ITS SLEEP SUNDAY – LETS TALK ABOUT SLEEP & HERBAL/NATURAL SLEEP AIDS…

We all know how awful we can feel if we do not get a good nights sleep and if you are suffering from pain lack of sleep only makes matters worse.

We all know that prescribed sleeping pills are addictive and not given out lightly.

We all know, here in the UK, that not all CBD products are available like in the US.

We all know that routine is essential and no screens or food after a certain hour will certainly help you to nod off quicker.

We also all know that most days you can read an article on another product that will help you sleep.

I have probably covered most things on Sleep Sunday so it’s quite difficult to find something genuine to write about that might help your sleepless night become a good one so I decided to write today on herbal/natural sleep aids and also gummies which I truly found helped me get through some tough nights.

According to an article in CGTN News – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people in the past year have spent more time at home, but this has led to sleep being delayed by up to three hours on average per night. And, from pillow bedding products to eye masks and earplugs, from medication to electronic sleep assistance, the boundaries of sleep products are rapidly expanding and are increasingly high-end.

In addition to melatonin, sleep aids such as steam goggles, sleep-enhancing latex pillows, earplugs, and sleep aid sprays have also become popular in the market. But a lot of these are quite expensive and may not even work for you.

The three most popular sleep aids are Chamomile which you can get in tea form, or capsule/tablet form and a recent study has shown that postnatal women had improved quality of sleep after drinking chamomile tea. Medical New Today wrote that in one review of the current evidence, 10 of 12 cardiovascular patients are quoted as having fallen asleep shortly after consuming chamomile tea. A handful of other studies looking at clinical models also suggest that chamomile tea may help people relax.

Second on the list of most popular is Lavender which has been around for years and years but of course is not something you can digest but again is available in tea form or you can use drops on your pillow, lavender eye masks, sprays for your pillow and even diffusers with one made by The White Company which is a Sleep Diffuser which contains lavender and chamomile. Lavender oil is a great natural relaxant and it helps you to feel calm and by slowing down your nervous system, which is the perfect recipe for sleep.

Third on the list is Melatonin which you can get as a supplement and even in fudge format to help you sleep. According to the NHS website they advise Melatonin as a sleep aid for adults aged 55 or older.

Melatonin is mainly used to treat sleep problems in adults aged 55 or older.
You’ll usually take it for 1 to 4 weeks.
Some people may get a headache after taking melatonin, or feel tired, sick or irritable the next day.
Avoid drinking alcohol or smoking while taking melatonin. These stop the medicine working as well as it should.
Melatonin is also known by the brand name Circadin.

And The Mail recently wrote that “There is some evidence from good quality clinical trials that some herbal remedies can improve sleep. Saffron extract, passionflower and ashwagandha root have all been studied. ‘The effects weren’t huge, but there were no increased adverse reactions,’ says Dr Selsick. ‘So they’re worth trying.’ Also available in pharmacies and health-food shops are supplements such as valerian (aka ‘nature’s Valium’) and magnesium, which is an essential mineral for health. A magnesium deficiency is thought to cause restless sleep.”

The most recent thing that I have tried is the gummies which I found have helped me go back off to sleep again when I wake up with pain. Whereas before I would lie awake for ages before I went back to sleep I found I was soon back into the land of nod.