Author: Namratha Gopal | Illustrator: Parvathi Nayanar
Insomnia is a common sleeping disorder which is characterized by difficulty in falling asleep. This in turn leads to daytime fatigue, depression, tension, headaches, irritability and disrupts day to day activities. Although the amount of sleep needed varies from person to person, most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep at night. If you are facing disruptions with your sleep cycle patterns, try some natural insomnia remedies that can help maintain your quality of life. Let’s begin –
Natural and Effective Insomnia Remedies
1. Saffron
Saffron is sedative properties that can help treat insomnia. It is also found that the active compounds in saffron, safranal that activates sleep-promoting neurons from the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus and inhibit the wakefulness-promoting neurons from the tuberomammilary nuclei in vitro.
How to use?
Just steep 2 saffron strands in a cup of warm milk. Drink it at night before going to night.
2. Hot bath
Hot water showers works as a great bed time rituals which helps relax your body and soothe nerves. To make this even more effective, just add in your favorite essential to your bath tub of hot water and soak yourself in it for good 15 to 20 mins.
3. Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar contains amino acids which help in relieving fatigue and helps break down fatty acids that release tryptophan.
How to use?
Take a glass of water and add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Drink it before your bedtime.
4. Honey
Honey helps your brain release melatonin, a hormone that your body uses to restore itself during the sleep.
How to use?
Add in 1 tablespoon of raw honey to the cup of warm milk and have it before your bed time.
5. Banana
Banana contains vitamin B6 which works great in converting the amino acid tryptophan to serotonin, the neurotransmitter controlling melatonin levels in the body. This melatonin regulates your internal clock by causing you sleepy in the night.
How to use?
Have one banana before your bedtime and go to sleep.
6. Cumin seeds / jeera
Cumin seeds / jeera is a culinary spice with its medicinal properties right from aiding digestion to getting rid of insomnia. In traditional ayurvedic science cumin has proved to induce sleep and has a tranquilizing effect.
How to use?
You can have cumin seeds concoction by boiling some cumin seeds in water for some time. Strain it and have it before your bed time.
7. Nutmeg
Nutmeg has sedative properties and works as a natural sleep aid. The potent medicinal properties of nutmeg help in calming nerves and releases serotonin.
How to use?
Add in some ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg powder to the cup of warm/hot milk and have it before your bedtime.
8. Chamomile tea
Chamomile is known to have sedative properties as it is an excellent sleep inducer or mild tranquilizer. It has calming effects that may be attributed to an anti-oxidant called apigeninwhich is found abundant in chamomile tea.
How to use?
Just sip on to the delicious chamomile tea to induce sleep and relaxation. You can sweeten it with dash of cinnamon powder and honey.
9. Milk
Milk has 2 nutrients mainly known as L-tryptophan and melatonin which are known to improve or induce sleep. Consuming enough amount of tryptophan, your brain helps you create more serotonin and melatonin a few hours later which will help you make feel relaxed and induce sleep.
How to use?
Just sip on to the hot milk or warm milk as per the temperature you like. You can add cinnamon powder as it helps you in relaxing your muscles and removing tension in your body.
10. Massage
This natural home remedy is been practiced for ages for getting rid of insomnia. A perfect body massage makes your body very light and refreshing. This in turn helps you in relaxing, induces calmness and reduces pain and anxiety.
11. Kiwi fruit
Kiwi fruit contains serotonin, a brain chemical that helps regulate the sleep cycle. It is meant for improving the sleep quality when eaten consistently.
How to use?
Eat kiwi fruit before going to bed.
Disclaimer
The content in this article is for generic information only and it’s nowhere a substitute of medical opinion. If none of the insomnia remedies work for you always take doctor’s advice before taking any kind of supplements and medications.
