You toss and turn, curl up, stretch out – but whatever you do, you can’t get to sleep. You’re not alone. In Britain almost a quarter (22 per cent) of people suffer from insomnia at some time, particularly women.1
What’s more, you almost certainly have been given tips about what to do about it; you’ve probably tried some or all of the most common remedies such as sleeping pills, the curiously named ‘sleep hygiene’ and a form of therapy known as cognitive behavioural therapy (or CBT for short).
So you will also be aware of their shortcomings. The pills can have nasty side-effects and sleep hygiene is not much more than common sense. While CBT can help, it’s almost impossible to get in the UK because we are around 10,000 therapists short.
However, the good news is that while these are the remedies your GP is most likely to offer, there are plenty more options that alone, or in combination, have a good chance of succeeding. Various supplements and herbal remedies target some of the same biochemical pathways that the drugs are aiming at but without the side effects.
Using the right nutritional or herbal supplements may also help to balance the hormones that could be at the root of your insomnia. If you seek conventional help, the physical changes underlying your restless nights are rarely explained. But once you understand more about what is going on, it becomes easier to find the combination of options that will work for you. We hope this article will help you do this.
Answers to these questions & more are available to 100% Health Club Members
The need for sleep
Health risks for insomniacs
How lack of sleep affects mental health
Why not sleeping pills?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
The hygiene approach
Stimulus control therapy
The benefits of naps
Using nutrition to handle your hormones
Natural sources of sleep chemicals
Supporting vitamins and minerals
The dangers of alcohol
Melatonin: the sleep hormone
Soporific herbs
Musical rhythms of sleep
Specially-designed bed support
Cooling down
Top tips for a good night’s sleep
