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Are there any natural sleep aids I can take?

Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Dec 3, 2014
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Melatonin is available over the counter and is also a substance that is made by the pineal gland in your brain. It helps regulate your day/night sleep wake cycle, making you feel sleepy kin the absence of light. Taking artificial melatonin can cause your own brain to decrease production of melatonin, making it hard to go to sleep naturally when you stop taking it. Herbs like valerian root, kava kava, and wild lettuce can have a calming, sedative effect on you, but different herbs can have different effects on the body. Consult with an experienced herbalist to better understand the pros and cons of taking different herbs. also know that many "natural" plant-based sleeping medicines sold over the counter contain numerous, sometimes contradictory herbs and other substances in their formulas. Again, consult with an herbalist about the effects and effectiveness of using compound sleep formulas. The words "organic" or "natural" on a label do not necessarily mean safe or effective. As with synthetic sleep medications, natural sleep aids lose effectiveness the longer you use them. They are best used as a temporary solution to get you through a difficult period of insomnia while you work on lifestyle changes and alter sleep habits so you can go to sleep and stay asleep without using substances.
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Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Nov 4, 2014
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There is possibly many, but a lot of people drink herbal tea and there are many kinds but one kind I know of is called Chamomile & it helps or you can get ones called Sleepy time.
Profile: Alex1618
Alex1618 on Nov 7, 2014
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Melatonin can be used as a natural sleeping aid although it is far more effective at beating jetlag.
Profile: Casieonskates
Casieonskates on Nov 7, 2014
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I've heard of people taking valerian root successfully. I've used lavender essential oil applied to the soles of my feet as well as in a diffuser by the bed, and I've found that to be helpful.
Profile: tranquilTree92
tranquilTree92 on Nov 9, 2014
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Lavender oil dabbed on a tissue that you can slip into your pillow case might help you to relax and help with falling asleep. Just make sure the oil isn't on material as it can stain :)
Profile: awhisperofreassurance
awhisperofreassurance on Nov 12, 2014
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Try herbal teas! Some can really assist the ease of sleeping. It's also not something you can take, but a humidifier can also help assist in sleeping.
Profile: AstridKingsley
AstridKingsley on Dec 7, 2014
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Yes! Melatonin is a natural hormonal sleep aid, which your body produces naturally. It's the hormone that's supposed to make you sleepy when it gets dark outside, but in our brightly lit electronic world it can become deficient, wrecking havoc on those of us who are already having trouble sleeping. I've actually been taking it periodically for about 4 years now. It works to restore your body's natural sleep cycle, and it's completely non-addictive and doesn't have any known side effects. It just helps you reset your body clock. It's not too expensive and is available at pretty much any store with a pharmacy section. Sometimes I even see it at supermarkets.
Profile: Arkelight
Arkelight on Dec 27, 2014
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It depends on what's preventing you from sleeping properly. One of the oldest yet most effective ways of which to help you sleep is exercise an hour or so before bed, if there's a psychological issue that's preventing you from sleeping then perhaps seeking CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) may be a good thing.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Dec 30, 2014
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Melatonin is a natural sleep aid. Melatonin is a hormone in your body that helps to decrease the time it takes to fall asleep.
Profile: GoldenWorld
GoldenWorld on Jan 8, 2015
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Melatonin will help you fall asleep faster and sleep longer and also regulates your internal body clock. Chamomile and Valerian tea also help you relax and sleep better by promoting GABA.
Profile: Samantharenee
Samantharenee on Sep 1, 2015
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Melatonin is a wonderful natural sleep aid. I currently take it and have no issues with sleep. Hope that helps!
Profile: naturelover55
naturelover55 on Apr 19, 2016
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to induce sleep try to take a warm glass of milk before bed ... it works. If you find trouble falling asleep this might work for you. Give it a try
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Jun 13, 2016
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A lot of teas work to help fall asleep, also little tricks like controlling your breath (4 counts inhaling, 7 counts holding your breath and 8 counts exhaling) will help you fall asleep
Profile: CountingMySpoons
CountingMySpoons on Sep 26, 2016
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Melatonin is a great sleep aid. Helps me a lot and you can get it over the counter at your nearest drug store etc.
Profile: lauradove
lauradove on Jan 31, 2017
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Chamomile tea is a great sleep aid! Also lavender is very relaxing and assists sleep. Rubbing some lavender balm on your chest or neck, or spraying a pillow with lavender scent is always a good way to go!
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Nov 14, 2017
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Yes, I've often heard that taking melatonin can help you sleep better. I haven't tried it myself but a few of my friends have, and it seems to help them.
Profile: Gilbird
Gilbird on Feb 23, 2021
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I used to struggle with severe insomnia that almost derailed my college experience. The natural sleep aid I used to aid myself when things were severe was: melatonin (self-dissolving melatonin 3mg pills, vary dosage as necessary but try to keep to a minimum). After ingesting the melatonin, please try to head to bed immediately. Do not look at any blue-light screens (phone, laptop, etc) after ingesting the melatonin. Lie down and let yourself drift. From my personal experience, I have found the most helpful activities to be: 1. Exercise (get yourself tired by the end of the day) 2. Once it is past 8 PM, sleep the moment you are tired. Do not hesitate. (You want to get yourself on a normal Circadian cycle) 3. Limit naps to at most 90 minutes 4. Dark environment 5. Foam Earplugs 6. Running a fan in the background helps 7. Cool room temperature 8. Relax. Don't be too hard on yourself if you can't drift off immediately. Good luck. I hope my tips are of some use. Please take care, and I wish you many nights of deep sleep and sweet dreams!
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Apr 5, 2021
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Yes! I know about some things that will help to sleep naturally. Please remember to check with your doctor before you try any of these. Essential oils are one. Lavender is a good oil to help sleep. You can put lavender into a diffuser. They are $14 on Amazon. You can also get lavender to put on your skin. Another option is listening to sleep music or binaural music to help calm yourself mentally. Some crystals that will help sleep are Amethyst, Angelite, and Selenite. Crystals have energy that helps relax. You may need to watch a few videos on them, but they work wonders. Meditation helps, I enjoy meditating to help sleep and relax my mind. Hypnosis is similar to meditation. But it requires less work. You can get apps that have hypnosis on them. All you have to do is press play and it will help you relax. I hope this helped!
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