Common Household Sleeping Agents

There can be little that is quite as frustrating as lying in bed at night and not being able to get to sleep. Insomnia can be brought about by many causes, one of which is anxiety. It may not be necessary to take a prescription sleeping pill in order to get a good night's sleep though. There are a number of sleeping aids that may be lying around in your kitchen, or that you can purchase over the counter and keep handy, should the occasion arise.

Chamomile Tea

• There is one product that has become so popular for its medicinal uses that you can find it on the supermarket shelves in the tea and coffee section. The product is Chamomile tea, which is an infusion of the flower-heads of the German Chamomile plant. Take a cup last thing at night before going to bed. Chamomile has been used for a number of disorders for nearly 2,000 years, one of these disorders being insomnia. It is also very effective for stomach spasms, colic, indigestion, asthma and several other ailments.

Valerian

• Valerian is another plant that can be grown in the garden or purchased over the counter. A decoction is made from its fresh roots and rhizome, and 25 to 100 ml can be taken as a sedative at night. Valerian has been a household herb since Roman times and is extremely effective in the treatment of insomnia. If you don't want to keep the plant in your garden, you can purchase tablets at any drug store without a prescription.

l-tryptophan

• l-tryptophan is an amino acid that is found in turkey, chicken, egg-white, cod, cheese, milk, bananas, sunflower seeds, nuts and corn. When l-tryptophan is ingested, the amino acid's immediate effect is to trigger the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter. This in turn is converted to melatonin, a neuro-hormone, which is secreted into the blood by the pineal gland. Melatonin controls the wake-sleep cycle by chemically triggering drowsiness and reducing the body's temperature. Eating one or more of these foods before going to bed will cause drowsiness.

Carbohydrates

• Eating carbohydrate rich foods is another good way of getting a good night's sleep. Carbohydrates stimulate the pancreas to secrete insulin. When this occurs, a few of the amino acids that usually compete with tryptophan leave the circulatory system and migrate to the muscle cells, thus increasing the relative strength of tryptophan in the blood. As in the previous example serotonin and then melatonin are produced with the accompanying effects.

Hops

• Hops are another age old remedy for insomnia. The plant is a cousin of marijuana and has been used since the 16th Century as a sedative. It can be used in two ways. You can prepare a sachet of dried strobiles and place it inside your bed pillow case. The aroma calms the mind and helps to promote a good night's sleep. The other method is to prepare an infusion with boiling water and to drink a cup before retiring. The constituents of the herb are thought to suppress central nervous system activity.