Important Facts You Need to Know About Natural Insomnia Cures
People that have issues sleeping, like insomnia, sometimes choose a natural cure for treating it. Natural cures may include herbal remedies like chamomile tea and lemon balm considered harmless for most people. One should note that just because a remedy is considered natural it does not mean it is safe. Herbal remedies may contain prescription drugs and they are not typically regulated.
Examples of herbal remedies include kava kava, chamomile, valerian root, passion flower and St. John’s wort and have been used for insomnia cures from generation to generation. The effectiveness and safety of these natural compounds has not been formally documented. Existing studies and research are not based on standard methodologies and they are often hard to interpret. Standardized studies include those produced by regulatory agencies such as the FDA.
Many people suffering from insomnia take melatonin to help them fall asleep. Melatonin is actually a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain and it uses tryptophan, an amino acid, as a building block. Commercially produced melatonin is available in supplement form and it has been used for a variety of medical uses including as an insomnia cure. Of the natural remedies used for insomnia cures, melatonin is the best studied, but it still remains unregulated in the U.S. Studies proving the effectiveness of melatonin as an insomnia cure still remains unclear. Completed studies demonstrate the substance does help people go to sleep faster, however it does not appear to have an effect on total sleep time or daytime fatigue or sleepiness.
It should be emphasized that melatonin is classified as a dietary supplement and not as a drug, so its quality and effectiveness is uncontrolled in the U.S. (The United States is the only developed nation that does not regulate this substance.) Since Melatonin is a powerful hormone, it can produce major side effects, many of which are still unknown, on all parts of the body. The bottom line is that people who take melatonin as an insomnia cure are experimenting on themselves. Keep in mind that natural remedies are not regulated by the FDA and their quality is not controlled. In addition, any substance that can affect the body’s chemistry can, like any drug, produce potentially harmful side effects.
Since the FDA does not regulate natural remedies, their quality is not controlled. Any compound affecting body chemistry has the ability to produce potentially harmful side effects. Although some studies purport positive benefits from the use of natural remedies, the substances tested in the lab are often not the same ones available to the public. Cases involving the reporting of harmful and serious side effects from taking natural remedies have been documented. In some cases, prescription drugs were found to be added to herbal remedies.
Insomnia cures don’t always have to involve drugs, natural or chemical. One should note there are natural therapies available that help induce a restful night’s sleep without the use of drugs.
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