Chinese Medicine and Insomnia

Chinese medicine has been in constant practice for over 5,000 years. It has withstood the test of time. Western medical practitioners have only recently been even remotely interested in the concepts of Chinese medicine, but they are beginning to recognize it now as viable medicine.

According to Chinese medicine, insomnia is caused by an imbalance of yin and yang that stems from the liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs, or heart. All of these organs are dependent upon one another, so all of them are suspected of causing the problem of insomnia. The organ that Chinese medicine concentrates on first is the liver. The liver, they say, filters all of the blood in our bodies between the hours of 1 AM and 3 AM. A weak liver many times is listed as the cause for insomnia.

Chinese medicine recommends taking Chinese Bitters in the morning and Coptis or Curcuma at night for people who have insomnia. They say that these natural herbs are helpful in improving the quality as well as the quantity of sleep for most people.

Depression brought on by stress destroys the balance of yin and yang and disrupts Qi. Stress causes the liver to weaken. Also those who have a damaged gall bladder or who have had their gall bladder remove are in danger of weakening their liver. Chinese Bitters and Coptis or Curcuma can help with these conditions as well.

Restoring Qi and the balance of yin and yang are essential for a good night's sleep. All of the organs must be in harmony, and the liver must be functioning at its top form because it must work harder at night. By taking the herbs Chinese Bitters and Coptis or Curcuma, you can restore the balance of yin and yang and cause your liver to function as it should.

Autor: Jeff Austin

For more important information on getting a good night's sleep be sure to visit www.sleep-good.com where you will find advice and tips on insomnia restless leg, sleep apnea, snoring, and more

Added: June 24, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/Chinese-Medicine-and-In~

Natural Cure for Insomnia that Works

A difficulty in falling asleep and maintaining good sleep is how doctors describe insomnia. It is a symptom, not a disease or a diagnosis. The average person will experience insomnia once in their lifetime with up to 50 percent of people in the world suffering from it at one time or another for more than a few nights.

Many people do not like to take medications to help them sleep and look towards a more natural cure for insomnia. There are many things you can do to promote sleep, alleviate stress and reduce stimulation, the two major causes of insomnia.

One tried and true natural cure for insomnia is to drink warm milk before bed time. An alternative to milk is a few teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water or straight up. You could even eat a very light carbohydrate snack. 5-HTP delivered from tryptophan such as that found in turkey, is an amino acid that will help you fall asleep. 5-HTP boosts levels of serotonin, a brain chemical that helps to regulate sleep. Other foods that might contribute to a good nights sleep are starchy foods such as grains, potatoes, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice and oatmeal. However, you do not want to go to bed on a full stomach. These items should be eaten in moderation, as a light snack before bed. All of these methods should help you to gain a good night sleep and help you feel rested in the morning.

Don"t like milk? Drink herbal teas like passionflower, skullcap, lavender, valerian, California poppy, St. Johns Wart, hops and chamomile which all have sedative properties that can help your mind and body ready itself for sleep. Most can be found at health food stores and should be sipped about an hour before turning in at night.

Getting enough vitamins is another essential ingredient to a natural cure for insomnia. Several different B vitamins have been shown to reduce insomnia so a B complex vitamin would be a good choice taken daily would help with your insomnia. Other vitamins include magnesium, zinc and calcium has long been known to calm the nervous system which will help you fall asleep.

Melatonin is a natural occurring, sleep inducing hormone in the brain. Although some people may lack the ability to produce this and that may be a cause of their insomnia. Scientists have discovered a way to duplicate this naturally and without any side effects, it is a natural cure for insomnia. The recommended dosage is between 0.3 to 3 milligrams per night.

Some people believe in magnetic therapy and sleep with negative magnets on a magnetic pad either all over their bed or around their head. However, it can be difficult to calibrate the exact amount of magnets, the strength and the positioning needed to help be a natural cure for insomnia.

Avoiding caffeine after 2 pm and exercising early in the day are good advice and will help work together with the above suggestions for a natural cure for insomnia.


Autor: Paul Haughney

Paul Hockney suffered from Insomnia for many years. Having researched Insomnia Treatment he eventually found a cure that worked. Find Free Advice and Natural Sleep Aid reviews from Paul at http://www.HelpSleepProblems.com

Added: June 21, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/Natural-Cure-for-Insomn~

Natural Sleep Aids Uncovered

There are many natural sleep aids that will help you if you have insomnia which is a chronic inability to sleep over a long period of time.

Herbs
Herbal remedies are on the rise and one in particular, valerian has long been used as a natural sleep aid to cure insomnia. Italy, France, Switzerland, Belgium and Germany all sell this natural herb over the counter.

Exactly how valerian works in the system is a mystery to doctors but they know it works. Some studies propose that it works like other sleep aides in that it affects the calming neurotransmitter, GABA.

Valerian is not addictive like some pharmaceuticals nor does it cause grogginess. It is, however, not without side affects; dizziness, headaches, indigestion and heart palpitations can all occur while taking valerian. And valerian can not be taken with any other medications, particularly sedatives that depress the middle nervous structure.

The human body naturally produces a hormone called Melatonin. The pineal gland makes serotonin in the brain and then it is transformed into melatonin when it is restricted from light.

People with schizophrenia, depression or any serious illness, such as an autoimmune disease should not take melatonin.

An anti-anxiety herb, Kava could be helpful for anxiety related insomnia. Conversely, the FDA - Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to consumers who use any type of products with Kava as a main ingredient because it can cause severe liver damage. There have been cases of severe liver damage in other countries but not here in the US.

Aroma therapy
The sent of many different flowers and essential oils have long been thought to bring about sleep in those who find it difficult to fall and stay asleep. Lavender is one of the most widely used aroma therapy oils for insomnia. Other oils that seem to help are ylang ylang and chamomile.

Acupuncture
A study by the University of Pittsburg suggested that the use of acupuncture maybe an effective cure for insomnia. The study showed that five weeks of acupuncture increased the production of melatonin in the brain during the evening hours and helped the patients fall asleep better.

Exercise
The lack of exercise can contribute to insomnia; however when you exercise can also have become a factor for lack of sleep. Exercising in the morning will help you to feel better throughout the day and help you sleep better at night. Exercising to close to bed time will increase your adrenaline and you will have trouble with your sleep.

Relaxation
Falling asleep faster and staying asleep longer, relaxation techniques are one of the best ways to get a good night sleep.

Visualization
this involves a relaxing scene your mind creates. You must be in bed and try to engross all your senses. Most people pick a tropical island and imagine the sand, sun, the water and just a relaxing time. You can smell the sea water and feel the spray of the ocean on your face. This is a good visualization and will help you relax.


Autor: Paul Haughney

Paul Hockney suffered from Insomnia for many years. Having researched Natural Sleep Aids he eventually found a cure that worked. Find Free Advice and Natural Sleep Aid reviews from Paul at http://www.HelpSleepProblems.com

Added: June 19, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/Natural-Sleep-Aids-Unco~

How To Naturally Cure Insomnia

Late at night, you go to bed. You closed your eyes but can't seem to fall asleep. You might even try counting sheep, but to no avail. And your mind keeps on working, you keep on thinking on a lot of things. Looking at the clock, you noticed that hours had passed but your still awake.

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, in 2007, that at least 20 million feel the same thing, experiencing occasional sleeping problems. What is commonly referred to as Insomnia has actually three types: transient insomnia which lasts from days to weeks; acute insomnia lasting for about 3 weeks to 6 months; and chronic insomnia which lasts for years.

Although the situation mentioned above is more common, called as onset insomnia, there are 3 other insomnia patterns. One is known as Middle insomnia, referring to the difficulty of falling asleep when waking in the middle of the night. Waking too early in the morning is another type of insomnia called as terminal insomnia. Another type of insomnia is called middle-of-the-night insomnia which cover both terminal and middle insomnia.

There are a lot of causes for insomnia. A common cause of insomnia would probably be a disease or disorder the person is under. Stress might also make it hard for a person to sleep; so as fear, anxiety or any mental or emotional problems that the person is experiencing. Hormonal shifts also causes insomnia, as well as the disruption to a person's sleeping pattern such as a change of shift at work.

Although most people would prefer taking pills and proceed into medication to aid them in their sleep, there are also alternative and natural ways of dealing with insomnia. One very familiar and common way of making it easier to sleep is by drinking warm milk before heading to sleep. Now some might be skeptical about this, but milk is basically been used for a long time to aid sleep. There is a scientific explanation to this. Milk contains the amino acid tryptophan which acts like a mild tranquilizer.

Some also noted that its easier to sleep when you exercise hard before going to bed. This one makes sense since your body will be pretty tired and must need to rest after exercising vigorously thus makes you more inclined to sleep. Some methods of getting sleep faster is avoiding mentally engaging activities as well as exposing your eyes to light before going to sleep. Of course by avoiding mentally engaging activities, you are not "starting up" your brain's engines.

Another method used for a long time, is by using aromatherapy and taking a warm bath. The key to this is making the body relaxed, free from discomforts, and more inclined to sleep. Using lavender oils, or any other relaxing oils is just fine. A good way of doing this is by taking a warm bath before sleep. You can add you're favorite aromatherapy product, coupled with the essential oil while listening to relaxing music of your choice.

Autor: Elizabeth Boardman

The San Francisco Bath Salt Company's slogan is "Relaxing The World One Bath at a Time". We specialize in luxury bath salts for skincare and relaxation with the overall goal of improving health through bathing. Our website is a powerful resource of information about bathing and contains many more articles and our daily bathing blog. for more information visit http://www.sfbsc.com or to visit our complete resource section on bathing goto http://www.sfbsc.com/resource-center

Added: June 13, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/How-To-Naturally-Cure-I~

Insomnia Problems - Find Out EverythingYou Need To Know

Looking for some good insomnia information? Want to get those insomnia problems under control once and for all? Well then, you're in the right place, as you're about to learn some important facts about insomnia; including highly effective natural insomnia remedies.

Insomnia Causes

Insomnia can be caused by numerous things, most of which you wouldn't even think twice about. Some of the most common causes of insomnia are: uncomfortable environment (noise, room temperature, bed firmness, quantity of fresh air), work shift changes, stress, underlying illnesses, withdrawal from drugs and/or medications, depression, and a whole lot more. In today's world, it seems almost anything can lead to insomnia.

Insomnia Symptoms

There isn't a great deal of reliable insomnia information when it comes to identifying the symptoms of insomnia. Why not? Because insomnia symptoms are so incredibly similar to that of other disorders that it's quite difficult to accurately diagnose. However, here are a few of the more common insomnia symptoms that you'll likely notice:

- Exhaustion: A sincere feeling of not wanting to do anything. Everything seems to drain you of energy; be it getting up to go to the bathroom or just finishing the days work.

- Poor Memory: You have a brief recollection of events, but nothing remotely specific can come to mind.

- Poor Motor Skills: Speech, reaction time, critical thinking, you name it, it is all severely impaired. You can complete basic tasks and you might even be able to have a short conversation or two, but anything else is just too much for you to handle.

- Irritability: Everything annoys you. No matter who you're dealing with or what you're doing, you are annoyed.

Natural Remedies to Improve Insomnia Problems

When it comes to insomnia information, there is nothing more helpful than natural remedies for insomnia. Because of that fact, a few insomnia natural remedies have been listed below.

- Sleep in complete darkness. A dark room enables our bodies to produce a hormone called melatonin. Melatonin helps us to sleep more peacefully with fewer interruptions. Afraid of the dark? Get a small night light.

- Drink herbal tea before bed. A cub of herbal tea, which has strong relaxing and calming properties, right before bed will help out a great deal with your sleeping habits. Great herbal teas with sedative properties include passion flower, chamomile, valerian, and many others.

- Take a warm bath. A warm bath combined with natural oils (chamomile, lavender, marjoram, neroli, rose, jasmine, etc.) can be both soothing and calming, allowing you to achieve maximum relaxation much more quickly. The more relaxed you are, the easier it will be to go to sleep.

- Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco: Caffeine is a stimulant which will simply keep you awake. Alcohol and tobacco, on the other hand, will actually upset your natural sleeping rhythm. Lessen your consumption of these during the day for better sleep at night. If it doesn't help, try eliminating them completely.

- Listen to sleep soundtracks. Specially composed soundtracks can help lull you to sleep in a matter of minutes. These soundtracks are relatively inexpensive and can be easily purchased online.

The above insomnia information should help you to understand your insomnia problems a bit more clearly. And, with help from the natural insomnia remedies above, you might just be able to sleep more peacefully at night.

Autor: Sean T Saunders

Do you want a guaranteed solution for insomnia -- one that will cure your sleeplessness once and for all? If so, you should visit http://www.SleepTracks.org, the one and only website that can guarantee an insomnia cure for you.

Added: June 12, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/Insomnia-Problems---Fin~

Tea to Relieve Insomnia

There are several herbs that are known for their relaxation and sleep-inducing properties. Maybe one of the better known of these herbs is chamomile. Chamomile has been used for centuries as an herb that helps people relax. Relaxation is, of course, the key ingredient of going to sleep, as well as staying asleep throughout the night.

Chamomile tea can be purchased either in the form of tea bags or a loose dried herb suitable for making tea. The idea of making all tea is to boil water first and then to add the tea and let it steep. The longer any tea steeps, the stronger it will become. Usually steeping for about five minutes is sufficient for making chamomile tea that will provide the desired effect of inducing sleep.

Valerian is another herb that is also known for inducing sleep. Unlike other sleep-inducing herbs, however, valerian must be taken as a tea on a regular basis rather than just on the occasional sleepless night. Valerian root is the part of the plant that is used for making tea that has sleep-inducing properties. Tea made with fresh valerian root needs to be steeped at least 10 minutes. You should drink a cup or valerian tea once every day for it to be effective.

Lavender is an herb that can be made into a tea, and the essential oil of lavender can be used in a warm bath or in carrier oil and massaged into the skin. The essential oil of lavender should never be used to make tea. Tea needs to be made from either fresh or dried flower petals only. Even makers of baby products now make a baby bath product that contains a very small amount of the essential oil lavender. The product is recommended for use in bathing a baby just before putting him/her to bed.

Autor: Jeff Austin

For more important information on getting a good night's sleep be sure to visit www.sleep-good.com where you will find advice and tips on insomnia restless leg, sleep apnea, snoring, and more

Added: June 11, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/Tea-to-Relieve-Insomnia~

Insomnia Symptoms, How to Cure Insomnia

Insomnia is one of the sleeping disorders which you are not able to sleep persistently. You might have a perception that people who suffer from insomnia are those who are having mental illnesses and old people. Surprisingly, insomnia affects all of us no matter how old you are. However, insomnia does happen more frequently among women than men. In this article, we will discuss some basic information about insomnia.

Anyone who has ever suffered from insomnia knows how miserable it can be to not be able to sleep. In most cases insomnia is the result of poor sleep habits. Fortunately there are a few simple things that you can do to improve your sleep habits and to beat insomnia.

Symptoms of insomnia are difficulty in falling asleep, waking up repeatedly during the night, waking up too early in the morning, feeling tired upon waking, sleepiness and sleep attacks during the day, irritability and problems with concentration or memory

We are living hectic lives in a hectic world and the reasons that most people are kept from sleeping are innumerable. There are means to help people sleep more, other than just sleeping aid medication but unfortunately some people only rely on the medication and are sometimes so desperate to fall asleep that they could run the risk of overdosing and never waking up! Needless to say, you should be very careful if you use any type of sleep aid medicine.

Cucumber helps to calm and cool the liver. It is beneficial for treating some specific kinds of sleeping disorders. Persons who complain that they face difficulty in falling asleep can largely benefit by taking cucumber in the night.

Refrain from inappropriate or untimely consumption of food and beverages containing caffeine, nicotine or alcohol. Those three are notoriously depriving many of better sleep. Most people habitually don"t give much thought about how the choice of food and drinks can affect their sleep. So just exercise more care to what you eat and drink as well as when you eat and drink and you would have less trouble going to sleep and staying asleep.

Proper use of Valerian Root is known to be quite effective for promoting ease of relaxation and quality sleep. This is certainly one natural cure for insomnia option worthwhile trying. But keep this in mind. One has to be fully aware of known possible side effects being experienced by certain users that are attributed to the use of Valerian Root.

Don"t like milk? Drink herbal teas like passionflower, skullcap, lavender, valerian, California poppy, St. Johns Wart, hops and chamomile which all have sedative properties that can help your mind and body ready itself for sleep. Most can be found at health food stores and should be sipped about an hour before turning in at night.

Autor: Peter Hutch

Read about Natural Cures. Also read about Shatavari and Female Libido

Added: June 9, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/Insomnia-Symptoms--How-~

Insomnia Treatment - Treatments of Sleep Disorder

We presently live in a very fast-paced world where energy and speed are valued commodities. It's no wonder that people try to cram everything they can into a single day, ending up having to get by on very little or no sleep at night. Because of this kind of lifestyle, a lot of people end up being unable to sleep at night because they are used to leading a very hectic schedule.

Insomnia is a sleep disorder faced by millions, and they are constantly trying to find the best treatment for this. Though some of them are successful, others are not. This may depend largely on the clinic treatment that is chosen, and also on the type of insomnia that the person has. To get things right when a person has this disorder, one must always ensure that the disorder has first been diagnosed properly.

The type of insomnia treatment recommended will likely hinge on the actual cause of the insomnia. There are many causes and the insomnia treatment recommendations generally vary with each. Let's look at some of the causes and the potential insomnia treatments that can go along with them.

The type of insomnia treatment that works best depends on the reason behind the insomnia itself. This sleep disorder can be caused by many different things. For some people, it is a physical condition caused by hormonal or chemical imbalances. For others, insomnia is caused by emotional or mental issues.

Insomnia or lack of quality sleep is divided into three categories based mainly on the duration of the problem - transient, intermittent and chronic. Transient and intermittent are temporary conditions and most of the times, correct themselves with minimal informed effort. Alteration of life style habits that cause the problem should suffice. There are quite a few OTC drugs, mostly sedative antihistamines that are useful.

If your insomnia is still fairly mild, you may be able to treat the problem on your own at home. This might include changes to your routine, like avoiding a heavy meal or strenuous exercise too close to bedtime. You may try following a regular evening schedule that includes a late night bath or other methods for relaxing.

Medication treatment for insomnia is usually prescribed by physicians but there are still some over-the-counter sleeping pills you can take. However, it is best advised that you consult a sleep expert to make sure that you are not just worsening your condition. Most of the time, the physician will try to find out the underlying ailment or disease that could be causing your insomnia. This is what you have to cure for you to get back to your normal sleeping routine.

Another natural insomnia treatment you can try is yoga. As being mentioned above, insomnia can be brought about by stress and yoga is a very good stress reliever. However, consider only yoga poses that do not strain your muscles too much.

Autor: Peter Hutch

Read about Natural Remedies. Also read about Arthritis Pain Relief and Back Pain Relief

Added: June 7, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/Insomnia-Treatment---Tr~

Why You'll Never Hear About Herbal Remedies For Insomnia From Your Doctor

With due respect to doctors, they don't know much about herbal remedies for insomnia because they haven't been trained in them. Doctors are pursued daily by representatives from the big drug companies who provide them with incentives such as free samples. It's not in a doctor's best interests to suggest natural remedies

It's not only doctors either, a lot of people believe herbs for insomnia to be a watered down solution compared to chemical sleep medication. This is because the benefits of insomnia herbs are not widely advertised, unlike the latest drug release. Why? Because there's just no money in it.

This is rather unfortunate because there are many who could benefit with more and better information about herbal remedies for insomnia, but they're not being informed. For instance when I ask people with sleep disorders if they would consider trying herbs for insomnia they'll say thing like:

"I'd better wait 'till I'm on vacation before trying them." "Er, can you buy them at the drug store?" "That's for elderly people, isn't it? Like aunts and that?" "Don't you have to take them for ages before they work?" "Aren't those herbs toxic?"

The truth is if you are having trouble sleeping, herbal remedies for insomnia are as effective as chemical sleeping pills. If fact they are so much better because you won't become "hooked" on them. Most herbs for insomnia are safe to take over the longer term without you having to worry about becoming addicted. The possible exception here is valerian which can have withdrawal effects.

Here are some safer herbs for insomnia you may not have come across before. However they have been proven to be very effective.

Nux Vomica - this is a wonderful herb for those type A personalities who tend to wake up in the middle of the night, planning all those things they have to do! Nux Vomica can really help such people to take a deep breath and relax.

Scutellaria laterifolia - A herbal nerve tonic for a fatigued nervous system, Scutellaria laterifolia is also a gentle sedative. It has beneficial effect on stress, nervous exhaustion, sleeplessness and anxiety.

Passiflora incarnata - If you have a tendency to worry, Passiflora incarnata, commonly known as Passionflower, is recommended as a soothing antidote to insomnia.

Coffea - is a homeopathic medication and targets sleeplessness due to an over-active mind. If you're agitated or physically restless, Coffea is the answer.

Herbal remedies for insomnia are safe, non addictive and can have an almost immediate effect when blended together in their recommended amounts.

However remember herbs are potent substances so either seek the advice of a professional herbalist or naturopath, or obtain your herbs already blended from a reliable source.


Autor: Wendy Owen

To discover more about obtaining and using herbal remedies for insomnia, visit Natural Sleep Medications Wendy Owen (Dip. Holistic Health Therapy) is a sleep researcher and writer with a passion for herbal and homeopathic remedies.

Added: June 3, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/Why-You-ll-Never-Hear-A~

How to Cure Insomnia

In order to be at our best we generally need between seven and eight hours of good sleep each night.

But with the modern day stressful life the numbers of people with sleep problems are getting worse. Over one third of the population regularly has problems sleeping and one in ten have chronic insomnia. This is where there are problems falling asleep, waking in the middle of the night or waking too early. Where you consistently have problems functioning the next day.

There are actually a number of reasons leading to sleep problems. The most common causes are stress, worry, and depression. In addition medical problems could be the cause, or pain, some medications have an effect on your sleep, over use of alcohol or caffeine.

To resolve the problem it's important therefore to find the specific cause. It makes sense to discus your sleep issue with your family physician to get any medical problems treated first. Your physician can also prescribe medications that will help anxiety and depression.

If you feel that your sleep problems are caused by stress, worry or even depression then it makes sense to talk to a psychologist or counselor. There are some good programs that have been proved to decrease levels of stress, anxiety and depression. This in turn will improve your quality of sleep.

A psychologist can give you techniques to help you relax and ease the stress away. Psychologists generally have a range of other behavioral strategies to help reduce your sleeping problems. About 75% of people with insomnia report significantly improved sleep after completing this type of psychological treatment.

Family physicians regularly prescribe hypnotic medications that help people to sleep. These do help individuals who are going through a particularly stressful period. However these medications should only be used for a short period as they are become addictive. They can make your simple sleep problem a lot more difficult to resolve. They also become less effective if you use them over longer periods of time.

In addition some of these medicines will cause feelings of drowsiness and lead to difficulties in concentrating the next day. Over the counter sleep supplements are not always reliable solutions and are often just a waste of money as they simply don't work.

Sleep Medicines can help you catch up on some good sleep but don't by themselves fix the issue. They would need to be used alongside some other treatment or program that will resolve the actual cause. Where the underlying problem is successfully treated then the sleep problems will disappear too.

In summary, sleeping medication can be helpful only as a short term 'fix' but don't actually solve any underlying problem, whereas psychological treatments are effective in the long-term but may take a while to work.


Autor: Matthew Bettison

To find out more about Sleep Problems and Insomnia, the problems it can cause and how to overcome it then visit >= http://www.BestInsomniaRemedies.com

Added: June 1, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/How-to-Cure-Insomnia/54~