Insomnia, or the inability to fall and stay asleep, affects nearly everyone at some time or another. Occasionally people will get a full night's sleep and still wake up feeling unrested for one reason or another. While drug companies have worked hard to come up with various over-the-counter, or OTC, and prescription drugs to battle sleeplessness, often these medications include harmful side effects just as bad or worse than the insomnia. Luckily there are natural alternatives to these medications that do not pose the same risks to the patient who suffers from sleeplessness. Throughout this article, these alternatives will be discussed in greater detail in order to prove the benefits of natural insomnia treatments over man-made medications.

There are several naturally occurring chemicals that lead people to feel sleepy. Probably the most common one is the amino acid Tryptophan. This is the ingredient in turkeys that make so many people feel relaxed and sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner. Tryptophan helps the brain create the chemicals serotonin and melatonin, which help the human body feel relaxed, calm and able to sleep. Dairy products, whole grain products and nuts are also good Tryptophan foods, perfect for before-bed snacks. Avoid foods high in protein and focus on high carbohydrate and calcium foods to help fight sleeplessness.

Much as there are foods and drinks (like milk) that will help you get to sleep, there are also foods that can be detrimental to falling and staying asleep throughout the night.

Any food or drink that contains caffeine should be avoided for at least three hours before bed (more if you still have problems getting to sleep).

Be wary of teas since many of them contain caffeine.

Look for the words caffeine-free, if you don't see them then you should assume the tea is caffeinated.

Another sneaky possessor of caffeine is OTC headache and pain medications, many of which include caffeine to boost the effectiveness of the active ingredients. Carefully read the labels of any medications prior to taking them before trying to sleep.

Phosphatidylserine is an anti-cortisol that helps keep blood sugar stabilized throughout the night. Sudden spikes in blood sugar have been shown to be a contributing factor to frequently waking up during the night. People who are severely stressed sometimes experience racing thoughts while trying to sleep. These thoughts raise the levels of cortisol in the body and make it difficult to relax enough to fall asleep. Phosphatidylserine combats this effect, which can lead to falling asleep and more importantly staying asleep.

Another important ingredient in effective natural sleeplessness solutions is the amino-acid GABA, which helps the body regenerate while asleep and wake up feeling rested. While getting enough sleep is important, the quality of that sleep is even more important (just ask anyone who has an old mattress). GABA helps the release of growth hormone, which aids in the restfulness of the sleep state. It is obvious that natural insomnia solutions are better for the sleep state and the general health of those who suffer from sleeplessness.