Finding An Effective Insomnia Treatment

It is estimated that approximately seventy million Americans suffer from insomnia at least some of the time. In fact, a staggering one in five adult Americans has chronic insomnia. Given that the numbers are so high it is little wonder that we see so many commercials on TV for prescription and over the counter insomnia treatments. People who cannot sleep at night quickly become so desperate that they would do almost anything to fix the problem. Consequently the pharmaceutical industry makes millions every year by offering solutions in the form of insomnia treatments such as Lunesta, Ambien CR, Nytol and Tylenol PM.

Not A Permanent Solution

There is no doubt that the sleep aids which are promoted in TV commercials can work very well when it comes to curing occasional sleeplessness. However, these products are not effective long term insomnia treatments. First of all, with over the counter medicines, the body quickly builds up a resistance so they are only effective for a short period of time. Prescription insomnia treatments can often cause dependency and other unwanted side effects such as daytime drowsiness, headaches, loss of muscle coordination and slurred speech. Therefore, when it comes to chronic insomnia natural treatments that do not have side effects obviously are preferable.

Obvious Measures

Many insomnia treatments require simple common sense and cost nothing. For example, a good well balanced diet is a good insomnia treatment, as is a decent multivitamin. When you eat well and get all of the nutrients your body requires, your body then can synthesize the proper amount of hormones, such as melatonin, which tell the brain to go to sleep at night.

Exercise is another obvious insomnia treatment. If you do not expend enough energy during the day, you cannot expect to get to sleep easily at night. Conversely, if you exercise regularly your mind and body will be ready for sleep at the end of the day. Your exercise regime should include regular cardio vascular workouts and resistance workouts such as yoga.

There are also other insomnia treatments that do not require any kind of pill. Drinking a glass of warm milk or having a hot bath resets the body’s thermostat and reminds the brain to go to sleep. You should also make sure your bedroom is cool, well ventilated, sound-proof and dark. Avoid bed sheets or pajamas that are made out of synthetic material, use cool organic cotton instead. Practice good sleep habits by going to bed at the same time every night and rising at the same time each morning. Avoid doing anything other than sleeping in your bedroom. When you cannot sleep after twenty minutes, get out of bed and do something else.

Retrain Your Brain

Many experts believe that the best insomnia treatment comprises changing the way you think about sleep. When the time to go to bed draws close an ordinary person looks forward to getting a good night’s rest, but an insomniac does not. Instead the insomniac begins to panic about whether or not they will be able to get to sleep. An insomniac watches the clock and considers how much sleep he will get if he drops off in the next ten minutes. He also thinks vivid, active thoughts instead of sleepy ones. If the insomniac changes the way he thinks, he will get some rest. This can be done with self hypnosis tapes or via sessions with a hypnotherapist.

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