Melatonin for sleep

Melatonin is one of the natural sleep aids based on the hormone melatonin which is produced by the pineal gland in the brain that regulates sleep cycles and seasonal changes within the body. The hormone became very popular as a sort of “magic bullet” sleep aid a few years back, but less popular after its side effects including depression, weepiness, and headaches became known. It’s usually one of the major ingredients in natural sleep aids. If you do decide to try melatonin for sleep, use a very small dose (1 to 2 mg), not because high doses are dangerous but because they render subsequent doses of melatonin ineffective. Also, use only totally synthetic melatonin. You don’t want to use melatonin whose source is harvested pineal glands off slaughterhouse floors or concentrated organic melatonin from cow regurgitate — yuk! By the way, it’s illegal to feed cow-brain melatonin to your livestock — if you had any — because of regulations designed to curb mad cow disease. So if it is not good enough for your cows, it is probably not good enough for you.

Valerian Root

Valerian Root has a long history of use as a calmative and natural sleep aids. Patients find Valerian Root beneficial in treating mild cases of insomnia.  But Valerian Root can interact with some prescription medications, including antidepressants, anxiety drugs, and even some medications for insomnia. Be sure to let your doctor know if you’re taking this herb to prevent potential problems. In addition, Valerian Root may cause the following side effects: Headaches Indigestion or stomach ache Restlessness.

Chamomile tea

For centuries people have used chamomile tea as a natural sleep aids and to treat a variety of health complaints, sleeplessness among them. Germans are so fond of it they call it “alles zutraut,” meaning “capable of anything.” Chamomile tea reportedly helps to promote a deep sleep and produces a soothing feeling of relaxation and calmness. But before you run to the store, consider the following drawbacks: It causes contact dermatitis or other allergic reactions in susceptible individuals. It interferes with antiepileptic medications. If you’re on aspirin therapy or taking a blood-thinning medication like Coumadin, heparin, or warfarin, don’t take it. It can increase the risk of bleeding and hemorrhage when taken with these drugs. Many other herbs are touted as sleep remedies from time to time. Just be sure to check with your doctor before adding a new herb to your regimen to make sure it won’t conflict with something you’re already taking.