Are you having a difficult time getting a good night sleep? Insomnia is a common condition in which you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or both. Insomnia can range from mild to severe, depending on how frequently it occurs and for how long. Many things can cause insomnia: certain medical conditions, medications, sleep disorders, stress, pain, too much caffeine and changes in sleep patterns to name a few. Because difficulty sleeping can be an indication of a more serious or underlying problem, it is important to consult your licensed health care provider to determine the cause of insomnia before trying to treat it.
Some simple changes in your daily life style habits may resolve insomnia and allow you to get the necessary 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night the average adult needs.
• Avoid any caffeine, nicotine or alcohol for at least 4 hours prior to going to bed
• Stick to a consistent sleep schedule, even on the weekends
• Avoid eating a large meal before bed
• Avoid or limit naps during the day
• Find ways to relax before bed such as listen to soothing music, take a bath, or breathing exercises
• Regular exercise
• If you do not fall asleep within 30 minutes, get up and go to another room and do something relaxing
If you are still having difficulty sleeping after making the life style changes, you may want to consider using herbal products and dietary supplements to help provide short term relief from insomnia. Two of the more common substances used to aid sleep are valerian and melatonin.
Valerian is a flowering plant that is native to North America, Europe and Asia. The root of the plant is the portion used for medicinal purposes. Despite its strong and somewhat unpleasant odor, dried valerian root has been used commonly in some European countries as a sleep aid for centuries. Its popularity in the United States continues to grow as more people seek alternative solutions to treat insomnia. Although more research needs to be done, there is some clinical evidence that valerian root is effective as a sleep aid and mild antianxiety agent. 1 Valerian appears to be safe when used as a short term treatment of insomnia and is generally well tolerated. 2 A benefit of valerian as a sleep aid is patients experience little hangover effect as is seen with some prescription sleep medications such as the benzodiazepines (for example diazepam).3 Typical dosing of valerian as a sleep aid varies depending on the brand, but generally 2000 to 3000 mg of dried valerian given 30 minutes to 2 hours before bedtime is recommended. It may take a few weeks of taking valerian to see improvement in sleep.
Melatonin is a hormone made by the pineal gland in the brain. It helps to regulate the body’s circadian rhythm or internal daily clock that regulates the pattern of sleep and waking hours. Darkness stimulates the body to make melatonin and the melatonin in turn tells the brain it is time to go to sleep. Studies have shown promising results with using melatonin to reduce jet lag; however, its effectiveness in treating insomnia remains controversial in the scientific community. The healthy elderly population and people of all ages experiencing insomnia have been shown to have decreased levels of melatonin circulating in their body.4 Based on this, it would seem reasonable that melatonin may help as a short term sleep aid (less than two weeks). Melatonin is available as either a synthetic product or made from the pineal gland of animals. People should avoid the use of melatonin made from animals because of the risk of contamination and allergies. Commercially available melatonin comes in both immediate release and controlled release products. If you have difficulty falling asleep, try taking 0.3 to 5 mg of the immediate release product about 60 minutes before bedtime. It is always best to take the lowest possible dose that is effective for you. If you have difficulty staying asleep, a controlled release formulation may be more appropriate. (Because the controlled release product is coated, it CANNOT be broken in half.) Melatonin should not be taken by people with autoimmune diseases. Because melatonin may cause drowsiness, caution should be used when driving or using hazardous equipment.
As with any herb or nutritional supplement, it is important to consult your licensed health care provider before taking. Some dietary supplements and prescription or over the counter medications do not mix. To help reduce the risk of an interaction, please consult your health care provider before taking any dietary supplement and prescription or over the counter medication.
References
1. DerMarderoslan, Ara and John A. Beutler, eds. The Review of Natural Products. Fifth Edition. St. Louis, Missouri: Wolters Kluwer Health, 2008.
2. “Natural Medicines in the Clinical Management of Insomnia.” Natural Medicines:Comprehensive Database. November 4, 2009 http://www.naturaldatabase.com/
3. DerMarderoslan, Ara and John A. Beutler, eds. The Review of Natural Products. Fifth Edition. St. Louis, Missouri: Wolters Kluwer Health, 2008.
4. DerMarderoslan, Ara and John A. Beutler, eds. The Review of Natural Products. Fifth Edition. St. Louis, Missouri: Wolters Kluwer Health, 2008.