Top Nine Natural Solutions For Insomnia

Insomnia hits a whopping 30% of the population. That gives you a 1:3 chance of having it in the next 12 months. Chances are you will try some herbal teas, meditation/prayer or more commonly a little alcohol before sleep.

If this doesn't work, you may join the other insomniacs and get a prescription for Ambien, Lunesta, or maybe a Benzodiazepine. While these medications may work in the beginning, they are not intended for long term use. They are extremely addictive, and they have some bizarre side effects like sleep living.

Sleep living is when you engage in normal daily activities such as driving, cooking a meal, shopping online and making interesting phone calls all while you are totally asleep. This is pretty dangerous behavior.

Natural alternatives often have better success treating insomnia than prescription medications. They also have significantly fewer side effects.

So here it is, my top 9 natural solutions for insomnia:

1. Melatonin usually dosed at 3mg before bed has no common side effects. Down side: only works if you have melatonin deficiency. Up side: a lot of people are low in melatonin, and it is safe.
   
2. Sleep apnea: a very common issue with insomnia- consider allergy elimination to lower the inflammation around the adenoids (lymph glands).
   
3. Magnesium: 500mg or so before bed. One of my favorite nutrients on earth, magnesium is a natural relaxant.
   
4. Passion flower: 4-8 grams in a tea is considered a safe herb for insomnia (avoid if you are pregnant as it relaxes smooth muscle)
   
5. Hops: 0.5 grams in tea is the common dose. In addition to being sedative, hops also have some very mild hormone activity, so avoid if pregnant.
   
6. Kava Kava is one of my favorites. From all the years I spent traveling around the Pacific I have come to appreciate this herb. For anxiety induced insomnia Kava is brilliant. Kava does have a dark side: when over consumed, or consumed by individuals with irregular liver metabolism, Kava can induce liver damage. While the risks are much less than using a prescription medication, it is worth having Naturopathic medical supervision when taking Kava.
   
7. Valerian takes action on the GABA neurotransmitters. While the FDA considers Valerian to be a safe herb, it is important to have guidance when using herbs. All herbs can have a strong impact on drug metabolism. If you take prescription medications, please speak to your Naturopath to check for interactions
   
8. 5 HTP is a direct precursor to serotonin. Serotonin becomes melatonin in the brain. If serotonin levels are very low there will be less melatonin. Serotonin is involved in mood. If you are taking any anti-depressants, do not take 5htp. Consult with your Naturopathic physician first.
   
9. Blood glucose levels. Often, nocturnal low blood sugar causes insomnia. Maintaining proper blood sugar levels overnight is no easy thing. If you have any blood sugar issues such as hypoglycemia, or if you consume the standard American diet (rich in fast food), consider getting a blood glucose test done

This list is by no means exhaustive but it hits the major points. The take home is this: start with the simplest remedy with the least side effects, and only try kava or 5htp with supervision. And while I did place a few warnings here and there, these supplements are by no means as significant or as dangerous as their pharmaceutical counterparts.

Here is a list of my most commonly used nutrients and their brands:
Metabolic Maintenance Melatonin, 2 mg - 180 Capsules
Thorne Research Magnesium Citrate (140 mg) 90 Capsules
Kava Kava By Gaia Herbs [60 liquid-filled capsules]
Sound Sleep By Gaia Herbs [60 liquid-filled capsules]
Valerian Root By Gaia Herbs [60 liquid-filled capsules]
PassionFlower Vine Extract - Organic [4 Fluid Ounces] Gaia Herbs

Cited:
Textbook of Natural Medicine 3rd edition Pizzorno Murray
Treatment of Insomnia: An Alternative Approach Alternative Medicine Review v5n3 2000
Kava Kava Gift Of the Islands, Piscopo Alternative Medicine Review v2n5 1997
Kava Monograph Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database www.naturaldatabase.com
Hops Monograph Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database www.naturaldatabase.com
Valerian Monograph Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database www.naturaldatabase.com
Melatonin Monograph Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database www.naturaldatabase.com

Have you had success with any of these supplements? Feel free to comment below

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The Role Of Vitamin D In Pain

According to a 2006 National Center for Health Statistics Report: 76.5 million Americans have some form of musculo-skeletal pain (statistics here). That is fully 1/4 of the population. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculo-Skeletal and Skin Diseases advocates taking time off and over the counter pain relievers. (report here)

While this strategy is easy to follow it is not clinically effective. Treating musculo-skeletal pain in the clinic can be very frustrating. Common modalities used are electric stimulation to ease muscle spasm, acupuncture, spinal manipulation, topical creams and herbs such as turmeric and ginger to reduce inflammation. But the darling of any protocol involving musculo-skeletal pain is the ever underestimated Vitamin D.

We all think of Vitamin D as the nutrient added to milk to enhance bone growth in children and to prevent rickets. Often overlooked is the role Vitamin D plays in Cancer, diabetes, obesity, schizophrenia, autoimmune diseases and Most definitely musculo-skeletal pain.

Research shows the epidemic of Vitamin D deficiency is widespread with 40% of the population showing deficiency upon random blood testing. 76% of all pregnant mothers are severely vitamin D deficient. This may account for the increase in type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and arthritis we see in the general population.(reported here)

in the December 2003 Mayo Clinic Proceedings, there was an interesting Study on the incidence of musculo-skeletal pain and low vitamin D. They found that 92% of patients complaining of musculo-skeletal pain had lowered vitamin D levels. And 100% of the patients with darker skin pigmentation had low Vitamin D. (here)

How is this possible? How does vitamin D deficiency cause pain? Published in the same edition of the journal of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, the means by which vitamin D causes pain is detailed (here):

1. Low Vitamin D causes us to absorb less calcium from our diet
2. The Parathyroid gland draws calcium from bone to maintain correct levels of blood calcium
3. The Parathyroid gland increases the urinary loss of phosphorus.
4. Without phosphorus the body makes an un-mineralized type of collagen to surround bone.
5. Un-mineralized collagen swells when hydrated. This swelling presses against pain receptors in the joint causing the symptoms of musculo-skeletal pain.

The impact of vitamin D in my treatment of low back pain has been nothing short of amazing. Patients who tried everything from injection therapy to back surgery have had complete resolution of symptoms with vitamin D supplementation.

Is It Right For You?
Vitamin D is a Fat Soluble vitamin meaning it must be taken with caution. Overdosing vitamin D via sunlight exposure is impossible, but through oral supplements it is very possible and dangerous. In order to establish a correct diagnosis of low vitamin D I order a simple blood test. The test is covered by insurance and is very accurate. The test lets us plan on how long and how much Vitamin D would be effective.

If you feel you may have a vitamin D deficiency I strongly recommend you see your physician (preferably a Naturopath) and get tested. Vitamin D is inexpensive, and very available. One of the brands I prefer is Metabolic Maintenance. It is prescription grade and one of the best prices on the market-Metabolic Maintenance Vitamin D-3, 2000 IU - 120 Capsules

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