3 Natural Sleep Remedies

If you are one of the millions of people that do not have the luxury of a normal sleeping pattern do not despair. Before you run to a doctor for a prescription medication, there are many effective natural remedies that you should try first. Prescription sleeping aids can be damaging to your body and are highly addictive. Here are three natural options to try first.

Melatonin . Melatonin is a hormone which is naturally produced by the human. At night melatonin is secreted by a tiny, pea-sized organ at the center of our brains called the pituitary gland. It helps our bodies regulate sleep-wake cycles and helps our internal clock to keep its rhythm so that our bodies know when we should be awake and when we should be sleeping. Darkness stimulates the release of melatonin and light suppresses its activity in our nervous system. Unfortunately as we get older our bodies produce less and less melatonin naturally and we may have to resort to taking it as a supplement. It is available without a prescription at most health food stores and many people find that it works well as a natural sleep aid.

Chammomile. Chammomile is a herb which has been found to be an effective sleep aid. It is used in many forms-as tea, in essential oils, and it can even be placed in a sachet underneathe a pillow before you go to sleep. There is no need to use it on a regular basis-it can be used whenever you want and it should work right away. Try putting some chammomile essential oil drops into a bath before you go to bed or have a cup of chammomile tea before settling in for the night. It is most effective when taken about half an hour before bed.

Exercise. Exercise is one of the healthiest forms of sleep aids. We all need exercise but not all of us get the amounts that we need. Ideally you should be doing about forty five minutes of cardio four times a week. Try this for a few weeks and it is almost guaranteed that you will notice a change for the better in your sleeping patterns. Yoga also works great for regulating your sleep-wake cycle and getting rid of your stress and anxiety which commonly cause insomnia.

There are so many different ways to help you sleep that you should really try them all before resorting to over the counter medications. Sleeplessness can be caused by such a variety of different factors that it may take a while to find what works for you but dont give up-there is surely something out there that can help you sleep naturally.