Home cures for Insomnia

Insomnia or sleeplessness interferes with sleep, deprives a person of mental rest and affects his daytime activities. It is common among the elderly as sleep requirements reduce with aging.

Symptoms of Insomnia

• Continuous changes in sleep patterns.
• Changes in duration and quality of sleep.
• Lack of concentration and memory lapse.
• Loss of co-ordination, confusion, feeling of indifference and emotional instability are other factors.

Causes of Insomnia

• Mental tension caused by worries.
• Anxiety, over excitement and overwork is the main cause.
• Bitter feelings, anger, feelings of resentment, smoking, going to bed hungry, overeating at night, excess intake of tea or coffee, indigestion and constipation are other factors.

Home remedies for Insomnia

• Fix a regular time everyday for going to bed and waking up. Going early to bed and rising early is very good.
• Deficiencies of B- Complex Vitamins, Vitamins C and Vitamin D and Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Potassium and Manganese can lead to chronic insomnia. So the diet should include adequate quantities of the nutrients.
• Avoid tea, coffee, sugar, white flour, alcohol, fatty and fried foods, excessive use of salts.
• Breakfast – whole cereals, yogurt, fresh and dried fruits and seeds; lunch – large mixed vegetable salad; dinner – protein based.
• A cup of milk with honey at bedtime induces sleep.
• Avoid worries at bedtime. Listen to soft music, do light reading, think about cheerful matter, wear light bed clothing and relax. Lie on your side and bring up one or both knees and head and shoulders slightly forward.
• Controlled breathing helps induce sleep. For this lie on your side. Take 3 deep breaths and then hold the breath as long as you can. Next, take 3 more breaths and repeat the breath holding.
• Regular active exercising during the day and light exercise at bedtime improves quality and quantity of sleep. Walking, jogging, swimming and skipping are ideal exercises.
• Yoga and meditation provides physical and mental relaxation and induces sleep.
• Hydrotherapy is also effective. Hot foot bath or an alternate hot and cold foot bath; application of hot packs or hot fomentation to the spine before retiring helps a lot.