Home Remedies For Insomnia: Procedure, Recovery, Risk & Complication

Insomnia can be defined as a sleep disorder where people have difficulty falling asleep easily. It also includes the condition where people abruptly wake up from their sleep at night and then find it difficult to go back to sleep once again.

The following home remedies can be adopted for treating insomnia:

1. Have a glass of honey and milk:

   Use This before going to bed. Milk contains tryptophan, which will increase the serotonin amount in your body. This natural sedative hormone works in your brain and helps you to sleep better. Honey helps in transmitting this hormone to the brain faster.

2. Practising cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT):

   It helps in retraining the body as well as the mind for a faster and deeper sleep. You can create a schedule of going to sleep and getting up at the same time on a regular basis. Listening to your favourite tunes or reading a book as a part of your daily schedule will help you to sleep better.

3. A relaxed and calm environment:

   It is a necessity for deep sleep at night. It is recommended to keep your mobile phones switched off and away from you to prevent disturbances at the night. Digital clocks or any other electrical device that glows in the dark should not be there in your bedroom. You must also ensure that there is no interference from outdoor lights while you are sleeping.

4. Yoga, meditation or maintaining a diary:

   It may help if the reason for your insomnia is anxiety.

5. Chamomile tea:

   You can try valerian tea or a cup of chamomile tea to treat insomnia. Valerian tea has the ability to reduce the time one takes to generally fall asleep, while letting you rest in a satisfied manner. Chamomile contains a flavonoid called apigenin that produces a calming effect in your brain.

6. Nutmeg:

   There are sedative properties in nutmeg that can help you sleep better. You can add a bit of nutmeg powder in your glass of milk and drink it before going to bed.

7. Salmon and cheese:

   Salmon and cheese is a rich source of omega -3- fatty acid and tryptophan respectively which helps to induce sleep.

8. Eat banana:

   Banana is a rich source of tryptophan which helps to induce sleep. Add bananas to your diet if you are suffering from insomnia.

9. Acupuncture:

   Acupuncture is a medical treatment involving the insertion of fine needles into specific points in your body. It helps in reducing the pain.

10. Avoid caffeine:

    Tea and coffee contain caffeine which is one of the major reasons for loss of sleep. Try to avoid caffeine to get rid of insomnia.

11. Lavender oil:

    As per the studies conducted by the researchers it has been observed that lavender oil acts as an antidepressant and induces sleep. It also helps to reduce anxiety.

12. Mantra repetitions:

    Mantra repetition helps to relax your mind and reduces stress. Mantra repetition has a soothing effect on the mind which helps in inducing sleep.

Summary: Insomnia can be reduced by trying home remedies like eating salmon, cheese, banana, nutmeg powder, honey, milk. Avoid caffeine, Do mantra repetitions, Practising cognitive behavioural therapy. Sleep in a calm environment.

Some side effects that these natural home remedies for insomnia can have are:

In case you have lactose intolerance, consuming milk can lead to abdominal cramping, diarrhea, gas, or nausea. These side effects generally develop half an hour to 2 hours after drinking the milk. Apart from that, people with milk allergy can face symptoms such as coughing, an upset stomach, vomiting, itchy eyes, wheezing, or swelling.

In case one develops an anaphylactic reaction, medical intervention may be required.

If you are diabetic or suffering from low blood sugar, you have to be careful about the amount of honey you are consuming. Honey can affect the sugar levels in your blood.

Summary: Despite being effective, certain home remedies have some side effects which vary from person to person, so choose your home remedy only if you are not allergic or sensitive to the particular substance. Do not use any home remedies in excess as it may be harmful to health.

The post remedy guidelines of insomnia would include:

• Keep a tab on the time that you are going to bed and the time that you are waking up. You can maintain a record book for the same. Try to maintain that time every day.
• If you have started consuming a certain thing for treating insomnia, do not stop abruptly. Complete the course and keep a tab on the improvements, if any.
• If you are trying to sleep well at night, avoid napping in the afternoon.
• Exercise and meditation take time to produce results; hence you must continue doing them every day. Discontinuing them suddenly is not recommended.

The solutions for insomnia can be simple, but the results may appear after a long time. This often results in patients getting frustrated. Self-therapy techniques usually take a while before showing the desired effects. The time for recovery varies from person to person.

For some people, a noticeable change in their sleeping pattern can be observed within a week of practicing these home remedies. Some people may require three to four months or even longer. The best way to deal with insomnia is in a calm and relaxed manner.

Insomnia relapses are very common where you can experience sleep disorders with worse episodes. It generally occurs after showing signs of considerable improvement. In case of chronic insomnia, it may take quite a long time to recover, but it is slow and sure progress.

In the early stages, it may seem that results are hard to come by, but with proper determination and patience, the symptoms will get better. In many cases, insomnia can be permanently cured.

The home remedies do not require any training or expertise as such. You can do them on your own at your convenience. However, if you are taking yoga classes, you must practice them under the supervision of an experienced trainer.

He/ She can teach you the proper technique so that you do them correctly for beneficial results. If done incorrectly, you may sprain or injure yourself and that can become an added concern for you.