Insomnia is a condition in which you have trouble falling or staying asleep. Some people with insomnia may fall asleep easily but wake up too soon. There are mainly two types - sleep onset insomnia and sleep maintenance insomnia - characterized according to the difference in the sleep behavior. The reasons for insomnia will range from psychological disorders to lifestyle factors such as stress, anxiety, hypertension, other psychiatric problems, physical impairments, nutrient deficiency, hormonal imbalance, and environmental factors. Insomnia also can limit the energy you have to spend with friends or family. Insomnia can affect not only your energy level and mood, but also your health as well because sleep helps bolster your immune system. Fatigue, at any age, leads to diminished mental alertness and concentration. Insomnia can be mild to severe depending on how often it occurs and for how long. Natural remedies include herbal remedies, behavioral therapies, relaxation techniques, good lifestyle habits, and ideal sleep hygiene.

Exercises and relaxation therapies such as biofeedback, muscle relaxation therapy, visualization therapy, and yoga are essential to ease out stagnated energy and mental tensions, which may help to induce sleep. Acute insomnia is self-limiting, meaning it runs its course in a few weeks or months and ends without being treated. Chronic insomnia lasts longer than three months and often needs to be treated. The common herbal remedies include Hops, Valerian root, Passion flower, Californian Poppy, and Dog wood. Sleep maintenance insomnia is the inability to stay asleep or to resume sleep after waking in the middle of the sleep cycle. A person may experience both sleep onset insomnia and sleep maintenance insomnia, which leads to both insufficient and poor sleep. It is proven that herbal remedies contain certain alkaloids, which can trigger the neurotransmitters and hormones, which induce sleep. Aromatherapy advocates that a bath in water containing the infusions of the herbs, before sleeping will help to avoid insomnia.

Some of the Common Herbal Remedies for Insomnia:

1. A cup of warm milk sweetened with honey should be taken before going to bed. Take it everyday.

2. Lemon balm tea is extremely relaxing and induces sleep.

3. Kava Relaxes muscles, sedative properties.

4. Take raw onion with meals particularly with dinner.

5. Take some cumin seeds and fry then in a very little amount of ghee.

6. Juice of celery leaves (ajwain ka patta) with thick ribs and brittle stalks mixed with a tablespoon of honey when had at night before retiring helps to relax into a restful sleep.