Can Meditation Help Cure Insomnia?

There are many things you can do to try and cure insomnia, from watching your diet and what you drink, exercising, maintaining good sleep patterns and sticking to a routine. As well as both natural and prescription medications that deal with the condition. However a new study suggests there may be another way to cure this, it has no side effects and doesn’t cost a penny – meditation.

What does meditation mean to you? Perhaps it conjures up images of a Buddha type person, sitting under a tree, or perhaps you view it as taking a break from your every day worries and clearing the mind. Meditation is actually a simple yet highly effective task that anyone can participate in once you get the hang of it.

Roughly 9% of all Americans (that’s over 20 million people) practice mediation and that figure is on the increase. If you think about it we all spend time exercising the body, so why not exercise the mind?

So what does this all have to do with helping insomnia sufferers? Well a recent study by Ramadevi Gourineni, the director of an insomnia study programme at Illinois Northwestern memorial hospital, conducted a study into the matter. She took 11 patients – all who suffered from chronic insomnia symptoms. the groups were divided into two and one group was taught the importance of health, diet, stress and environmental issues and how to apply them to deal with their insomnia. The others were taught a ‘Kriya Yoga’ meditation which involves focusing and calming the mind. After the results were compiled, she found that the group who practised meditation had a greater overall increase in their sleeping patterns, including total sleep time and better overall sleep quality.

This indicates that perhaps meditation is beneficial for the reduction of sleep related issues. By clearing out thoughts and worries we can feel more focused and refreshed throughout the day, and ready for sleep at night. And meditation has many other positive aspects including increasing oxygen flow throughout the body, reducing stress, helping the mind focus and boosting serotonin levels, so give it a try – after all you have nothing to lose and hopefully a lot to gain.

Natural Remedies to Treat Insomnia

The demand for natural remedies is on the increase, with proven results and beneficial advantages over that of prescription medication, they play a vital part in the treating of insomnia for many and are well worth a try for those who haven’t yet. This article details some of the most effective natural remedies available on their market today.

Lavender
Lavender has been used for centuries to help aid sleep. Some suggested ideas for use include drinking herbal lavender tea before going to bed. You can use a few drops of essential oil (the most potent form extracted from the plant) onto your bed sheets, or dried lavender filled pillows can be purchased. Special bath-time products that use lavender are beneficial as well. Lavender has a potent smell and may be off putting for some people, while others may find the plants properties not strong enough to help the more serious cases of chronic insomnia.

Milk
An old remedy for the treatment of insomnia, milk contains the amino acid tryptophan, which has been known to promote healthy sleep and induce a feeling of fatigue. The most common way is to drink a glass of lukewarm milk mixed with honey prior to going to bed.

Magnesium
A magnesium deficiency can also play a part in insomnia, if you think your diet may be lacking in this then try and up your intake. Magnesium rich foods include broccoli, sprouts, spinach seeds, beans and oily fish. Supplements are also available from local health stores.

Valerian Root
The Valerian plant is native to Europe and has been proven in numerous clinical studies to promote sleep. It contains valepotriates, which are muscle relaxing chemicals found in the root part of the plant. It appears to work by affecting the central nervous system. Common ways of taking this plant include capsules as well as Valerian root tea. If you are pregnant or nursing you should avoid taking this.

Bach flower remedies
World famous for producing high quality plant extracts, Bach flower remedies offer something for almost every type of ailment. Out of the 38 Bach flowers, 7 of them are said to help promote sleep. These include honeysuckle, olive and white chestnut. They also have a new product on the market called ‘Sleep remedy’ containing a blend of extracts known to aid sleep.

Melatonin
This is a hormone which is naturally produced by humans in the pineal gland. Melatonin regulates some very important functions of the body and studies have shown that supplements can help those suffering with insomnia. Oral tablets, capsules and herbal teas can be purchased that contain melatonin. The herb ‘St.Johns wart’ contains high levels, and small quantities can be found in seeds such as fennel, alfalfa and sunflower.

Natural medication
There is a range of natural sleeping tablets available on the market, for example the brand Kalms is popular in the UK and can be ordered over the Internet. they only use the finest herbal extracts, helping reduce anxiety and promote healthy sleep. Although some report feeling drowsy the next day.

Remember even natural medications should be used carefully and can have unwanted side effects, always read the labels and consult your doctor if you are unsure of whether you should be taking them.

What Type of Insomnia do you Have?

There are three main types of insomnia that have been identified, they are transient, acute and chronic. It is important to know which category you fall under as there are different causes and treatments available for each person.

Transient Insomnia
Is a temporary bout of insomnia, often caused by environmental changes disrupting a persons sleep for a night or two. Other things such as jet-lag can disturb sleep patterns. The majority of people suffering from this type of insomnia just need a period of time to adjust to there new sleeping patterns.

Acute Insomnia
This can last from 1 night to a few weeks, a can be caused by a variety of factors, but is not as serious as chronic insomnia.

Chronic Insomnia
This is the most serious case of the three and is also known as long-term insomnia. It can last for years among sufferers, plaguing them throughout life. Insomnia is classified as chronic when a person has trouble sleeping for 3 times a week or more for over a periods of at least a month.

There are also 2 categories insomnia can fall into for causes, they are;

Primary insomnia
Meaning that your insomnia is not directly related to any other health problem or environmental cause.

Secondary insomnia
Is that your insomnia is the result of another health condition, the most common types of secondary (otherwise known as co- morbid) insomnia include;

• Depression – 70% of all sufferers report symptom of insomnia
• Side effects from other medications
• Being in pain or difficulty e.g arthritis or asthma can hinder sleep
• Substance abuse – such as alcohol or drugs
• Stress worry and anxiety
• Environmental change – such as difficulty adjusting to climate

« Previous Page — Next Page »