One out of every four Americans will develop acute insomnia in their life. Acute insomnia is when you cannot fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the duration of the night. As insomnia is so common, more Americans are looking for ways to improve the quality of sleep by reaching for natural remedies.
Getting in a long and healthy sleep every night is no easy task. For hundreds of years, scientists and philosophers have grappled with sleep and why humans need so much. In fact, humans spend nearly a third of their life sleeping. In 2015, the National Sleep Foundation outlined just how we need:
- Newborns – 15 hours
- Infants – 12 hours
- Toddlers – 11 hours
- Preschoolers – 10 hours
- Children – 9 hours
- Teenager – 8 hours
- Young adults – 7 hours
- Adults – 7 hours
- Seniors – 7 hours
Even though these are the recommended hours, many people still find it extremely difficult getting into his many hours. At least 30% of Americans report having disruptive sleep, and another 10% say that their sleep problems carry over into their daytime life.
Sleep issues can affect how you feel day-to-day, and put serious stress on your body. Your body relies on sleep to heal and recover so that you can function.
The best way to tackle sleep issues is by choosing natural sleep remedies. Natural sleep remedies can be effective and are not addictive, like many prescription sleep medications available.
Melatonin Benefits
Most people have heard of melatonin, but many don’t actually know what it is. Melatonin is a compound that our brains produce in the pineal gland. It is how we regulate sleep cycle and the foundation of circadian rhythm. You can purchase melatonin at almost any store or online. You can usually get it in drops pills or even sublingual lozenges. Many people find melatonin to be accessible and one of the most effective ways than improving sleep quality.
The only downside with melatonin is that people rely on it more than they should. While it can be effective in helping relieve sleep ailments, it only is good for short-term use. Most commonly melatonin should be used if you’re suffering from jet lag and trying to re-adhere to your sleep cycle or if you’re dealing with a temporary stressor.
Another issue that arises with melatonin is that sometimes people take too much. If you speak to any healthcare professional, tell you that 2 to 5 mg is a significant dose, however, many stores sell higher doses at 10 mg. These can be actually too high. Some people may experience negative side effects from too much melatonin, like nausea headaches, and irritability during the day.
Sleep-Inducing Tea Benefits
Teases have long been touted for helping with sleep. Chamomile is often the subject of praise for sleep-inducing teas. There was a study done in 2016 by Shao-Min Chang, from the Journal of Advancing Nursing. In this study, chamomile tea showed promise in helping with sleep. As they discovered it can be effective, many people do not recommend it when dealing with short-term sleep issues. However, when subjects try to use chamomile for long-term sleep issues, it tends not to be as effective.
If you haven’t had a good sleep in a long time, tea may be what you’re looking for. However, if you have been dealing with something long-term, choose something else.
Kratom powder has been used to create relaxing teas and there has been anecdotal evidence suggesting that it may improve relaxation. The best way to use Kratom tea is by combining the Kratom powder with your favorite traditional tea.
Foods That Can Improve Sleep
Currently, there are many studies being conducted looking at the effects of specific foods on sleep cycle. When looking at the different foods, it’s the active compounds, vitamins, and chemicals within the food that can help induce sleep. Some of the most common sleep-inducing chemicals that are found in food are:
- GABA
- Calcium
- Melatonin
- Pyridoxine
- Tryptophan
- L- ornithine
- Potassium
On the other hand, there are other food chemicals that can help improve wakefulness:
- Serotonin
- Acetylcholine
- Histamine
- Noradrenaline
When eating closer to bedtime it is best to choose foods that contain sleep-inducing chemicals as any foods that may stimulate could keep you up. The best foods to eat before bed are berries, cherries, bananas, cantaloupe, orange.
Naturally Improving Sleep
Living a busy life can be stressful and you need to take time to prioritize your health so you can have high-quality sleep. By trying out the natural remedies above, you may get a much more peaceful night’s sleep and find you feel better throughout the day.