If you’ve already taken the 8 Steps to Better Sleep, and still find you are having trouble getting quality rest, here are some more advanced options. These natural solutions for insomnia are all safer alternatives to sleeping pills or anti-anxiety medication, both of which come with negative side effects, health risks, and risk of addiction.

Supplements and herbs for sleep/anxiety:

• Magnesium. In particular, magnesium glycinate.  Glycine is a calming amino acid often lacking in our diets. Most Americans do not get enough magnesium from their diet either, and magnesium deficiency signs include sleeplessness, muscle spasms/contractions, restless legs, anxiety, and heart palpitations. Take 300mg-400mg before bed.
• Melatonin. Choose one that is time-release and the lowest dosage possible; 1mg ideally. It seems counterintuitive to take less (more=better, right?), but there are studies showing the typical dosage of over the counter melatonin is too much and can worsen insomnia. Our bodies naturally make about 0.3-0.5mg of melatonin to keep us asleep at night. Taking half of a 1mg tablet might help you wake up less often. You should be able to melatonin this at Walgreens/CVS/Whole Foods. Melatonin is not recommended for long-term use, as it can be habit-forming, but is a safe option short-term to get your sleep cycle back on track after traveling or a period of high stress or anxiety.
• Passionflower. Great natural anxiety-reducer, safe, gentle, available in tincture form. If you’re going to buy it over the counter, I would go for Gaia herbs liquid capsules or HerbPharm brand tincture.
• Kava Kava. Wonderful for short-term anxiety reduction and sleep sedation. Not great for daily use long-term use as it can be hard on the liver system. Best in tincture or tea form. Yogi Tea makes a great kava tea bag.
• Lavender. I know these sound like they wouldn’t be potent, but lavender essential oil capsules were found to be as effective as Lorazepam (anti-anxiety med) for treating anxiety.  Seven clinical trials found it more effective than placebo. Best form is tincture, tea, or gel caps. I love Lavender SAP capsules by NFH. You can create an account at www.wellevate.me/amalunawellness/ and order them. 

Guided Meditations

Guided meditations are amazing. I included links to a few here, but you can search iTunes and find a whole array. 10-20 minutes is a good length to start, and most people find this quite effective. Plus, you enjoy all the wonderful benefits of meditating.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ1RsetLlSo&list=PLRzM60-FaelaS6RoXH1sPfzjLBNhhNmRl
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4r6r2lGKgU
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obYJRmgrqOU
• Great web page full of guided meditations

Diet

We want to get your blood sugar balanced, which will greatly cut down on anxiety and help with regulating your sleep/wake cycle. Diet is one of the most overlooked natural cures for insomnia.

1. Always eat breakfast! Even a handful of nuts or a nut and fruit bar is much better than nothing, especially since it has some protein. The more often you eat breakfast, the better your appetite will become in the morning. A soft-boiled egg, a piece of bacon, breakfast sausage, etc. are all good choices. It should contain protein. Avoid carb-only breakfasts (like oatmeal, toast, muffins, or a bagel).

2. Eat some protein or fat EVERY time you put food in your body. Even if it’s chips and salsa for a snack, add some avocado, or add a handful of nuts to oatmeal, add chicken/steak/shrimp/pumpkin seeds to salads, etc. This helps slow the release of glucose into your bloodstream, which will reduce your anxiety level and regulate cortisol for better sleep.                                      **Examples of good sources of protein and fat: wild Alaskan salmon, Wild Planet canned tuna, grass-fed beef, organic chicken, organic turkey/sausages, flaxseed, chia seed, nut butter (almond, walnut), raw almonds, raw walnuts (not peanuts), seaweeds, pastured eggs, coconut yogurt/butter, avocado, cold olive oil (not heated), beans, hemp protein, lentils, and quinoa.

3. Reduce your intake of grains. Grains have some health benefits, but they are not outweighed by the inflammatory cascade caused in most bodies as a response to high grain consumption. Regardless of your feelings on the current gluten-free trend, there is solid science showing that modern immune systems react poorly to processed wheat products. Grains like bread and pasta send your blood sugar way up and then it crashes back down. Not only does this cause inflammation in your body, it actually inflames your brain tissue. This leads to symptoms of anxiety, depression, restlessness, ADD, poor memory, and eventually neurodegenerative  diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia. 

4. If you often wake up during the night, or you feel hungry before bed: try eating a small snack within 1 hour of going to sleep. This helps keep your blood sugar from dipping in the middle of the night and waking you up. Good snack ideas are an apple or banana or rice cake with some nut butter, a small cup of soup, a small bowl of roasted veggies (beets, turnips, carrots, etc.), handful almonds, slice of turkey and avocado, etc.

Acupuncture

Two important ways acupuncture is one of the natural solutions for insomnia:

1. It reduces cortisol, a primary stress hormone that regulates sleep cycles. Cortisol levels that are out of balance, too high or too low can cause difficulty falling asleep, waking up too early in the morning, feeling groggy in the morning, weight gain, appetite dis-regulation and more.
2. It calms the central nervous system and increases nighttime secretion of melatonin, the sleep hormone.

Schedule an appointment for individualized herb, supplement and diet advice, as well as acupuncture so you can start sleeping better ASAP. Natural cures for insomnia do exist!