Erase Your Sleep-less Concerns

Insomnia is an epidemic afflicting the majority of the population at some time or another. It affects our mood and impairs physical and mental performance.

For some, the mere thought of not being able to get to sleep gives them insomnia. For others, sleeplessness is a debilitating symptom of wider conditions like depression, stress, anxiety, chronic pain or the menopause. Sleep deprived new parents often struggle with the pressures of looking after a baby who keeps them awake night after night. It’s difficult to get things done when you’re physically and emotionally exhausted.

We know that there are different levels of sleep and that REM sleep, or the ‘rapid eye movement’ state in which we dream, is important for our mental health. Sleep deprivation is a recognised form of torture as well as a fast route to madness.

Insomnia is both the cause and effect of many common maladies of modern life. Lack of sleep can be a trigger for emotional breakdown as well as causing accidents and impairing performance. As a symptom it exacerbates the associated condition, perpetuating the downward spiral of, for example, depression or anxiety.

Sometimes, insomnia is simply the result of a broken routine. There are lots of common external factors. There are as many cures as there are causes of insomnia and it can often be overcome without resorting to medication. But it is still important to see a doctor to ensure there are no underlying health issues to be dealt with.

Hypnotherapy is often seen as a last resort after all else fails when, in fact, just going through the process of learning self-hypnosis is a big step in the right direction. As we fall asleep and wake up we enter ‘hypnogogic’ and ‘hypnopompic’ states of hypnosis quite naturally. These are brief phases where brain function changes during the transition into deeper sleep states.

Once in hypnosis, subconscious patterns of disrupted or disturbed sleep behaviour can be adjusted with the help of a good practitioner to suit the lifestyle and expectations of the most long-suffering insomniac.

The key to success, whatever method used to bring and end to the distress of sleepless nights, is to find a practitioner who will assess individual circumstances and treat accordingly rather than offer an arbitrary catch-all remedy. It is important to bear in mind that, even after putting up with the misery of sleep loss for years, it’s never to late to do something about it.

There are a number of practical ‘sleep hygiene’ measures which help re-establish a healthy pattern.

Set a schedule: Go to bed at a set time each night and get up at the same time each morning. Disrupting this schedule may lead to insomnia. Don’t have a lie-in at the weekends. You’ll be tired on Morning.

Exercise:

Try to exercise 20 to 30 minutes a day. Daily exercise often helps people sleep, although a workout soon before bedtime may interfere with sleep. For maximum benefit, exercise about 5 to 6 hours before going to bed.

Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol:

Avoid drinks that contain caffeine, which acts as a stimulant and keeps people awake. Stimulants like caffeine can be found in certain food, drinks and prescription or over the counter drugs. Smokers tend to sleep very lightly and often wake up in the early morning due to nicotine withdrawal. Booze impairs the quality of sleep.

Relax before bed:

A warm bath, reading, or another relaxing routine can make it easier to fall sleep. You can train yourself to associate certain restful activities with sleep and make them part of your bedtime ritual.

Sleep until sunlight:

If possible, wake up with the sun, or use very bright lights in the morning. Sunlight helps the body’s internal biological clock reset itself each day.

Don’t lie in bed worrying: The anxiety of being unable to fall asleep can actually contribute to insomnia. Distract yourself with a book until you feel sleepy.

Control your room temperature: Maintain a comfortable temperature in the bedroom. Extreme temperatures may disrupt sleep or prevent you from falling asleep.

Replace an uncomfortable or old bed:

Saggy, lumpy beds can aggravate back pain as well as keeping you awake.

Block out noise:

Wear ear plugs if you live in a noisy street, flight path or your partner snores.

Turn it off:

Keep televisions and computer games and out of the bedroom if you want to unwind.

Herbal solution:

If you have trouble falling asleep night after night, use a herbal remedy to break the cycle.

See your doctor:

You may be ill if you’re always tired. Tiredness can be an early symptom of a variety of illnesses.

Learn self hypnosis:

A good hypnotherapist will teach you a variety of relaxation techniques to enable you, with practice, to fall asleep quickly and sleep soundly through the night. They will also help you cope which any contributory factors like stress or anxiety.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/your-eyes-are-getting-heavier-596843.html

A total 41% of American workers interviewed reported an increase in work stress on their jobs compared to a year earlier.   Another poll taken among Americans showed that more than one half of the respondents (58%) reported having experienced insomnia at least a few nights a week.   This is a trend in American health, where we are seeing many common psychological problems such as stress and insomnia moving to an epidemic stage (epidemic means 1 in 4 have the ailment).

Why have these psychological problems reached epidemic numbers?   There are many reasons for stress, insomnia, restlessness and anxiety, such as significant personal events, like losing a job, marital problems, money worries and generally worrying.   Other causes can include physical illness that causes pain, depression, shift work, caffeine or alcohol consumption, and medication side-effects.   Each one is a drain on your nutritional support system, this is a scientific fact.

The drain on your nutritional support system is the common thread here which runs through all of these problems.   What do I mean when I say drain on your nutritional support system?   I mean that each one of those problems burns up large amounts of your B vitamins and minerals.   Those B vitamins and minerals are your nutritional support and if they get low the problems you are experiencing will seem to grow in number and severity.  

That nutritional support system is the foundation from which you handle everyday problems.   When that foundation is supporting you; you feel more confident and you handle your everyday troubles and crises with ease and consideration.   If you are not supported, you may handle the problem, but you feel the physical and emotional drain on your body and mind.   Then where is the next problem/crises coming from; this is the modern world with plenty of them to spare, you need support.     

Are you experiencing some of the symptoms of a drained nutritional support system, stress, anxiety, insomnia or restlessness?   Well do not expect your body to run trouble free without replacing the nutrition in that system.   Not replenishing that system is like expecting your car to run without oil.   Look below at the different B vitamins and see the symptoms you can acquire due to their deficiencies, all scientifically proven.

Why can’t we just get our vitamins from our diet?   You just have to look around you to see the evidence that the majority of Americans have no idea what a good diet is (see article “America Is Number One, The Fattest Industrialized Country In The World”).   At every turn in our society we are, in fact, encouraged to eat foods that have almost no nutritional value by the media.   Most markets do not offer us much of a choice.  The food is refined, irradiated or poorly grown at the farm; all three destroying the nutritional value of the food.   The very people who are supposed to protect our health instead defend the manufacturer and spin the information so much they are confusing.   They even make laws to stop anyone from saying that to eat certain whole foods might prevent or cure you of many diseases, even though it is true.

I have been involved with naturopathic medicine and nutrition for over 20 years and I find it difficult to find whole foods that are truly nutritional in any market or restaurant.   The odds are stacked against you having any better luck than I do.   So I supplement to make sure that I keep a balance of B vitamins and minerals beyond what I eat and I suggest you do the same thing.   Why allow yourself and your family to be caught up in the same health crisis you see everywhere today.

Important Note: Basic law of nature and another scientific fact (see article, “The Truth About Vitamins”), if your B Stress formula is not from food you cannot absorb it!   It is a big basic law of nature; we depend on plants for our nutrition.   If your vitamin supplement does not say the words somewhere on the label “Whole Food Vitamins”, “Made From Whole Foods” or “Food Vitamins”.   Do not waste your money on it because it is synthetic and you cannot absorb it.

Below Are What Your Stress B Vitamin Supplement Should Contain In A Whole Food Form.   Plus, The Problems A Deficiency Of Each Vitamin And Mineral Can Cause.

Vitamin A
Essential, either directly or indirectly, for the proper functioning of most organs of the body” and may prevent stress-induced immunological disorders.

Vitamin C
If, you are not getting enough vitamin C you may be tired, you may bruise easily, and you may just feel generally ill.

Thiamin B-1
Thiamin supplements have been shown to improve mood and mental function and to relieve stress and muscle tension.

Riboflavin B-2
People today have an increased need for Vitamin B-2 (Riboflavin) in stressful situations and it is the most common of vitamin deficiencies.   Highly beneficial, for anxiety, stress, and fatigue.

Niacinamide B-3 (called the happy vitamin)
A, deficiency of this vitamin can cause depression.   Left untreated, it can lead to psychosis and dementia.   Symptoms of a deficiency include agitation, anxiety, and mental lethargy.

Vitamin B-6
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) levels are typically quite low in depressed patients, especially women taking birth-control pills or other forms of estrogens.

Folate
Depression is the most common symptom of a folic acid deficiency.   Other symptoms of folic acid deficiency are: fatigue, apathy, and dementia.

B-12
Recent studies have shown that there is a definite benefit to be gained by giving vitamin B12 to patients suffering from depression, fatigue and mental illnesses of other kinds. Even a slight deficiency of B12 is found to produce marked symptoms.

Pantothenate
Low levels can lead to sleep disturbances headaches, gastrointestinal distress and fatigue.

Biotin
Necessary for cell growth, the production of fatty acids and the metabolism of fats and amino acids.   It plays a role in the Citric acid cycle, which is the process by which biochemical energy is generated.

Magnesium
Dr. Bernard Jensen wrote, “Magnesia, an inorganic substance,…is actually a combination of oxygen and magnesium….Man must have the biochemic (organic) form—food magnesium—rather than the inorganic form…The patient who is highly nervous, excitable, overly emotional and erratic in actions needs magnesium as a sedative”.

Zinc
A deficiency of zinc will depress the immune system and leave you at higher risk of infection.

Potassium
Deficiencies of potassium can lead to behavioral disturbances

Choline
The supplement is touted as beneficial for mood, mental acuity and heart health.

Inositol
Studies have found that it also may help patients who suffer from depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PABA
Deficiency symptoms include fatigue, irritability, depression, nervousness, headache, constipation, and other digestive disorders.

Example Of A Nutritional Herbal Formula For Stress, Insomnia, Restlessness, And Anxiety.   Also Helps Maintain Your Nutritional Support System, Can Be Taken With B Stress Supplements.

In wild crafted or organic form this herbal formula is nourishing, tranquilizing and anti-spasmodic in action.   It is designed to encourage composure while reducing anxiety, tension and stress.   It is intended to help calm down, rest, relax, sedate and relieve nervous tension and muscle spasm.   Listed below are each of the herbs and their benefits and safety.

Important Note: If your herbal supplement does not say that it is organic or wild crafted then it could be grown anywhere under less then healthy conditions.   This is one area where the government rigorously enforces the law and so does the herbal industry.

The information given here is based on thousands of years of traditional safe use.

Black Cohosh root
Used as a tonic for the central nervous system and is regarded as a nervine.   It is an excellent, safe sedative for nervous disorders, and is put in many nerve combinations.

Valerian root
Used for over a 1000 years to calm all kinds of nervous disorders.   In centuries past it was taken as often as coffee in Europe.   Called “Nature’s Tranquilizer”; because it calms the nerves without the side effects of comparable orthodox drugs. 

Blue Cohosh root
Blue Cohosh may be used in cases where an anti-spasmodic is called for and it can also calm frazzled nerves and relieve anxiety.  

Wild Yam root
Wild yam acts as a sedative on the nerves governing muscles which relax the stomach walls and abdominal area.   Wild yam is very relaxing and soothing to the nerves of people who suffer from anxiety.

Hops flower
Am excellent nerve tonic that is fast acting where insomnia and nightmares are a problem.   Hops are an excellent food source of B 3 known as the happy vitamin.

Passion Flower herb
Used to soothe the nervous system without the side effects of depression or disorientation.   Encourages deep restful sleep without morning hangover effects. 

Skullcap herb
Relaxes nervous tension, induces calm and counteracts sleeplessness.   Has shown itself to be excellent for breaking addictions and easing problems associated with drug withdrawal.

Lobelia herb & seed
Known, to be a power ful physical relaxant, affecting the nervous system.   It is considered one of the strongest and safest relaxants in the herbal kingdom.

Chamomile flower
Is best known as a soothing digestive tonic which is sedative in nature and used for calming the nerves and inducing sleep.

Wood Betony herb
Is calming to the nerves, sooths tension, tones stomach and a remedy for chronic headaches.

Suggested Guidelines: Not recommended if pregnant, nursing, or if currently taking prescription or over the counter medications.   Consult with a qualified healthcare professional if condition persists or increases.

 

Article Source: http://paulblake.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/the-naturopathic-way-to-combat-insomnia-stress-restlessness-and-anxiety-plus-many-other-common-psychological-problems-770440.html

Herbs have used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and in herbalism. Herbs have been known to treat a variety of symptoms and diseases. Stress is the number one most serious health problem in America today. Due to the change in the majority of jobs from physical to mental aptitude its no wonder why Americans are so stressed out. In addition, the society is on the go 24/7 leaving no time for people to relax, rest or shut off their brains. Not to mention that the pressure and mounting economic problems that we are facing in this day in age is one for the record books. With all this stress we become physically, emotionally and mentally unbalanced. To maintain, restore and prevent further chronic stressful influence on our mind and body, herbs are the perfect remedy to balance the body’s nervous system.

Herbs can be categorized in three types adaptogen, tonic, and nervine herbs. Adaptogenic herbs help the body adapt to stress through balancing the nervous system. Tonic herbs strengthen the organs and bodies system to prepare for stress. Tonic nerves are able to increase or decrease the activity of the bodily processes in a specific system.Nervine herbs heal the damage caused by stress and combat further stressful influence. Nervine herbs can be distinguished as a sedative to relax and calm the nerves or as a stimulant to perk up energy. Most herbs fit into more than one category or type of herb giving it increased ability to relieve, reduce and alleviate symptoms, illnesses and disease.

Due to the fact that herbs generally correlate to specific areas or systems of the body, there are a large number of herbs that can relieve stress and anxiety. Here you can find a few of these herbs and how they affect the body.

ADAPTOGEN:

Ginseng- There are several kinds of ginseng however three can be helpful at reducing stress, Siberian, Korean or Panax and Indian or Ashwagandha ginseng are all good at normalizing the body in times of stress. Ginseng is an adaptogen and a tonic, which protects the body against stress. Ginseng regulates the circulatory and immune systems, which help to support the body in times of stress. Ginseng is a popular herbal supplement for athletes because it improves performance, increases stamina, improves recovery time and boosts ones immunity.

Maitake- Maitake is a mushroom that grows in clusters at the base of trees. It has been used in Chinese medicine as an adaptogen to enhance the immune system. Research has also indicated that it can be used to regulate blood pressure, glucose, insulin, and both serum and liver lipids, such as cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids, and may also be useful for weight loss.

Gotu Kola- Gotu Kola has a triple effect as an adaptogen, tonic and nervine herb. Gotu Kola rejuvenates the skin by stimulating repair, growth and strengthening. It also helps with stress coping and reducing anxiety. Gotu Kola improves concentration and memory.

Wild Yam- The Wild Yam is an adaptogen and nervine, which targets the muscles and skeletal system. It acts as a muscle relaxer to reduce inflammation. It also is toted as an antispasmodic, antiheumatic, hepatic, diaphoretic, and reduces nausea during pregnancy.

Licorice Root- Licorice root is an adaptogen and tonic for the respiratory and immune systems. Licorice root helps regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. It helps the body to handle stress by normalizing blood sugar levels as well as adrenal glands, and stimulates cranial and cerebrospinal fluid. Licorice root boosts energy, calms the mind and is soothing to the body.

TONIC:

Red Clover- Red clover is a digestive tonic and a skin nervine herb. Red clover contains a natural plant estrogen called phytoestrogen. Phytoestrogens maintain proper skin and bone health. If ingested it cleanses the blood and detoxifies the tissues. Additional estrogen in the body can alleviate high stress symptoms and reduce cholesterol.

Chamomile- Chamomile is a digestive tonic and sedative nervine herb. It was originally used to reduce fevers. Now it has been proven to be one of the safest herbs on the market for relaxation and calming effects. Chamomile has a restorative effect on the body by enhancing the metabolism, treating a nervous stomach and depressing the central nervous system. As a tranquilizer, chamomile enhances sleep and feelings of relaxation. Its properties include anti-inflammatory, anti anxiety, antihistamine, antioxidant and antispasmodic.

St. John’s Wort- St. John’s wort is a stimulating tonic herb. It also is a functional nervine with respect to the integumentary system. St. John’s wort specifically helps the pituitary gland, which regulates the secretion of six hormones that regulate homeostasis. St. John’s wort helps to break down excess quantities of the stress hormone norepinephrine that get excreted into the bloodstream during stressful situations. In this way it helps to treat stress, anxiety, depressive disorders and mental disorders.

Skullcap- Skullcap is a tonic and nervine herb that can be used for relaxation without a sedative effect. Skullcap is the best nourishing tonic for the nervous system. It strengthens and supports the nervous system. It slows down the nerves to calm and sooth the body and brain. Skullcap is great for muscles spasms, headaches, agitation, anxiety, insomnia, hysteria, exhaustion, depression and nervous tension. As an anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic it decreases fevers, enhances digestion, and stimulates liver function.

Motherwort- Motherwort works on the circulatory, respiratory, reproductive, and nervous systems as a tonic and nervine herb. Motherwort stimulates circulation to strengthen the heart. It quiets the nerves, promotes relaxation, and relieves stress.

Lemon Balm- Lemon balm is a sedative nervine and tonic herb that calms and regulates the nervous system. By inhaling the aroma of lemon balm you will reduce your blood pressure, calm palpitations, reduce rapid breathing, decrease digestive spasms, eliminate nausea and indigestion, relieve migraines and combat fever. It relieves anxiety, dispels sadness, and uplifts the spirit. Lemon balm also has antibacterial, antiviral and antihistamine characteristics.

NERVINE:

Kava Kava- Kava Kava is a nervine herb from Melanesia. Kava Kava treats anxiety and depression, relieves stress and insomnia. It also doubles as a powerful muscle relaxer, tranquilizer and analgesic, although it is not addictive. Kava Kava works subtly to relax the entire body.

Hops- Hops is a nervine herb that acts as a sedative. Its has a calming and relaxing effect on the Central nervous system to ease restless tension, irritability, nervous system disorders, indigestion, and insomnia.

Passion Flower- Passion flower has a mild tranquilized effect as a sedative nervine herb. It relaxes blood vessel spasms, decreases migraines, promotes sleep, treats anxiety, insomnia, depression, and nervousness. Passion flower has a calming effect without feeling like one is sedated. This herb calms the body and also is effective as a painkiller.

Lavender- Lavender is known to be the most calming herb today. Just smelling this herb can relax the mind and body by reducing irritability, anxiety, stress and tension. Lavender is a nervine herb with powerful sedative capabilities to promote relaxation, enhance sleep, balance hormones, relax muscles, and stimulate the immune system. It also has healing benefits as a digestive aid. Lavender decreases the stress hormone cortisol levels to slow the brain waves, which reduces stress, nervousness, agitation and promotes a sense of calm.

Valerian- Valerian is a sedative nervine used to relax the nervous system. Its ingredients are comparable to prescription grade sedatives given out by physicians. Valerian decreases stress levels, alleviates anxiety, improves sleep, calms nerves, and decreases tension and irritability. Valerian is ideal for those who also suffer from nervous muscle spasm.

Oats (Avena Sativa)- Oats or wild oats are a functional nervine that nourishes the nervous system. This herb can alleviate mild depression, balance sugar levels, help nervous exhaustion and weakness and relieves stress. As an anti-inflammatory and high in mineral content, oats sooth inflamed skin and strengthen the nervous system.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/mental-health-articles/herbs-that-can-reduce-stress-anxiety-tension-4039427.html