A Natural Approach To Insomnia Cures

Most of the masses suffering from sleeping disorders like insomnia are not always ready to take the plunge and get a prescription sleeping aid, either due to the many side effects (outlined in this post), or because they have understated the problem. People often trick themselves into believing insomnia is a condition that can be handled "on their own", using insomnia cures such as warm milk or a hot bath. By doing so they are ignoring that the problem may be a simple physiological issue, and therefore completely beyond their control.

There is one hormone, melatonin, that is naturally produced within our bodies to trigger the sleep cycle. It occurs according to our body clock - or circadian rhythm - and is triggered by the fading daily light. With technology now allowing us to prepare synthetic versions of this hormone, we can now self-administer melatonin to make use of its' many health benefits. Conveniently for this article, one of the health benefits is it's known curative quality for insomnia.

Melatonin is said to have anti aging benefits, and it has also been touted as one of the most powerful non-narcotic solution for fighting against depression and anxiety. These surprising benefits are not endorsed by many medical organizations, due to a limited base of study. Having said that, anything is worth trying once or twice before going down the road to pharmaceuticals. So if you are wondering whether or not melatonin can help you fall asleep, let me do my best to show you how to get the most bang for your buck.

Taking Melatonin

When it comes to taking melatonin you need to be sure that you don’t overdo it, or you will interfere with the body’s own ability to create it. 1 to 3 mg is an optimum dosage, administering every second sleepless night. If you take too much for too long, your body is tricked into believing that melatonin is already in your system, and will shut down its' own natural production. Doctors normally recommend not to ever exceed 5mg of melatonin for more than one dosage, so that your naturally producing melatonin can stay regulated without interruption.

Why Is My Body Not Producing Melatonin?

As I eluded to before, melatonin begins production as light fades, during the normal sleep/wake cycle. The circadian rhythm is roughly a 24 hour cycle, wherein most of our physiological functions complete their daily routines, according to a natural rhythm. This cycle is not exclusive to us. Plants, animals, and even micro-organisms have a natural rhythmic cycle. Having said that, you may wonder why we sometimes fail to produce something that seems as natural as blinking. Outlined below are just a few of the reasons why this happens:

• Exposure to an unnatural level of artificial light.
  
• Using a sun tanning bed after 3pm.
  
• Bright night time activities - such as clubbing, concerts, sports games, e.t.c...
• Night lights, TV's, even low level lamps, when trying to sleep, can have a surprisingly negative effect on your body clock.
• Shift work.
  

In order to combat this attack on your hormones and get a good night's rest, artificially increasing your melatonin with preparations like Alteril or Melatonex (click the links to purchase) can help normalize your production to a standard level, thus regulating your sleeping cycles and patterns. A normalized sleep/wake cycle can go along way to alleviate insomnia symptoms.

Although I mentioned that there is no standardized tests to prove melatonins' worth, in my experience it is a remarkably efficient insomnia cure - in certain cases. In fact there are times when it can seem like a miracle cure, due to it's obvious targeted nature. I can't impress upon you enough to at least try it first as a possible treatment, before rushing to the GP for a prescription solution. It may be that all you need is to normalize your hormones and not ever succumb to the potential dangers and side effects of pharmaceuticals.