Do you have trouble getting to sleep at night? Have you begun to dread the prospect of another restless night of tossing and turning, watching the hours go by - and feeling like hell the next day? What could be better than a natural sedative to send you off to dreamland?
Generally speaking, natural sedatives could be your best bet, since they are based on natural ingredients and are therefore safe to use. Or are they? So many products that have been passed off as safe do actually deserve closer scrutiny.
In fact, there could be issues regarding the safety of even herbal ingredients. You cannot get away from the fact that natural sedatives do after all contain chemicals that you do not know much about.
You may also not be sure of the quantities contained in any natural sedative you may be considering - you know even less about the effect these products could have on you. After all, opium and cocaine also come from plants - you wouldn't exactly consider them safe to use as natural sedatives, would you?
That being so, you need to identify what you want from the product. Do take note of research findings on any product you have in mind before you settle on it: whether it lives up to its name, how safe it is, the chemistry involved and your tolerance of possible side effects.
In short, you need to be sure that your natural sedative is safe and effective - you will know once you have the answers to all the above questions. You must put your doctor in the picture before you get started on any vitamins, minerals or herbal treatments.
You need to ensure that you do not suffer from medical conditions of any kind and that you are not pregnant or breast feeding - factors that could impact the effect of your natural sedative. When you do get on to particular products, make sure you take them one at a time, so that you can identify which one does not agree with you, should you have an adverse reaction.
So let's see what you could safely take. There's Saint-John's-Wort, a herb which will have a tranquilizing effect and tends to slow down the pace of depletion of serotonin from the brain. That's what induces the calm that you are looking for. Side effects are negligible and you will not get hooked.
Even so, you'll be more affected by exposure to the sun when you are taking it, so do lay on the sunscreen when you are out of doors. 300 mg of the freeze dried extract will work best. However, you do need to avoid it if you are taking antidepressants such as Parnate or Nardil at the same time.
Other choices include Vitamins B6 and B12, both of which bolster the reaction of your nervous system to stress. Ideally, you should take them as part of a B complex formulation that includes 1 mg of Vitamin B12 and 25mg of Vitamin B6. Add a mineral supplement for best results, as the saying goes. Vitamin B12 is more easily assimilated as methylcobalamin or hydroxocobalamin, rather than cyanocobalamin, which you would probably find more readily available.
Then there is kava - a benzodiazepine, non addictive but effective in providing relief from both insomnia and anxiety, without making you feel foggy. It's widely used in several European countries. Sounds good, doesn't it - except that it will be off limits for you if you are on other benzodiazepines or antidepressants. You'll also have to avoid it if you are a drinker or suffer from Parkinson's Disease.
Valerian is yet another choice open to you, very similar to kava in the way it works and just as popular among users. 150 mg is considered a small dose. It will have a calming effect and get you to sleep, does not create dependency or make you feel foggy the next day. The effect of Valerian takes time to build up, so do be patient.
Quite a selection for you to take your pick, but do take care when you make your choice. Good luck!!