Article courtesy of Native Remedies
Insomnia by itself is not a disease. In most cases, it is a symptom of an underlying condition. Insomnia can be treated in more ways than one. In patients where depression is the condition that is causing insomnia, treating depression will cure insomnia too.
Conventional treatment of insomnia involves sedatives. These sleep inducing drugs do not cure chronic insomnia. Even short term use can have a psychological effect on the patient. Some patients start believing that they just cannot sleep without the pill. Long term use has its own repercussions and results in high levels of dependence.
Just as treating depression naturally is a highly recommended method; treating insomnia naturally can also help you in avoiding the side effects that come with sleeping pills.
Stress is one of the major reasons behind the common sleep disorders of oversleeping and sleeplessness. Meditation and relaxing exercises can help in relieving stress. Meditation may seem like a process that is hard to learn but once you know the basics it becomes extremely easy. Meditation requires a quiet environment, slow and deep breathing and some simple positive thoughts.
Your approach to life can affect your sleep patterns too. People who are prone to worrying unnecessarily and creating imaginary phantoms of dread find it hard to sleep. A positive attitude, laughter and fun almost always help in getting sound sleep every day.
The air-conditioned culture often denies us all of sufficient exposure to sunlight. Sunlight is elemental in controlling chemicals in the brain that regulate body temperature. You have to get enough sunlight for maintaining normal body temperature and sleep patterns.
Sometimes you can be too tired to sleep. Try to relax your muscles with a massage before bedtime. You can also perform basic yogic postures like the shavaasana to gain control over evasive sleep. Concentrate only on the breathing, and it will relax the tense muscles and induce a calm slumber.
Herbal supplements and other natural remedies for depression can also help in curing insomnia. Homeopathic remedies like Ignatia Amara and Arsenicum Album are effective natural remedies for specific sleep disorders.
Most conventional practitioners would have you believe that there is no alternative to sleeping pills for curing insomnia. The problem with sedatives is that they induce light sleep for longer periods. Waking up from a drug-induced sleep does not leave you fresh and energetic. It leaves you groggy and tired. Sleeping pills are also addictive and result in memory loss and poor judgment. Additionally, and most importantly, sleeping pills can only provide short term relief and can treat only mild cases of insomnia.
The impact of sleeplessness cannot be emphasized enough. Sleep is necessary for normal functioning. Chronic insomnia can prove to be detrimental to overall health. Natural treatment of insomnia is a set of simple procedures that are easy to follow - self suggestion, relaxation, exercise, and meditation.
