Supplements for Insomnia

Insomnia plagues most people at one point or another, causing them to have difficulty falling or staying asleep. Some sleep problems are related to stress, tension, anxiety or excitement. Some are a result of illness, pain, discomfort or a side-affect of medication.

Many people, myself included, do not like to take prescription medications unless absolutely necessary. For that reason, I have compiled a list of supplements to help insomnia.

The following are specific nutritional supplements known to aid sleep:

Calcium, especially when contained in food, has a sedative effect on the body. A calcium deficiency in the body causes restlessness and wakefulness. For adults, doses of approximately 600 milligrams of liquid calcium have been shown to have a relaxing effect. Ever notice how a warm glass of milk makes you sleepy? Bingo!

Magnesium, in doses of approximately 250 milligrams, can help induce sleep. Magnesium deficiency is responsible for nervousness that prevents sleep. Magnesium-rich foods include kelp, wheat bran, almonds, cashews, blackstrap molasses, and brewers yeast.

5-HTP

5- HTP provides the quickest, most effective, and most consistent overall results in treating insomnia. It is an effective alternative for dealing with sleep problems in a safe and natural way compared to sleep medicines. 5-HTP improves the quality of sleep. More importantly, clinical studies show that 5- HTP is also useful in the treatment of sleep disorders other than insomnia.

The impact of 5-HTP on sleep stages is dose-related; taking higher doses produces a somewhat greater impact. In most cases, the lower dosage is adequate. Higher doses may lead to a greater number of disturbing dreams and nightmares due to abnormally prolonged REM sleep. It can also lead to mild nausea.