Sleep Aids That Work? End Those Sleepless Nights Now!

When you find yourself tossing and turning all night you start to think about looking for sleep aids that work. In reality, although I would suggest that everything works, I would also say that each individual natural sleep aid only works for a percentage of a population. Unfortunately, you may need to try several of the best sleep aids to find the one that works for you.

So what are you options? Of the OTC sleep aids, ones containing Melatonin are probably the most popular which would suggest they could work for more people. Melatonin is a naturally produced hormone that is associated with sleep. However, there are question marks over the claims made by companies producing OTC sleep aids containing Melatonin, that the research may have been flawed when looking at its ability to help insomnia sufferers. However, anything in science is only ever as good as the last research and is never completely proven. Basically, research methods that are used suggest that the results are correct and can be transferred to the rest of the population with a less than a 5% chance that the results were a fluke for that subject set.

Caution is suggested when using Melatonin products and they should not be given to children, pregnant women, those with serious allergies, HIV or cancer patients. In preference, if looking to get a boost of Melatonin, try to increase your dietary intake of foods like walnuts that can potentially supply us with extra levels of the nutrient.

Valerian is just one of the OTC herbal sleep aids although it is not really known how it works with trials have proving inconclusive. However, it is suggested that particularly if you are on medication linked with the central nervous system that you should not take it.

If you are offered Kava, please do your research as the FDA have reported it to be is associated with livery injury, sometimes requiring liver replacement surgery.

Remember when looking for sleep aids that work, most tablets need a couple of weeks usage to start taking effect which may be a problem as some can’t be taken for longer than three months either! Either way, it is always wise to consult your doctor before you take any supplement, especially if you are on any medication, and despite the product saying it is natural. Many things in nature can react badly with another substance just as a synthetic compound would.

Let’s look at the really natural and free methods of how to get a good night’s sleep.

It may seem obvious, but you do need to get sufficient exercise and this is one of the primary reasons that some people sleep better than others. At least half an hour (more if possible) should help you sleep better and will certainly help you keep fit. Another surprise is that you can get too much sleep as well as too little. Actually, studies have suggested that getting too much sleep can cause us to feel more tired than we are, tricking us into thinking that we need more sleep.

Lastly, don’t eat heavy meals late at night and avoid caffeine (don’t forget that includes tea!), and high sugar foods as they stop the body from producing natural Melatonin that helps us sleep.

You can also try listening to CD’s that use sound frequency patterns that affect brainwaves to help you sleep. There are also products that use light to lull you into sleep mode by calming the body and mind and activating the relaxation side of the nervous system.