How to Choose a Non-Narcotic Sleep Aid

Get a good night's sleep

You need a sleep aid you can depend upon without forming a habit. You know the feeling: you're groggy all day long and you can't fully concentrate on your tasks. Last night was another bout of restlessness. You tossed and turned and ended up more frustrated than refreshed in the morning. You need a non-narcotic sleep aid that lets you get a good night's rest.

Instructions

1. More than 40 million Americans suffer from occasional sleep problems, with 10-percent of those sufferers, experiencing non-sleep episodes more than three months out of the year.

2. For occasional insomnia, use minimal treatment sleep aids that include a warm bath an hour before bedtime and a warm, non-caffeinated drink before retiring. Setting a regular sleep time and waking time may adjust your body clock and let you sleep longer and deeper.

3. Go natural when hunting for sleep aids. Valerian root tea soothes frazzled nerves that cause occasional bouts of insomnia. Look for added Lavender, Lemon Balm and Chamomile for a one-two knock-out punch.

4. Treat your insomnia as if it were an allergy - literally. Antihistamines that contain Diphenhydramine may be all you need to get a good night's sleep. However, use Diphenhydramine no more than twice a week for insomnia.

5. Try Melatonin supplements, available over-the-counter in most health food stores. Relatively inexpensive, these supplements replace the melatonin you body naturally made when it was younger. Take no more than the recommended dosage to prevent waking headaches.

6. Add physical excersice to your day. Even a short walk before dinner can help your body relax at night. Just don't exercise within three hours of your bedtime.

Resources

• Fall asleep easier at night.
• Stop being absent minded.
• Get medical treatment without health insurance.
• Find free classes online.