Why You'll Never Hear About Herbal Remedies For Insomnia From Your Doctor

With due respect to doctors, they don't know much about herbal remedies for insomnia because they haven't been trained in them. Doctors are pursued daily by representatives from the big drug companies who provide them with incentives such as free samples. It's not in a doctor's best interests to suggest natural remedies

It's not only doctors either, a lot of people believe herbs for insomnia to be a watered down solution compared to chemical sleep medication. This is because the benefits of insomnia herbs are not widely advertised, unlike the latest drug release. Why? Because there's just no money in it.

This is rather unfortunate because there are many who could benefit with more and better information about herbal remedies for insomnia, but they're not being informed. For instance when I ask people with sleep disorders if they would consider trying herbs for insomnia they'll say thing like:

"I'd better wait 'till I'm on vacation before trying them." "Er, can you buy them at the drug store?" "That's for elderly people, isn't it? Like aunts and that?" "Don't you have to take them for ages before they work?" "Aren't those herbs toxic?"

The truth is if you are having trouble sleeping, herbal remedies for insomnia are as effective as chemical sleeping pills. If fact they are so much better because you won't become "hooked" on them. Most herbs for insomnia are safe to take over the longer term without you having to worry about becoming addicted. The possible exception here is valerian which can have withdrawal effects.

Here are some safer herbs for insomnia you may not have come across before. However they have been proven to be very effective.

Nux Vomica - this is a wonderful herb for those type A personalities who tend to wake up in the middle of the night, planning all those things they have to do! Nux Vomica can really help such people to take a deep breath and relax.

Scutellaria laterifolia - A herbal nerve tonic for a fatigued nervous system, Scutellaria laterifolia is also a gentle sedative. It has beneficial effect on stress, nervous exhaustion, sleeplessness and anxiety.

Passiflora incarnata - If you have a tendency to worry, Passiflora incarnata, commonly known as Passionflower, is recommended as a soothing antidote to insomnia.

Coffea - is a homeopathic medication and targets sleeplessness due to an over-active mind. If you're agitated or physically restless, Coffea is the answer.

Herbal remedies for insomnia are safe, non addictive and can have an almost immediate effect when blended together in their recommended amounts.

However remember herbs are potent substances so either seek the advice of a professional herbalist or naturopath, or obtain your herbs already blended from a reliable source.


Autor: Wendy Owen

To discover more about obtaining and using herbal remedies for insomnia, visit Natural Sleep Medications Wendy Owen (Dip. Holistic Health Therapy) is a sleep researcher and writer with a passion for herbal and homeopathic remedies.

Added: October 31, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/Why-You-ll-Never-Hear-A~

How to Cure Insomnia

In order to be at our best we generally need between seven and eight hours of good sleep each night.

But with the modern day stressful life the numbers of people with sleep problems are getting worse. Over one third of the population regularly has problems sleeping and one in ten have chronic insomnia. This is where there are problems falling asleep, waking in the middle of the night or waking too early. Where you consistently have problems functioning the next day.

There are actually a number of reasons leading to sleep problems. The most common causes are stress, worry, and depression. In addition medical problems could be the cause, or pain, some medications have an effect on your sleep, over use of alcohol or caffeine.

To resolve the problem it's important therefore to find the specific cause. It makes sense to discus your sleep issue with your family physician to get any medical problems treated first. Your physician can also prescribe medications that will help anxiety and depression.

If you feel that your sleep problems are caused by stress, worry or even depression then it makes sense to talk to a psychologist or counselor. There are some good programs that have been proved to decrease levels of stress, anxiety and depression. This in turn will improve your quality of sleep.

A psychologist can give you techniques to help you relax and ease the stress away. Psychologists generally have a range of other behavioral strategies to help reduce your sleeping problems. About 75% of people with insomnia report significantly improved sleep after completing this type of psychological treatment.

Family physicians regularly prescribe hypnotic medications that help people to sleep. These do help individuals who are going through a particularly stressful period. However these medications should only be used for a short period as they are become addictive. They can make your simple sleep problem a lot more difficult to resolve. They also become less effective if you use them over longer periods of time.

In addition some of these medicines will cause feelings of drowsiness and lead to difficulties in concentrating the next day. Over the counter sleep supplements are not always reliable solutions and are often just a waste of money as they simply don't work.

Sleep Medicines can help you catch up on some good sleep but don't by themselves fix the issue. They would need to be used alongside some other treatment or program that will resolve the actual cause. Where the underlying problem is successfully treated then the sleep problems will disappear too.

In summary, sleeping medication can be helpful only as a short term 'fix' but don't actually solve any underlying problem, whereas psychological treatments are effective in the long-term but may take a while to work.


Autor: Matthew Bettison

To find out more about Sleep Problems and Insomnia, the problems it can cause and how to overcome it then visit >= http://www.BestInsomniaRemedies.com

Added: October 30, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/How-to-Cure-Insomnia/54~

A Self-Righteous Thought You Have to Deal With

I'm very glad that my faith isn't based on who I'm against.

I don't want Christianity to be about Us vs. Them, even though it's so very easy to get caught up in that. I find myself creeping (or running full-tilt) into Us vs Them with other Christians, and I have to constantly repent and correct my course.

But our command is to love God with everything in us and to love other people as much as we love ourselves. That means that we care about their feelings and opinions and that we want to protect people as much as is possible. Our needs aren't supposed to come first at all. We are supposed to be respectful and get along with people. Why are so many Christians not doing this? It really hurts my heart. A lot.

Could I be missing the boat sometimes or "soft on sin"? I'm certain that I am, but I also know that other than the moments when my head wants to explode from the hard-headed things I see Christians do (read: post on facebook), I don't live my life afraid and angry like many of them do, and I'm going to take that as a sign from the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 (New International Version)

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Again, I'm really afraid of being smug or self-righteous. I'm just trying to express myself and in that expression, check myself and clarify my thoughts. I want to believe what's right. It's kind of like I'm talking it out with you. Feel free to correct me in love, as long as you're willing to listen, too, and possibly be changed.

More People Using Natural Sleep Aids

With more people every year turning to natural or alternative treatments, the use of natural sleep aids is on the rise. It"s not surprising since alternative and holistic health practices are quickly becoming part of the mainstream. In fact, more people are using natural remedies every year, and the percentage has been rising steadily over the last three decades.
Insomnia is one of the most common complaints doctors hear from their patients, but many are hesitant to prescribe sleeping pills due to the potential side effects and other complications of their use. This is in sharp contrast to the manner in which sleeping aids are pushed by manufacturers. You can"t get through an evening of television programming without seeing an advertisement for at least one prescription or over the counter sleep medication.
Natural Sleeping Aids are Part of the Holistic Health Movement
Holistic healthcare focuses not only on the symptoms, but the root of our medical problems, which is why it"s extremely popular with young families who are savvy about their health. Rather than simply temporarily masking a symptom (insomnia) with another symptom (drugged sleep), natural sleeping aids focus on why you can"t sleep. A natural sleep aid will help you relax if you are tense or to help alleviate anxiety if you are overly stressed. Both tension and stress are common causes of insomnia in adults.
People prefer natural remedies for their lack of side effects as well. While many sleeping pills contain ingredients that can cause allergic or adverse reactions, natural sleeping aids seldom if ever cause a problem. They are derived from natural plant extracts or are chemicals (such as melatonin) that our own bodies naturally produce. For the same reasons, you won"t become addicted to a natural sleeping aid. You can use one as long as necessary, and when you no longer need it, you will sleep fine without help and with no unexpected side effects.
Natural Sleeping Aids are Gentler
The most common ingredients in natural sleep aids include Valerian and Lemon Balm, two plant derived ingredients that are gentle to your stomach and central nervous system. You can use them to help you relax, unwind and prepare your mind for sleep without waking up with the groggy, unfocused hangover that many people experience from prescription sleep aids, which often contain narcotics or other harsh drugs.
It"s also nice to know you can keep a natural sleep aid on hand for whenever you may need it. Most of us don"t have insomnia on a regular basis, so we don"t see our doctors about the problem. If you occasionally experience insomnia, however, you don"t want to be lying awake all night, staring at the ceiling because you didn"t know you would need a sleep aid on that particular night. You can purchase natural sleep aids from any most major pharmacies, online or from a health food store. This way, any time you have trouble falling asleep, you have a gentle, effective way to alleviate the problem without waiting for a doctor"s appointment.
Consider a Combination Approach
You can safely combine more than one natural sleep aid for maximum effect if you know what amounts to take of each one. In fact, there are currently several versions on the market that have been developed by holistic health practitioners and doctors that have already done this for you. The most effective ones usually contain a blend of Melatonin, Valerian and Lemon Balm. This unique combination relieves anxiety, induces relaxation and helps to reset your own internal biological clock - all of which contribute to falling asleep faster and at the proper time.
If you would like to get rid of insomnia without pumping yourself full of potentially addictive or harsh prescriptions, look for all natural ingredients in the sleep aid you choose. By using a natural sleep aid, you protect both your body and your sleep.

Autor: Christopher Alex

About the Author:
The author of this article knows the importance of natural sleep aids. He also knows all about natural sleep remedies and has provided valuable advice to many people worldwide. He has also written many articles related to natural sleep aid which are handy guides for millions of people in this planet.

Added: October 27, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/More-People-Using-Natur~

Bad, bad blogger

Forgive me for a long absence.

I hope to be back, blogging on full speed soon. Still busy with school and tired afterwards.

I feel like I already missed out on so much things!

And I also wanted to thank everybody for the kind comments that I got on my last few posts,

it's very much appriciated!

Wearing: Mötivi jacket, H&M pants & turtle neck, Veritas Mongolian fur scarf

( I'm so in love with it ^^)

xoxo

Funny Animal Things from the Weekend

These are some cute things I saw this weekend:

A deer looking both ways before crossing part of a parking lot.

An apparently polite bear that opened our car doors, gently took what it wanted, then left. (Saw the muddy evidence, not the bear.)

Another dog standing at the screen door wanting my dog to go out and play.

Those dogs acting just like two little boys- egging one another on, racing one another & cutting each other off, jumping in the river, knocking things over, and generally not listening.

A raven sneaking up on a deer & scaring it, then following it and continuing to hector it.

My little dog trying to stealthily get into the house with a big bone without the big dog seeing it, even though she can barely get the correct leverage working for her so she can walk with it.

Various deer seeming to pose for pictures for us tourists.

A squirrel got into one of the dining halls, and some foreigners who apparently don't have squirrels in their country tried to feed and pet it. "What did you do on your vacation?" "Got rabies!"

Insomnia - Easy Ways To Cure Insomnia Without Medication

In today's fast paced society a lot of people suffer from insomnia, the inability to get enough adequate sleep. Fortunately, insomnia is not something you have to live with for the rest of your life. But curing insomnia can be a challenge which may require some life style changes.

There are many possible causes for insomnia. You should always try to figure out the cause, so you can fix the cause rather than the symptom, in this case insomnia. If your insomnia is caused by your life style, your best solution is to change your life style.

Things you should try avoid in order to cure insomnia are:

Don't use sleeping pills or other medication to fall asleep. They are no long term solution and many of them have negative side effects. Note, never stop taking your medication without consulting your doctor first.

Don't drink coffee, or anything else containing caffeine, or alcohol in the evening. The former will make it more difficult to fall asleep while the latter will prevent you from getting the quality sleep you need.

No heavy meals in the evening. If your body is busy digesting food, you will not get the deep sleep needed to feel refreshed.

Don't let the clock decide when you go to bed. If you are not tired, do not go to bed. Read a book or listen to some peaceful music until you are feeling sleepy.

Don't worry about what may happen tomorrow. Decide to worry about the future tomorrow. And you can't change the past, so don't be upset about what happened during the day.

Don't sleep during the day. If you sleep during the day, you will have trouble falling asleep in the evening. If you feel tired during the day, go for a walk and get some fresh air.

Things you should do to cure your insomnia are:

Exercise, if possible on a daily basis. It can be as simple as a 30 minute brisk walk. Also, avoid heavy exercises late in the evening. Your body needs time to cool down afterwards.

Make sure that you have a good sleeping environment. Your bedroom should have a comfortable bed and be cool, dark and quit.

Create your own bedtime procedure. You need to cool down and start relaxing before going to bed, you may want to try a simple relaxation exercise. By doing the same procedure every evening you program your brain to start cooling down.

Listen to special audio CDs that will tell your brain to slow down. You can re-program your brain and teach it to prepare for sleep.


Autor: Reijo Metso

For more information about how to overcome insomnia without using medication, go to http://www.InsomniaClinic.info

Added: October 24, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/Insomnia---Easy-Ways-To~

A friendly reminder about Labels

or Tags. Since I'm not a fan a labels, hardy-har-har. My tagging is far from complete. I haven't tagged all my older posts, and sometimes I'll come up with a new label for one post that probably applies to old ones, but I'm not motivated enough yet to go through them all.

As you were, & I'm as I am- looking for a good, short, streaming yoga workout to do right now. Then bed. Then YOSEMITE!! Fall colors, rushing waterfalls, granite cliffs, bears- it's great!

An Angry Article that I Didn't Write

But that I really, really like. It's on health care, it's very one-sided, opinionated, & strong.
You don't have to read it. I'm just putting the link here.
Evan Handler on Health Care.

Student Video from CHIC!!!

I mentioned in my CHIC post from August that some of our students made the winning video for the short film contest. It's very funny, and I hope you like it. The guy who plays the coach is Nunan, who helps lead youth, leads the college group that I work with, and Seth & I are in a small group with him & his wife. The other guys are Mark (the creator- tall w/red hair, interviewer), Agazy (the runner), JJ (foreign thumbs-up guy at end), and Zech (wearing a hat; runner's friend).

Amazing Sleeping Remedies That Can Cure Insomnia

Sleeping soundly at night isn't as easy as some people think it is. In fact, too many people take "good" sleep for granted -- they believe they're entitled to it, even without using natural sleeping remedies. If they only knew how bad all of us insomniacs have it each night, maybe they would appreciate sleep-filled nights a bit more.

If you're one of those sleepless zombies roaming around from place to place, then listen up. Directly below is a collection of natural sleeping remedies that you can use to alleviate your insomnia troubles and get the deep rest you so truly deserve. Using 1 of these remedies is good, but using them all is even better!

Natural Sleeping Remedies...

- Herbal Bath: A warm bath filled with a few bath salts and several drops of insomnia herbal oil can really heighten relaxation and relieve stress. Soak in the warm bath for 15 minutes, then head off to bed.

- Herbal Tea: This is a long known natural sleeping remedy. Simply pour a cup of hot tea (chamoile, valerian, or passionflower) and drink it down slowly before bed. Most insomnia herbal teas have strong sleep inducing effects; so even if you're not all that tired, you will be when you're finished drinking.

- Herbal Aroma: There are many herbal aromas -- like those of lavendar, valerian, and others -- that have been scientifically proven to induce sleepiness. How can you use this fact to your advantage? Simple, light an herbal candle/incense and keep it near you while you sleep -- take precautions to avoid waking up to a fiery inferno! Another great way to use herbal aromas to sleep better is to sprinkle some droplets of herbal oil onto a cloth or handkerchief and then place it under your pillow.

- Massage: In terms of natural sleeping remedies, there isn't a whole lot to say here. This particular remedy helps with relaxation and relieving stress; both of which will help you to sleep better.

- Sound Therapy: Of all the natural sleeping remedies out there, sound therapy (aka sleeptracks) is the best, hands down. Why? Because it's so easy and it's so very effective. All you have to do is put in the sleeptrack (CD/tape/mp3/etc.) and then get into bed. The sound waves will make their way into your body and then they'll head for your brain. Once there, they will caress and massage it until you are fast asleep. It truly is the lazy way to cure insomnia.

As you can see, there are plenty of ways in which you can cure insomnia fast and effectively. Just choose one of the above natural sleeping remedies and start enjoying more peaceful sleep.

Autor: Sean T Saunders

Would you like to just skip over all of these rather useless natural insomnia remedies and be pointed in the direction of a guaranteed cure for insomnia? If so, try visiting http://www.SleepTracks.org the one and only website that can guarantee an insomnia cure for you.

Added: October 17, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/Amazing-Sleeping-Remedi~

#vocabularyfail

I have been misusing "chagrin." Now is the proper time for its use.

–noun

1.	a feeling of vexation, marked by disappointment or humiliation.

I suppose that I do use it in the disappointment way, but not really. I thought it was more like wistful sadness or something.

I love friends!

Uh-oh. This was going to be about specific friends and bonding, but it might turn into a long-winded treatise on why I love facebook and twitter. You've been duly warned. Oh, and I just thought of another friend-themed rant. Woah. Focus, robeena. Pick one and move on.

Okay, today's topic is: we need more words in English for "friend." Alternatively, I need to grow up. The issue is that I am a fairly affectionate person who also happens to need a decent amount of affirmation herself. (It is quite natural that these things go hand-in-hand. My #2 love language is "words of affirmation," so I give that easily.) So I find myself calling this person or that "my best friend" or "one of my best friends." Then I also have to qualify that with "in California" or "in the whole, wide UNIVERSE," or some such 3rd grade nonsense.

Why do I do this? I think part of it is that, especially when introducing someone to "one of my best friends," I want to emphasize how special this person is to me. I'm trying to express that I love this person a whole lot and I'm excited for you to meet them. I just with there was a less childish way of doing it.

People mean things to me in different ways. Obviously, Seth is my best friend, period. I suppose that my sister would be next. But from there it starts to get confusing. There are long-time friends who have known me forever. There are friends who have been there through thick and thin. There are the people that I can rely on in any situation. There are the handful of people that I could talk to for days on end with no break and we'd still be having a great conversation. There are the friends that know me and I can just be near them and be completely myself with no walls. There are the few people out here in CA who I feel I have a lot in common with and with whom I can be sarcastic and watch TV. Obviously, some of these categories overlap, but all of these people are precious to me, and I want everyone to know it.

Maybe I should start collecting foreign words for "friend." There have to be words for some of these things out there. Of course, I would still have to explain the word to someone if I used it in public, but I think it would make my heart smile to have a word for just what someone means to me.

Monthly Check-In

Good golly, I haven't written here at all this month! Happy October, friends. It's my birthday month.

The month has been a bit odd. Not bad, but just off slightly. It started with Seth out of town. He went to Houston to be with his family and to see Metallica without me. sigh. At least his brother loved the concert enough that he bought tickets for the show in December out here, and I get to go!

The whole time Seth was gone, and up until today, too, I've been sick. Not any sort of horrible, flu, oh-I'm-going-to-die sick, but, possibly, one of the most annoying illnesses I've had. For over two weeks now, I've had headaches and nausea that ebb and flow. Quite frustrating. So, while I can pretty much carry on with life as usual, I'm not myself. I'm tired, and I'm in pain. I did go to the doctor to make sure I don't have a tumor or anything, and the nurse said it's some sort of viral syndrome. She also mentioned that I should go back if it kept going for 14 days, but I haven't done that. It's not quite as constant as it was before, so I figure it's slowly leaving. I'm done catering to it.

So, Seth was gone, and I lazed about and didn't eat a full meal once while he was gone. I had an excellent walk/run with some friends over two weeks ago, then my legs got very angry with me and I decided to see a massage therapist to work on them. I've seen her three times now, and I really think she's making a big difference in my shins. I'm going to give running a try today at the gym, so I'll let you know.

Seth got home the morning of Stephanie & Ken's wedding, but we thought we had plenty of time. For months now, I was certain that the wedding was at 3pm. So I picked Seth up, we stopped at a couple stores on the way home, and happily dealt with San Francisco traffic. Once home, we were very much looking forward to a quick nap before the wedding, especially because Seth had been up all night. Before said nap, I decided to look at the invitation again just to make sure I had the time right. The time was 12:52, and the wedding was at 1:30. Oof.
Thankfully, we were both able to look adorable in a timely manner. That's how we roll.

The wedding was lovely. It was much more formal than I'm used to in a high church sort of way. Though it didn't feel very personalized, it did feel holy and special in a way that most weddings do not. There was a lot of scripture and reading of things together; lots of mention of Jesus. It really presented the marriage as something sacred and serious, and that was great.

The reception was beautiful, but cold. It was a cool, windy day, and we were outside. By the time dinner was being served, I had jeans on under my dress, Katie had temporarily borrowed a coat from one of Steph's lovely co-workers, and I had also doled out sweatshirts for Sara and Jenny to put over their arms. With both Seth and I being so tired, and I wasn't feeling good anyway, we left during the groom-mom dance. Asleep o'clock was 10:30. It was fabulous.

On my birthday, we started our new small group Bible study, and it was great. Our new-ish friends made fajitas for dinner, got me a gift card to Outback (in a Twilight card with an Edward bookmark!), and an ice cream cake. They really went too far, but I felt so loved. They are really great and I look forward to getting closer with them and knowing them in the Bible study context.

And as if that wasn't enough, I had a spur of the moment girls' weekend with the friend who introduced me & Seth! She's got quite the full plate in her life right now, and needed a getaway, so she flew out from TX and requested WINE!! We had a lovely time in SF and Sonoma, and it was good to spend time together.

Other than that? Hurt my knee driving around. I'm currently babying that. Taught at the college group for the first time, and that was great. I ended up connecting with someone that I never thought I would, so that was a God thing. High school group going great, class is awesome, and we're going to Yosemite for 4 days next weekend!

Next post won't be so diary-like, I swear.

Insomnia Causes

Many people have suffered from insomnia or sleeplessness at least once in their lives. Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder that includes having trouble falling or staying asleep.
With insomnia, you usually awaken feeling still tired or restless, which for sure influences your ability to function during the day. Of course, it is not a life threatening disorder, but it can increase the risk of accidents, psychiatric problems, and certain medical conditions, affect school and work performance, and significantly interfere with quality of life.


There are two types of insomnia: primary insomnia and secondary insomnia.
Primary insomnia means that sleep problems are not directly associated with any other health condition or problem.
Secondary insomnia means that inability to sleep is related to other health conditions that interfere with sleep such as asthma, depression, arthritis, cancer, or heart disease, hypertension, emphysema, pain, gastro esophageal reflux disease GERD, rheumatologic conditions, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, hyperthyroidism, epilepsy, allergies, fibromyalgia.
Insomnia is often viewed as a side effect of certain medical conditions, medicines, sleep disorders, and substances.
Among such medications are antidepressants fluoxetine, bupropion , theophylline, lamotrigine, felbamate, beta-blockers, and beta-agonists. Withdrawal of alcohol, drugs or mentioned above stimulant medications may lead to the sleep disorder too.
Insomnia is more typical in women than men. Hormonal fluctuations that occur during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause put women at higher risk of developing the disorder.

Insomnia can be a short-term, called acute insomnia, or chronic ongoing, but it always involves problems with falling or staying asleep. Insomnia is classified as chronic when it lasts at least for three nights a week for more than three months.

Short-term transient insomnia is most commonly triggered by stress situations in life, for example exams, loss of a loved one, unemployment, divorce), travelling, or environmental factors, for example, uncomfortable room temperature, excessive or unpleasant noise.
Long-term chronic insomnia results from psychological or physical conditions, but in some cases it is not clear if it is a symptom of other health problems or it is a primary disorder of its own.

Most adults experience insomnia, but few of them find it is necessary to apply for a medical advice. In fact, just simple changes in daily habits can resolve insomnia and restore needed rest. The first step for controlling insomnia might be sleep hygiene or behavioral therapy. It helps people of all ages. However, before treating the disorder, it is important to indentify the cause of it and work on both problems at the same time.


Would you like to know more about Insomnia and other Sleep Disorders? Visit then our site: http://www.queenofebooks.com/How-To-Win-Your-War-Against-Insomnia-And-Other-Sleep-Disorders.php today.

Autor: rico

How I kept a #1 search ranking out of 89 million on Google & Yahoo for 7 years - learn how you can do the same at http://www.queenofebooks.com/How-To-Win-Your-War-Against-Insomnia-And-Other-Sleep-Disorders.php today.

Added: October 14, 2009
Source: http://articlerich.com/Article/Insomnia-Causes/580812