What is Insomnia?
When you find it difficult to fall asleep or you find yourself repeatedly waking up in the night you may have insomnia. Many find they are permanently tired, yet insomnia is usually only a temporary annoyance and does pass in time. There are those though who suffer with this condition for months or years, and this can have a devastating effect on their health and mental well-being.
Causes
Many things can contribute to a bout of insomnia, but the most common causes are worry, stress, anxiety, grief, and depression. Insomnia can be due to physical as well as emotional problems, and there are also certain drugs such as antidepressants, beta-blockers, appetite suppressants, and thyroid hormone replacements that can result in disturbed sleep patterns. Those who are in physical pain, suffer with indigestion, or have breathing problems can all have bouts of insomnia. If you consume too much caffeine or are hypoglycaemic you can suffer with this condition too.
Complementary Approach
Eat: In order to increase the level of serotonin in the body, a high carbohydrate food before bedtime, such as crackers (1) or a piece of bread, will do the trick. The hormone serotonin is known to reduce anxiety. The following foods contain trytophan, which is a chemical that promotes sleep: Dates, yogurt, turkey, bananas, tuna, milk, and nut butters; thus it is helpful to eat them at dinner time.
Don’t eat: Avoid all stimulants (2,3) particularly caffeine, which is found in coffee, chocolate, cocoa, black and green tea, and some soft drinks. A brain stimulant called norepinephrine has been implicated in insomnia and certain foods containing tyramine increase the release of this compound, so for this reason the following foods should be avoided: Aubergine, tomatoes, sugar, bacon, sausage, spinach, potatoes, cheese, and ham.
Nutritional Supplements
The following information does not constitute a prescription or recommended dose – studies have been conducted using the dosages stated and are included for your information only. The nutrients mentioned here are often recommended by Healthcare practitioners.
Melatonin (4,5,6) is a natural hormone that regulates the human biological clock. Start off taking melatonin at a dose of 1.5 mg daily but only increase the dosage if you feel no effect within 3 days. However, do not exceed more than 5 mg daily. Melatonin should be taken 2 hours before going to bed.
There are no known studies that support the claim that the following nutrients can help in the treatment of this condition. However, the nutrients mentioned here, and the ones previously listed are often recommended by healthcare practitioners.
Calcium has a calming effect, but be sure not to use calcium lactate if you are allergic to dairy products. Take 1,500-2,000 mg daily in divided doses with meals and at bedtime.
Magnesium is needed to balance with the calcium, and it also helps to relax muscles. Take 1,000 mg per day.
Herbs
Valerian root supplement has been used for centuries to treat insomnia; it induces sleep and increases dreaming (7,8). Take 300-400 mg 30 minutes before bedtime.
Other herbs you may want to try are chamomile, hops (9), lemon balm, kava kava, catnip, and skullcap. It is much more beneficial to rotate the use of these herbs rather than sticking with just one or two of them. Many natural medicine doctors recommend these herbs (10).
Lavender essence inhaled brings about a feeling of calm and relaxation (11,12,13). Put a couple of drops of essential oil on your pillow at night.
Further Information
Psychological upsets, can trigger insomnia (14). Learning relaxation techniques has proven helpful (15).
Take up exercise in order to feel more relaxed, do not however, exercise too close to bedtime. Mind-body practises such as tai chi, qigong, and yoga are recommended (16).
Smoking has been linked to insomnia so get help to quit (17).
Bathing with Epsom salts is known to relax the muscles. Add 2 cups of Epsom salts to bath water and soak for 15-20 minutes.
Avoid alcohol as it disrupts sleep cycles, it does not, as many believe, help you sleep.
If you are tossing and turning in your bed trying to get to sleep then get up instead and do something useful until you are ready to settle down again.
Always get up at the same time every day, never be tempted to lie in, and do not sleep during the day unless it is part of a well-established routine. Learn relaxation techniques. If the room is too quiet to sleep in, have the radio on all night or invest in a machine that emits ‘white noise’.
References
1. Blum I, Vered Y, Graff E, et al. The influence of meal composition on plasma serotonin and norepinephrine concentrations. Metabolism 1992;41:137–40.
2. Weiss B, Laties VG. Enhancement of human performance by caffeine and the amphetamines. Pharmacol Rev 1962:14:1–36.
3. Hollingworth HL. The influence of caffeine on mental and motor efficiency. Arch Psychol 1912;20:1–66.
4. Haimov I, Laudon M, Zisapel N, et al. Sleep disorders and melatonin rhythms in elderly people. BMJ1994;309:167.
5. Singer C, McArthur A, Hughes R, et al. Melatonin and sleep in the elderly. J Am Geriatr Soc 1996;44:51 [abstr #A1].
6. Garfinkel D, Laudon M, Nof D, Zisapel N. Improvement of sleep quality in elderly people by controlled-release melatonin. Lancet 1995;346:541–44.
7. Leathwood PD, Chauffard F. Aqueous extract of valerian reduces latency to fall asleep in man. Planta Medica 1985;51:144–48.
8. Leathwood PD, Chauffard F, et al. Aqueous extract of valerian root (Valeriana officinalis L.) improves sleep quality in man. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 1982;17:65–71.
9. Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, et al. (eds). The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin: American Botanical Council and Boston: Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998, 14.
10. Brown DJ. Herbal Prescriptions for Better Health. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing, 1996, 279.
11. Buchbauer G, Jirovetz L, Jager W, et al. Aromatherapy: Evidence for sedative effects of the essential oil of lavender after inhalation. Z Naturforsch [C] 1991;46:1067–72.
12. Hardy M, Kirk-Smith MD, Stretch DD. Replacement of drug therapy for insomnia by ambient odour. Lancet 1995;346:701 [letter].
13. Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, et al. (eds). The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin: American Botanical Council and Boston: Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998, 159–60.
14. Morin CM, Culbert JP, Schwartz SM. Nonpharmacological interventions for insomnia: a meta-analysis of treatment efficacy. Am J Psychiatr 1994;151:1172–80.
15. Fuerst ML. Insomniacs give up stress and medications. JAMA 1983;249:459–60.
16. Verma K, Singh D, Srivastava A. (2022). The Impact of Complementary and Alternative Medicine on Insomnia: A Systematic Review. Cureus. 14. 10.7759/cureus.28425.
17. Phillips BA, Danner FJ. Cigarette smoking and sleep disturbance. Arch Intern Med 1995;155:734–37.