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- What happens when we sleep?
- How much sleep do we need?
- What regulates sleep?
- The role of melatonin and serotonin in sleep
- Causes of insomnia (inability to fall asleep)
- What happens when we do not get enough sleep?
- Strategies to help relieve insomnia
- Natural remedies for insomnia
Sleep is an important part of being a human - we spend almost a third of our lives sleeping.
Sleep is highly complex, where the brain dreams and produces a number of different brain waves, as well as a number of other changes that are physiological and chemical in nature.
Sleep is regulated by a number of factors, such as body temperature, release of hormones, circardian rhythms and genes, together with health conditions and mental state prior to going to sleep.
During sleep, the brain produces a series of brain waves which determine the type of sleep. These form sleep cycles which last about 90 minutes (60 minutes in babies) and are called ultradian rhythm cycles. Each night you go through 4-5 of these sleep cycles.
The ultradian rhythm cycles have five distinct phases (called stages of sleep), which affect not just brain wave activity, but also eye and muscle activity too. The five stages of sleep are defined as follows:
- Stage 1 (Light sleep) - This is early non-REM sleep (NREM) that is the halfway point between being awake and asleep where alpha waves turn into theta waves and many of the body processes slow down. This stage of sleep usually lasts only a few minutes and makes up only about 5% of total sleep time. Stage 1 is a transition stage to true sleep
- Stage 2 (True sleep) - This is early non-REM sleep (NREM), which is still light sleep, as the brain keeps the mind aware on a certain level (it emits regular, but jagged sleep spindles and K complex waves to keep awareness on). This stage of sleep usually lasts about 30-45 minutes and makes up about 45% of total sleep time
- Stage 3 & 4 (Deep sleep) - This is deep non-REM sleep (NREM) in which the body uses this time to help repair and regenerate itself. The brain still produces sleep spindles and K complex waves, but it also produces theta waves and the most slowest brain waves of all, the delta waves. Stage 3 sleep is made up of about 50% theta waves, while stage 4 is made up of more than 50% theta waves. In stage 3, you are unconscious and all body systems are at their lowest levels and muscles are non-responsive. This is the stage of sleep where human growth hormone (HgH) is released to help repair and regenerate cells, build new tissues and repair damaged tissues. Children usually spend about 45 minutes in stage 3 & 4 sleep, but adults usually spend less time in this stage, reverting to stage 3 sleep for a few minutes before going to the next stage. Stage 3 is a transition stage to deep sleep. Deep sleep makes up about 25% of total sleep time
- Stage 5 (REM sleep) - This is sleep which involves rapid eye movement (REM), in which the mind dreams and learning is processed. The eyes are very active and the heart rate and blood pressure (and other body functions) start to rise closer to normal levels, although muscles still remain inert and paralysed. There is a combination of different types of brain waves: theta, alpha and beta, which makes us wake more easily from this type of sleep than from the two deep sleep stages prior. REM sleep makes up about 25% of total sleep time
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People who miss out on sleep tend to miss out on the transition stages (1 & 2) as the body tends to try to catch up on deep sleep first and then REM sleep.
There is little agreement amongst sleep experts on the amount of sleep that we need, as everyone's requirement's for sleep is different and changes throughout life.
On average, most adults usually get between 6-9 hours of sleep each night, which means the average time spent sleeping is usually around 6.5 hours a night. Some people need more sleep, while other need less. People who meditate regularly on an advanced level, especially experienced yogis, seem to require less sleep, as it seems that their meditation provides the rest that the body needs, although this only applies to those advanced in these fields who know how to meditate properly to provide the rest their body requires.
General hours of sleep required through the ages:
| Lifestage | Hours of sleep |
| Newborn babies | 16-18 hours |
| Young children (3-4 years) | 12 hours |
| Older children (5-12 years) | 10 hours |
| Teenagers | 8 hours |
| Adults | 7 hours |
| Older adults (over 65 years) | 5-6 hours |
As we get older, we tend to sleep less and this is usually due to the changing circadian rhythms as we age. It is normal to get a lot less unbroken sleep when we reach 65 and older, at which time deep sleep does not occur often. People over 65 tend to sleep more lightly, wake up more often and for longer intervals - resulting in a lot of napping throughout the day.
The best way to determine how much sleep you need is to listen to your body - if you do not feel refreshed after your sleep, it could be that you are not getting enough hours of unbroken sleep to feel refreshed and alert in the morning.
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Regulation of sleep is quite complex as it involves physical, mental, emotional, social and external factors.
There are four main biological factors that regulate sleep:
Body bio-rhythms
Everyone has an internal body clock, that programs you for sleep this is called a regular cycle or bio-rhythm.
The human daily bio-rhythm is known as the circadian rhythm and it is a 25-hour cycle, which causes us to feel sleepy on two separate ocassions during this cycle. The circadian rhythm sets the timing of your own sleep pattern, which is usually aligned to be at night, when it is cooler and to awaken in the morning, when it is warmer. Around 12am - 7am is the prime body clock sleep time.
The other part of the day where humans are naturally programmed to be sleepy by our circadian rhythm is between 1-4pm. Many cultures take advantage of this low ebb and have a siesta (short nap) around this time.
In addition to this, some people may have slightly longer or shorter circadian rhytms depending on whether they are a night owl or morning lark.
Night owls tend to have a longer daily cycle (up to 28 hours long), known as phase-delay. This means these people want to go to bed late, get up late and slow in the morning (but awake at night) because they are probably still in deep sleep when they have to wake up. The owl's circadian rhythm usually starts at 9am and ends at 1am. They tend to be the most alert and awake in the late afternoon, early evening.
Morning larks on the other hand, have a shorter daily cycle (up to 21 hours short), known as phase-advance. This means these people want to go to be earlier, get up early and are alert and awake in the morning, but have no energy late at night. They tend to get to sleep quickly and reach deep sleep quickly. The owl's circadian rhythm usually starts at 7am and ends at 9pm.
The circadian rhythm does change with time, as we age and most people tend to become more like morning larks (go to sleep early and wake up early) as they get older (although not everyone).
Light
Natural sunlight boosts the production of a number of hormones, including serotonin (one of the hormones that regulates mood) and oestrogen.
Sunlight is a major factor which governs sleep - our body clock is programmed to go to sleep when it is dark and wake up when it is light. Sunlight regulates the circadian rhythm and it also regulates the production of the hormone which governs sleep (melatonin).
Temperature
Body temperature plays a very important role in sleep regulation, as much as daylight. Body temperature is also controlled and regulated by the circadian rhythm and it rises and falls during the day, is lowest in the morning prior to awaking and highest during early evening. Sleep is triggered by a drop in body temperature.
It seems that it is not just body temperature that affects the ability to go to sleep, but also the temperature of the sleep environment, which is why sleep specialists recommend a cool bedroom for optimal and refreshing sleep.
Sleep regulating hormones
There are two important hormones that are involved in the regulation of sleep - melatonin and serotonin.
Serotonin is required for mood regulation and relaxation and this then helps to enable sleep to occur.
Melatonin is the hormone produced by the pineal gland and this hormone directly by preparing the body for sleep.
Serotonin is required to produce melatonin, which is why both of these two hormones are required for adequate and refreshing sleep.
There is still much that is being discovered about sleep and what regulates sleep.
The role of melatonin and serotonin in sleep
Melatonin and serotonin are two of the most important hormones that are required to enable sleep to occur.
Serotonin
Serotonin is one of the most important hormones in the body, as it is required for mood regulation and relaxation. In addition to this, it is also needed for proper digestion and appetite control and it can also be found in the gut (not just in the brain).
Many anti-depressant medications work by making the body produce more serotonin, to help regulate mood and reduce anxiety and depression.
People who cannot relax properly (mind and/or body) cannot get to sleep and this can be due to a lack of serotonin. Exercise and adequate natural sunlight can boost the production of serotonin, but artificial additives, sugar, processed foods, alcohol, poor diet and stress all can reduce serotonin levels. If the body is using all it's reserves of serotonin on combating the effects of stress, poor diet or alcohol usage, then it wont have enough to promote sleep and this can be a contributing factor in insomnia.
Serotonin is synthesised in the brain from the essential amino acid tryptophan.
Melatonin
Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland, a tiny endocrine gland in the base of the brain, which is involved in helping prepare the body for sleep. Melatonin is known as the sleep hormone.
Melatonin production is trigered by the fading light at night and is drops low at dawn. Urine that is produced overnight contains much more significant levels of melatonin than urine produced during the day. Winter months produce more melatonin than summer months, as the days are longer in winter.
When melatonin levels rise, body temperature decreases and this is a trigger for sleep. When melatonin levels drop, body temperature increases and this triggers wakefulness.
Melatonin production is different person to person, but children usually seem to produce more melatonin than adults.
Melatonin and the pineal gland were only discovered about 50 years ago, so discovery of this hormone is only relatively new and scientists are still discovering so much about it.
Causes of insomnia (inability to fall asleep)
There are a number of well known factors that can contribute to an inability to fall asleep (insomia). There are a number of strategies that can be undertaken to try to improve quality and duration of sleep for the underlying causes of insomnia below:
Age
As people age, they tend to get less of the deep sleep stages and tend to sleep less, which is just a normal part of the ageing process that needs to be accepted.
Anxiety
People who feel a level of worry, fear and apprehension - all symptoms of anxiety, usually find it very difficult to fall asleep as they tend to stay up over-thinking every tiny detail of their day. Anxiety is one of the most common reasons (after stress) for keeping people from sleeping.
Diet - food and drink
Eating too close to bed time will overload the digestive system and this will disrupt sleep and even cause very bizarre dreams and unrefreshing sleep. Certain foods have a stimulating effect on the brain (caffeine and alcohol) and will prevent sleep or disrupt sleep or both.
Drugs (legal and illegal)
Many legal prescription medications have substances in them which stimulate the brain and so may precipitate insomnia by disrupting sleep. Many illegal drugs have major stimulating effects on the brain and will reduce ability to get to sleep or prevent deep sleep.
Emotions
Any type of strong emotions (postive or negative) can disturb sleep because they have a stimulating effect on the brain.
External sleep environment
If the bedroom contains a television, computer, then these are distractions from getting to sleep. Other external factors are, a bed or pillows that are too soft or too hard, too much light getting through the bedroom window, noise from external sources and anything else external that may prevent sleep.
Having babies (and children)
A newborn baby has very different sleep and feeding patterns that need to be adhered to and this can understandably cause sleep deprivation for many parents.
Hormones
When the hormones are imbalanced this case cause a problem with sleep. PMS, puberty and menopause are examples of imbalanced hormones - menopause is a normal part of most women's lives, which can be associated with hot flushes and insomnia; PMS can cause insomnia and puberty is a time of fluctuating hormones and "growth pains".
Hyper-aroused brain
Some people just have a brain that does not seem to want to slow down, stop the internal chatter and relax into deep sleep. Insomniacs tend to have a hyper-aroused brain and this prevents sleep because of the wakefulness and alertness of the brain.
Illness
There are many types of health conditions that can cause pain and discomfort in many parts of the body and this can seriously disrupt sleep and prevent deep sleep. As long as the illness is temporary, the insomnia should also be temporary, but if it is long term, then it could cause chronic insomnia.
Lifestyle
Certain lifestyle choices (some preventable and some not), such as shift work, working too late, exercising too close to bed time, not exercising at all, partying too much (and drinking too much) can all cause a disruption of sleep.
Mental problems
People who have depression and / or anxiety often have difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or both.
Sleep disorders
There are a number of known, diagnosed, medical sleep disorders which can adversely affect sleep - snoring, sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, period leg movement, are just some of these sleep disorder.
Social factors
A loudly snoring partner, noisy neighbours and restless children that keep you awake are just some examples of social factors that are wholly within your control.
Stimulants
The main stimulants are - alcohol, caffeine (coffee, tea, energy drinks) and nicotine. They are all drugs which disrupt sleep and prevent deep sleep. Alcoholics tend to suffer from chronic insomnia.
Stress
Stress is usually the most common reasons why people cannot get to sleep. Stress is usually closely tied with anxiety as the reason for the insomnia.
Temperature
If the sleep environment is too hot or too cold, it can disrupt and prevent proper, deep sleep from occuring and will keep you awake.
Women
Women tend to suffer more from insomnia than men - this could be because women tend to think about everything on a much more detailed level and worry (stress) more than men. In addition to this, there are hormonal reasons which contribute to the reason why women suffer insomnia more and also pregnancy, especially the latter stages is a difficult time to get a good sleep for many women.
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What happens when we do not get enough sleep?
Insomnia causes a number of adverse (although they are usually not life-threatening) effects:
- Anxiety - normal mood is directly related to levels of serotonin, which is low in people not getting enough sleep, so this can lead to anxiety, fear and apprehension
- Decreased alertness - adequate sleep ensures that you are alert and awake, feeling refreshed after a good night's sleep, so when this is not possible, especially if it is a chronic problem, alertness can be impaired
- Decreased immunity - if you do not get any (or enough) deep sleep, this can impair the body's immunity, as this is when the body repairs and regenerates and when the immune system tries to recover and heal the body of any health problems
- Driving dangers - driving while still in sleep mode (not properly awake and alert) can increase the risk for a car accident
- Increased weight gain - studies show that people who do not get enough sleep tend to gain more weight than those people do do sleep enough
- Mood swings - regulation of mood is directly related to levels of serotonin, which is low in people not getting enough sleep, so this can lead to low mood, irritability and frustration
- Reduced memory - having adequate sleep enables memory to function proper, because learning is one of the cognitive functions which is regulated through sleep
Strategies to help relieve insomnia
There are a number of strategies that sleep specialists use to help insomniacs fall sleep:
- Bootzin Stimulus Control
- Bright light therapy
- General strategies for insomnia
- Napping
- Sleep clinics
- Sleeping pills
- Anti-depressants
There is a well-known strategy (Bootzin Stimulus Control) developed over 20 years ago by an American sleep specialist, Richard Bootzin to help counteract insomnia that is mostly conditioned. This strategy is still recommended today:
- Only go to bed when you feel sleepy
- Only use the bed for sleep (or sex) - dont read in bed or do anything else in bed
- If you cannot fall asleep after about 20 minutes of being in bed, get up and do something else and go back to bed when you start to feel sleepy
- Keep repeating the above (leaving the bed) if you still cannot get to sleep after you go to bed again, or when you wake up in the night and cannot sleep
- Set the alarm for the same time every day and get up when it goes off
- Dont nap during the day
Studies have shown that people who use bright light therapy have less incidence of insomnia, as well as less jet lag and even less incidence of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
The bright light helps to overcome any type of circadian rhythm sleep disorders (such as insomnia) as the bright light therapy helps to reset the circadian rhythm control centre back to normal.
The theory behind bright light therapy asserts that bright light in the evening usually slows down the body clock, whereas the bright light speeds it up in the morning. Bright light therapy is often used instead of medication to very effectively treat insomnia, as it treats the cause of the insomnia rather than treating the symptoms.
Bright light therapy works most effectively when it is used for a specific amount of time at a specific time each day (otherwise it may not be as effective). Bright light therapy works on both types of insomniacs - those who cannot get to sleep very well and those who cannot sleep long enough (or those who have both).
A new type of bright light therapy involves using a Rio Lightmask™, which shines pulsed light (at a specific rate) onto the closed eyes at night. It is used at night before falling asleep, to help sleep come more quickly. Studies have shown that people who use this type of light therapy report having a deeper, more restful sleep, feeling more alert and aware the next day - generally significantly better quality of sleep and feeling more refreshed the next day.
General strategies for insomnia
Some other useful strategies for helping you get to sleep are:
- Do not drink coffee / tea / caffeine drinks within six hours of your bed time (the caffeine is a stimulant and may prevent you from falling asleep)
- Do not exercise too close to bed time (as it can stimulate you too much). Try to complete exercise at least six hours before you intend to go to sleep
- Go to bed and wake up the same time every day (within 30 minutes)
- Do not have any naps in the day
- Use relaxation techniques (such as meditation) to help you feel more relaxed enough to fall asleep
- If stress is a problem, determine what the cause of the stress is and work on it to enable improvement in quality of life and ultimately on sleep too
- Use a sleep diary to monitor your sleep for a few weeks to determine if there is a visible pattern and how to use this to improve sleep
Napping
Insomniacs may find that napping is a useful way to recover from sleep deprivation. Some sleep experts recommend short, power naps as an effective tool to help insomniacs deal with a lack of sleep (at night), as it can help the brain function better.
The optimum nap time is about 10-20 minutes maximum. This allows the body enough time to get to sleep, reach a point where the body can start to recover and restore itself, which ultimately helps to significantly improve mood, alertness and cognitive function.
Unfortunately, many insomniacs are not able to nap, probably because whatever is keeping them awake at night is preventing them from napping during the day. This is unfortunate because napping is such a powerful way to recover somewhat from sleep deprivation and lack of sleep is exactly what insomniacs suffer from.
Your doctor may recommend a sleep clinic to monitor your sleep if your insomnia becomes too severe, to determine if you have any underlying problem (such as sleep apnoea, snoring and other respiratory sleep problems that prevent proper sleep) which can be detected through the monitoring in a sleep clinic.
The initial consultation will be a detailed one with a list of questions that will need to be answered (including a sleep diary that needs to be filled out for at least two weeks). Following this are further test and depending on the results of the questions answered, could be:
- Blood tests - a range of test could be requested to test a number of factors which may be involved in the insomnia
- Hormone tests - to ascertain levels of the hormones melatonin and serotonin, which are the most important hormones involved in sleep
- Monitoring device - such as an actigraph, which is a device that is worn on the wrist and measures activities of daily life (including daytime napping) and it also helps to detect any unusual circadian rhythms
- Overnight sleep monitoring - this involves going to a sleep laboratory and being hooked up to electrical monitoring devices while you sleep, to assess the quality and quantity of your sleep and if there are any physical reasons for the insomnia (such as sleep apnoea, teeth grinding, restless legs syndrome, or any other physical disorder). This sleep study in the sleep laboratory is called a polysomnographic study
Sedative medications are often prescribed, or purchased without a prescription (over-the-counter) at pharmacies to help with insomnia. Sleeping pills are supposed to be used only on the short term, or sporadically for sleep problems associated with insomnia, as you can become highly addicted to them.
Sedatives tend to increase the amount of stage 2 (light) sleep, but tend to decrease the amount of stage 4 (REM) sleep, which means that sedatives may not really provide restful sleep that refreshes the mind and body.
The longer that sleeping pills are regularly used, the more the brain becomes used to them and the less effective they become at the dosage you have been initially prescribed, which means a higher dosage needs to be prescribed to get the same effect. This increases the risk of addiction.
Sleep specialists are not all convinced that sleeping pills (sedatives) are useful for people with insomnia, as they can become addictive, with more of the medication required to get some relief from the insomnia and function properly and the sedatives do not provide very restful slee either.
Types of sedatives are:
- Barbituates - these are an older type of sedative, which are very strong and highly addictive, both physically and mentally. Barbituates act on the central nervous system to produce mild sedation to anaesthesia. Barbituates have a high potential for lethal overdose and are not prescribed as much today as a sedative, except in special cases. Common examples are: Amobarbital (Amytal®), Pentobarbital (Nembutal®), Phenobarbitol (Luminal®), Secobarbital (Seconal®)
- Benzodiazepines - these sedatives are also muscle relaxants which are commonly prescribed in people with insomnia for short term use. High dosage, combined with long term use can result in an addiction. Even short term use in some people can result in rebound wakefulness (more insomnia than you started with). Discuss any side effects with your doctor and do not suddenly stop taking any medication you have been taking for some time. Common examples are: Alprazolam (Xanax®), Chlordiazepoxide (Librium®), Diazepam (Valium®), Estazolam (Prosom®), Lorazepam (Ativan®), Nitrazepam (Mogadon®), Oxazepam (Serax®)
- Non-benzodiazepine sedatives - these sedatives are quite a new class of drugs, which have a similar action to the benzodiazepines, but they are not the same class of drugs. The non-benzodiazepines tend to have less problems with addiction, but long term use of these drugs is still not recommended. Common examples are: Eszopiclone (Lunesta®), Zaleplon (Sonata®), Zolpidem (Ambien®), Zopiclone (Imovane®, Zimovane®)
Anti-depressant medications are commonly prescribed for people with insomnia, to combat the insomnia on a number of levels - to reduce the anxiety, stress or depression which may be underlying the insomnia, to help increase the levels of serotonin, which regulates and manages mood and to help relax the body and mind enough to enable sleep to occur.
Anti-depressant medications which have sedating properties are prescribed at low doses and can help with insomnia symptoms, by causes sedation or drowsiness.
There are a number of benefits of using anti-depressants for insomnia, including not being physically addictive and do not cause rebound insomnia. They can cause a few side effects, such as dry mouth, constipation and some mental fog.
Anti-depressants should not be taken for at least two weeks after stopping mono-amine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), due to potential adverse effects. Alcohol should not be taken if anti-depressants are being used. Your doctor must know about any other medications you are using (including any supplements or herbs) before you start taking any type of anti-depressants.
Insomnia is one of the health conditions that usually responds well to alternative / complementary treatments, that are usually gentle, not habit forming and help the body to relax and get to sleep and these treatments are suitable for most people with insomnia. The alternative treatments are usually the first step in treating insomnia, but if they do not work then consult your medical doctor for further advice on treatment.
Some of the best natural remedies for insomnia are:
- B vitamin complex - the B vitamins are important to help normalise nervous tissue function and reduce overall tension, anxiety and stress. A B vitamin complex containing all the B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, cobalamin) and also the B vitamin co-factors (choline, folic acid, inositol, paba) should only be taken 1-2 times a day, in the morning and just after lunch, but not at night as the B vitamins may stimulate you too much and prolong insomnia. Vitamin B3 (niacin) is especially useful for reducing restless sleep patterns in people who toss and turn all night. Folic acid is vital for people with restless legs syndrome, as it can help to reduce symptoms. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is the precursor to typtophan and may be especially useful in reducing stress and anxiety symptoms that cause the insomnia
- Chamomile tea - the tea of chamomile flowers is one of the most gentle and non-habit forming ways to relax the body and help you get to sleep. Try to have at least one cup of chamomile about an hour before sleep and if that does not work, try another cup. The most effective way to have chamomile is to use the loose flowers and boil them in water for a few minutes, strain and then drink with a little honey to sweeten
- Lemonbalm (Melissa officinalis) - the herb lemonbalm is used in herbal preparations to reduce insomnia and induce sleep. Studies show lemonbalm is effective in helping to reduce stress and anxiety and to then promote sleep. It is often combined with other herbs (scullcap, passionflower and valerian) to increase the relaxation effect and induce sleep more quickly
- Magnesium - the mineral magnesium is essential for relaxing all the muscles in the body (both the muscles we can move and those we cant move, that surround our internal organs), which may relax your whole body enough to reduce insomnia symptoms and help you sleep
- Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) - the herb passionflower is used in herbal preparations to reduce insomnia and induce sleep. Studies have shown that passionflower has significant anxiety-reducing properties, which may assist with increased relaxation and help with sleep. Passionflower if often combined with lemonbalm, scullcap and sometimes valerian to increase eficacy in reducing insomia
- Scullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) - the herb scullcap is used in herbal preparations to reduce insomnia and induce sleep. Scullcap is often combined with other herbs (passionflower, lemonbalm and valerian) to reduce anxiety and nervous tension and help induce sleep
- St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) - the herb St John's Wort is often used to help reduce anxiety, depression and stress. Studies show that St John's Wort may be a beneficial and effective treatment for mild to moderate depression without any of the side effects of prescription anti-depressant medications. St John's Wort works by increasing the levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which regulates mood and decreases insomnia. If you are taking any type of anti-depressant you must not take St John's Wort and you must also wait a few weeks after stopping the anti-depressants before trying it. If you are taking any other medications, talk to your doctor about St John's Wort before trying it, as it could cause some serious problems if you take certain medications together with this herb
- Tryptophan - the amino acid tryptophan is the precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin as well as the hormone melatonin, both of which are required to help initiate proper sleep. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter which helps to relax the body, reduce any anxiety or stress by managing mood and melatonin regulates the circadian sleep cycles
- Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) - the herb valerian is used to treat anxiety and nervous restlessness which may lead to insomnia. Research shows that valerian increases the amount the amino acid gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), which also functions as a neurotransmitter in the brain. GABA helps regulate nerve cells so that they function properly and it also has a calming effect on anxiety by producing a much more relaxed mood. Valerian has sedative effects, but it is not habit forming (so you cannot get addicted to it), which is why many people use it instead of pharmaceutical sedative medications. Despite these beneficial effects, there is a very small percentage (about 5%) of people who are over-stimulated by valerian, instead of being relaxed, so try a lower dose to guage your reaction. You can build up the dosage if it does not stimulate you
Always ensure that you notify your medical practitioner of any supplements that you want to take - it may interfere with other medication or conditions you have. Confirm with your doctor it is safe to take BEFORE you try it.
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