Insomnia

Natural Supplements for the Sleepless

    When the body is out of balance your sleep patterns may be affected.  Following is a list of common health problems that cause insomnia and some potential natural remedies. 

1)  Nervous Tension

Nervine herbs promote relaxation and relax muscle tension and can also help to release those "uptight" feelings and promote sleep.

    Herbal Sleep (Hops, valerian and passion flower) helps a person relax when sleep won't come because of nervous tension.  Valerian is a powerful muscle relaxant and sleep aid, (but may react "backwards" in some people, producing a stimulating effect).  Hops also has a soporific (sleep-inducing effect) because it acts as a mild central nervous system depressant.  It helps reduce irritability and restlessness.

    Possibly the best relaxing nervine is Kava Kava.  It has a powerful muscle-relaxing action, and promotes a general feeling of well-being.  Kava Kava doesn't calm the mind, so if you can't sleep because of restless thoughts it won't help.

    Anxiety may also produce insomnia.  If you have "panic attacks," cardiac stress (high blood pressure, rapid or irregular heartbeat), chronic nervousness or tension headaches coupled with insomnia, then anxiety may be the cause.  In this case, nutrients such as Vitamin C, B-Complex, Calcium and Magnesium can help.  

Stress/Depression Products and Protocol
Derived from St. John’s Wort and Ginseng with Valerian, Evening Primrose, Kava Kava and other major herbal remedies. Non-habit forming. ExStress users have expressed feelings of wellness, relaxation, happiness and ease under stressful situations.

ExStress (STR-525) 6 drops to 3 ounces of water 3 times per day.
Liquid Needle Brown Label Topical (B111) on your 8 points 3 times per day.
One week later, ExStress Body Soak (105-EXT).

2) Liver Toxicity

    Liver toxicity, or an excess of heat or "yang" energy in the liver, is a common cause of insomnia.  This creates a behavior where a person gets energized in the evening and can't relax and go to sleep.  In the morning, the individual feels "groggy" and often has a difficult time getting out of bed.  Headaches and PMS are common with this profile.  

Liver Cleanse Products and Protocol
Excellent for cleansing and revitalizing. Engages the body’s own natural diuretic action.

KBL-514EX 6-9 drops to 3 ounces water 3 times per day for 8 weeks.
After 4 days - LVR-604EX 1 teaspoon in 1 ounce water 2 times per day for the rest of the 8 weeks.
Also start LVR-105 Body Soak - Two times at 4 ounces, 30 minutes every other night. Then 8 ounces for 3 times per week until 2 quarts are used up. If bath water is still dark, continue the regimen for another two weeks.

Order Liver Cleansing Regime Pak

3) Adrenal Exhaustion

    When a person is able to go to sleep, but their sleep is disturbed by frequent tossing and turning, restless dreams, waking often needing to urinate, or waking up after a few hours and being unable to get back to sleep, the problem may be exhausted adrenals.  These people are often tired during the day, but unable to sleep peacefully at night.  Other symptoms of adrenal exhaustion include: dark circles under the eyes, quivering tongue, pulsing pupils, mental confusion and being excessively emotionally sensitive.

    It is very important to avoid both caffeine and refined sugar with this type of insomnia.  A small snack of a high protein food like jerky, cottage cheese or nut butter at bedtime can help to stabilize blood sugar levels during sleep and improve the quality of rest.

4) Serotonin and Depression

    Depression may also disturb sleep patterns.  Current research suggests that depression affects neurotransmitters and hormones in the brain.  The brain has to produce certain chemicals in order to induce sleep, specifically melatonin and serotonin.

    Serotonin, a neurotransmitter, not only induces sleep, it also regulates pain, depression, mood and appetite.  Serotonin is produced from the amino acid tryptophan along with vitamin B-6 and zinc.  Since serotonin levels are directly influenced by tryptophan levels in the brain, increased intake of tryptophan can help induce sleep.  5-HTP Power provides tryptophan (in the form of 5-HTP or Hydroxytryptophan), zinc and B-6, thus helping to increase serotonin synthesis.  This makes it helpful for insomnia, anxiety, depression and excessive appetite for sweets.  5-HTP Power also contains Siberian ginseng, ashwagan-da and suma, three adaptagenic herbs that help to normalize the body's responses to stress.

    Diet also influences serotonin production (see Food and Mood a bottom of page).  Try eating protein for breakfast and a lighter meal of mostly complex carbohydrates (whole grains and vegetables) for dinner.

    An excellent remedy for insomnia associated with depression is Chinese Mood Elevator.  Indications for this effective Chinese anti-depressant combination include: hypersensitivity, nervousness, tension, red tongue with yellow coating, and a heavy or dizzy feeling in the head.  This all-natural herbal formula has proven beneficial as an alternative to many popular anti-depressant drugs. 

    St. John's Wort has also been used for generations as a natural mood enhancer.  It has been so popular in Europe for the last 15 years that in Germany it is the leading prescription for depression and is prescribed 25 times more than Prozac.  St. John's Wort may help to improve memory, other mental activities and quality of sleep without impairing attention, concentration and reaction times the way drugs do.

References
Consumer's Guide to NSP Products, Steven H. Horne & L. Carl Robinson,© 1999.

NOTE: This information is for educational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose and treat diseases.  If you have a health problem we recommend you consult a competent health practitioner before embarking on any course of treatment.

Food and Mood

    Low serotonin levels, which are implicated in both insomnia and depression, trigger an increase in our cravings for carbohydrates.  Hence, people who crave sweets may be low in serotonin.  The problem is that this craving is often satisfied with refined carbohydrates (sugar and white flour products) which cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels followed by a dramatic "let-down," creating the need for more sweets for another "fix."  Complex carbohydrates (whole grains and naturally sweet foods like fruit) produce a more stable blood profile, helping to increase serotonin levels while keeping blood sugar levels and mood stable.