleep every night.

Sleeping Shift Worker

Working hours other than Monday through Friday from 9 am – 5 pm on shift work means greater flexibility for workers and for employers. Shift work can be very convenient for parents as it means they can work rosters that allow at least one of them to be at home when the children are.   To employers, shift work means staying competitive, especially in an increasingly global marketplace.

But there is a down side to shift work if night shifts are worked. Shift work is often associated with sleep deprivation leading to an increased likelihood of human error and decreased productivity. The reason for this is simple: many key bodily functions take place according to a natural cycle and any disruption to this natural cycle can throw the bodily systems out of balance.

This natural cycle is commonly  known as the Circadian rhythm. In human beings this natural rhythm is responsible for signaling when the body should wake and when it should sleep. It signals these actions by releasing and withholding various hormones and neurotransmitters. When sleep patterns are disrupted, as they are when a person working the night shift sleeps during the day, lower quality or fewer hours of sleep are likely consequences.

Typical symptoms of sleep deprivation include a diminished ability to concentrate or to focus on the task at hand. Insomnia can also cause irritability or feelings of tenseness and inability to cope or even clinical depression.

When employees experience these symptoms while at work, it’s no wonder there’s a higher likelihood of mistakes, accidents and injuries  and even fatalities. Besides sleep deprivation those involved in shift work also tend to have more gastrointestinal problems, more trouble blood pressure problems and a greater likelihood of developing other sleep disorders.

Many  people  work nights on shift work. Health care professionals and in those involved in law enforcement  may be on duty any time during the day or night. Those working in mines, factories,  customer service, as well as those in  transportation from taxi drivers and dispatchers to airline pilots and controllers must also be available for work around the clock, every day, including week-ends.

If you are involved with shift work, there are measures you can take to help yourself to  adjust. The most important is to ensure your sleep area is dark and quiet. Darkness releases melatonin, a hormone that plays a pivotal role in the Circadian rhythm because its job is to initiate sleep. It’s also important to get an adequate amount of sleep, 8 hours if possible.

Don’t drink caffeinated beverages for several hours prior to sleep, either. You might even ask your employer about the possibility of taking a brief nap during work hours. You should also try to take a nap during the day.

Another thing that is useful is to ensure your sleeping environment is dark. If your night time shift work allows you to work in a brightly lit environment that is also very helpful. It isn’t always possible of course.

Snoring

Sleeping near a person who snores can seriously interrupt sleep. “If only the snoring would stop,” you think. Then it does. Peaceful as it is, that’s not always a healthy sign. Snoring is related to a condition known as sleep apnea.

If you have sleep apnea, your nighttime breathing is interrupted and doesn’t return promptly. Sleep apnea can be a life threatening condition. The airflow into your body is delayed by more than 10 seconds.

That may not sound like much, but it’s a serious situation. This breathing interruption can happen up to five times in an hour during sleep.  If you snore loudly and nightly, you’re at higher risk for sleep apnea than the occasional snorer.

Other signs of sleep apnea are episodes of daytime fatigue and emotional distress or skill deficits when you’re tired. Sleep apnea seems to start most often in middle age and afflicts more men than women.

Risk factors for sleep apnea are:

1. Overweight by more than 120% of your appropriate body weight

1. Large neck girth. That’s determined by using a tape measure. The danger level is 17” or greater for men and 16” or greater for women.

1. Hypertension whether treated or untreated by medication

1. Narrow nasal passages

A medically supervised sleep study is needed to diagnose sleep apnea.  A home monitor can be used for children as well as adults to monitor breathing interruptions.  You have a number of options for treating sleep apnea.

You can be fitted for a dental appliance, an orthodontia device that you wear at night. Basically this appliance changes the tongue placement so that the airway is clear for breathing.

Losing weight is also important to moderating sleep apnea. Along with losing weight, you need to be in an exercise program. Many people report that their sleep apnea completely disappears once they lose weight and get back to a normal, healthy range.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) masks are worn over the nose and mouth to force air into the nasal passages in a continuous flow. This may not be the most comfortable way to sleep, but it has been highly effective and most people get used to the machine and rely on it to deliver a good night’s sleep.

If all else fails, there are surgical procedures such as widening the palate, restructuring nasal cavities or taking out the tonsils to aid in a sleep apnea disorder.  Make sure you don’t ignore your snoring and mistake it as something harmless because if it’s sleep apnea, you’re putting your life at risk!

Teens Body Clock

Everyone knows that teens are hard to rouse in the mornings. Getting them up in time for school is an ongoing battle and at the weekends you may not see them until dinner time. Where is the bubbly little kid that woke you at dawn only a few years ago?

Lately scientists have been telling us that teenagers have a different diurnal rhythm than the rest of us. They say that their sleep hormone, melatonin kicks in later than ours does  and that is why they stay up later and sleep in as long as they can in the morning. Yet they also tell us, teens require an average of 9.5 hours sleep a night. So they are continually sleep deprived and its all because of their body clock.

Do you believe in this? I have to say I am highly skeptical. Has it occurred to the researchers that the body clock is pushed forward because the teenagers retire late and sleep late in the morning? Going to bed late is exactly what causes this problem in anyone, not just in teens.

If teenagers are different from the rest of us how come this didn’t happen in years gone by? I went to a boarding school where we were woken at 6.30 am and went to bed at 9.00 pm throughout our teens. No- one  suffered from sleep deprivation and neither did we have trouble falling asleep when lights went out!

So I don’t buy it I am afraid. Teens need to be sent to bed in reasonable time and parents must ensure they turn off the lights, the computer, the cell phone and anything else that might stop their kid from going to sleep. Just like they did when their child was younger.

Sleep deprivation in teens must not be ignored as it will cause problems if not dealt with.  It can be the cause of  depression or moodiness and will severely impact on schoolwork.  If they are drivers they are very likely to have an accident by falling asleep at the wheel.

By setting a reasonable bed time and getting up time the teenager will not get sleep deprived and will regulate their body clock more easily. Don’t allow them to stay up all night at the weekend either as that will simply cause a problem on Monday. Make sure they go to bed in time to get their 9.5 hours sleep every night. You will find them much easier to live with if you do.

Do you know what binaural beats are? I see that this term is being written about more these days and often without any real explanation. So I will have a go at filling that gap.

Binaural beats are a way of delivering sounds to induce brainwave entrainment. Brainwave entrainment is fully explained here: Magnetic Sounds but briefly it is the process by which sound is used to guide the brain’s electrical pulses into a new rhythm. In the case of insomnia brainwave entrainment can guide the brain’s pulses into the rhythm of sleep. You see when we are sleeping our brainwaves are pulsing at a different rate than when we are awake. The sleeping rhythm is much slower than when we are wide awake and busy.

When we are having trouble sleeping it can be because we are stressed and unable to relax to allow our brainwaves to slow down. If we can’t relax it is not possible to sleep. You may have heard of  ‘alpha rhythm’ which is often mentioned in relation to meditation. Alpha is a relaxed rate of pulsation that happens when we slow down or close our eyes. Before we sleep we first drift into alpha rhythm, or we do if we are able to relax. Brainwave entrainment can be used to help this process along. That is why we can use it to overcome insomnia.

For insomnia you would listen to an audio that had the sleep rhythms embedded in it. We use background music to make it easier to listen to. The embedded beats guide the brainwaves into alpha, theta and then into delta over 40 to 60  minutes. You can also listen again if you wake up in the night. It is all very natural and there is nothing subliminal in it.

There are different ways in which entrainment is induced. One of these ways is by using binaural beats. This is a method that presents a different sound to each ear and that sound combines in the brain to form a new frequency which is the difference between the two frequencies being played to it. This is why you need to wear headphones to listen to binaural beats.

A similar way to use sound for  entrainment is with ‘isochronic tones’. In spite of the fact that binaural beats are better known,  isochronic tones are more effective at inducing entrainment.These tones can be listened to without headphones because the sound from the left and the right speakers, although different, will combine before entering the ears.

There are other ways to induce entrainment, the simplest being monaural beats. In In this there is only one beat , it could be a simple drum beat. Entrainment can also be used using light combined with sound.

The Sleep Sound Insomnia Program uses isochronic tones so that sleep can be induced very effectively and without the need for headphones. The sounds are embedded in soothing music and nature sounds.

Brainwave Rhythms During The Stages of Sleep

Do you count sheep?

What insomnia cures have you tried?  Have you had any lasting success?

You know that my insomnia program uses brainwave entrainment so I would be interested in hearing from you on that topic .

By the way I am getting some really great feedback on my free email course ‘How To Sleep’ which is a series of sleep tips by email’. Lots of people are finding it very helpful which I love to hear. Here is one comment I got last week:

hi thanx for the tips… i am actually feeling much better with all your recommendations…Moreover, i used to take lexotanil 1.5mg but now i am taking only half of it…Also, i used to take 3 pills of stablon and now it is reduced to 2 per day only…As for laroxyl 40 mg, i am taking only 5 drops per night…thanx a lot for all your tips…i will be visiting Mr Dr (neurologue) this week. Bye Noorie

and another said in relation to the free relaxation audio that goes with the email course:

That was a compilation of some of the most beautiful tones I’ve heard. I kept thinking I could feel or see it somehow. It didn’t make me sleepy of course but immediately all my vitals slowed and steadied. I could have easily handled anything. No exterior sounds phased and stray thoughts never finished. The bell tone though…after the first one, they all pierced my skull like a nail…each less than the previous one until I finally couldn’t feel it at all…strange? I guess you hear all kinds of thoughts but there’s mine. I had a great time…I should do this more often. Thanks! Tracey Holland

So I feel as if I am doing some good in the world, which is a nice feeling! If you want to join the happy people you can sign up above.