What Sleep Aids Do You Recommend?
Most people have trouble sleeping during some stage of their lives, and whether it is because of illness, or stress, or discomfort, being awake when you are exhausted and really want to sleep is no fun. After a few nights of this you may be tempted to try an over the counter (OTC) medication, but first of all, make sure you have followed all the usual tips of avoiding all caffeine, not taking any naps at all during the day, and exercising regularly to help reduce your stress levels.
If you have tried these without success, then you may want to try the OTC medications, but these are only for very occasional use. If your sleeplessness continues, then you really should see your doctor to find out what is going on and stopping you from getting regular sleep.
One of the problems with the drug store counter sleep aids is that they may leave you feeling unwell and groggy the following day, especially for older adults. You will find also that the more you rely on sleep aids, the less effective they become. Once you have taken them for a couple of weeks you will probably find that they no longer help you get sleep, and you need to see your doctor to discover the reason why.
Sleep aids that are readily available in pharmacies generally contain antihistamines which do cause drowsiness for most people. The stores’ own brands usually contain the same active ingredients, but are generally cheaper than the brand name sleep aids that are available, but they still do have side effects like a dry mouth, possible dizziness, memory problems, and grogginess lasting well into the day.
If you are pregnant or breast feeding, then again you should check with your doctor to find out how you can best be helped without harming your baby. And if you have any major illness like diabetes, or heart problems to name just 2, again you should ask you doctor how you can sleep better. If you do tale over the counter drugs, remember that you should not be driving or operating equipment, as your reaction times may be negatively affected.
If you are currently taking any antidepressants, then you should talk to your doctor before taking any other drugs, over the counter or prescription, just to make sure that they do not interfere with each other causing other harmful side effects.
The next section considers the various relaxation techniques which do not use any drugs, and so are a safer alternative for many.
Visualizing a peaceful relaxing scene can help you to unwind at the end of the day, and if you can involve all of your senses with this, the visualization works better,
Meditations are useful too, as well as yoga which combines breathing techniques along with meditation and stretching. There are many different levels of yoga, so you will be certain to find one for your ability. A study out of Havard found that yoga did improve total sleep time as well as the time needed to fall asleep, but this was after 8 weeks of yoga.
We mentioned avoiding caffeine earlier, but you should also avoid sugary items, like candies or sodas. Although sugary products can give you an energy boost, its effects are short lived, and your falling blood sugar as you sleep can cause you problems and wake you up, not what you want.
Foods that are carbohydrates may help to send you to sleep faster, things like bread or crackers, although having whole grain crackers is better for you.
Now magnesium is considered a natural sedative, and the foods to boost your magnesium levels are whole grains, legumes (such as barley, lentils and split peas) seeds, almonds and dark leafy green vegetables.
It will serve you well to try these options before you try over the counter sleep aids to help you get some much needed sleep.
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