There are countless remedies that are supposed to promote better sleep: But which methods actually work? Counting sheep, a glass of beer as a nightcap or watching television to fall asleep – everyone has already tried one or the other time-honored trick to fall asleep better. Often, however, without success. And that’s no wonder, as sleep researchers know today. Because many methods cause straight the opposite: Thus television usually rather excites than to calm. Alcohol helps to fall asleep quickly at first, but on the other hand it makes for a less restful sleep. And counting sheep is a good approach, but it is usually too little of a distraction to really help you switch off. The whole thing could work better, by the way, if you count in steps of seven, for example, experts say.
Natural tricks as a sleep aid
But there are also snooze remedies that can really help. These include, for example, good old milk with honey: it contains the amino acid tryptophan, from which the sleep-promoting messenger serotonin is formed. The honey ensures faster absorption into the blood. Music has also proven its worth. It should be calm and primarily please the listener. It is also important to concentrate on the piece and thus stop the carousel of thoughts in the head. Another type of music for falling asleep has been studied by scientists at the University of Cologne and found to be effective. It involves sounds of a certain waveband, which corresponds to that of deep sleep. The meditative sounds run barely audibly throughout the night and are thus said to prolong sleep. Corresponding CDs (Somnia) are available in pharmacies. Experts confirm the benefit of light therapy especially for disorders of the day-night rhythm – for example, for shift workers. Other alternative methods that can help with sleep disorders include hypnosis, acupuncture and acupressure.
Herbal remedies for falling asleep
Preparations from the pharmacy are often an easier and faster way to find a peaceful sleep. Herbal preparations often help very well. Among the most important medicinal plants are:
- Valerian
- Passionflower
- Hops
- Melissa
These can be used as single or combination preparations. For a simple difficulty falling asleep often helps the valerian alone. If nervous restlessness is added, combinations can be useful. The special thing about medicinal plants is that they promote falling asleep only when you are tired anyway. During the day they have rather a calming function. Another advantage of the preparations is that they usually show no side effects. Only a very few people experience allergies or gastric distress. The latter can be easily prevented by taking the remedies after a meal. There is no habituation with the medicinal plants, so that they can theoretically be taken permanently. Nevertheless, a break should be taken from time to time. In many cases, it turns out that the affected person finds peace again without slumber aid.
Medication for falling asleep
Synthetic antihistamines with the active ingredients diphenhydramine or doxylamine are more quickly effective. These preparations are particularly recommended for acute sleep disorders, that is, when someone needs short-term help due to travel fever or exam anxiety. They are also indicated when patients have more persistent sleep disorders and suffer from acute exhaustion. In these cases, they can be taken for about two to three weeks. However, they should not be used for longer than this, as they become habituated and no longer work as well. It is also important to plan for a sleep period of eight to ten hours, otherwise a so-called hangover can occur, i.e. the drugs still had their effect the morning after. However, the risk of morning drowsiness is lower with diphenhydramine preparations.
Caution side effects
Sleeping pills are also often prescribed by doctors in cases of severe stressful situations, such as a death in the family or other traumatic experiences. These usually belong to the benzodiazepine family. The preparations are extremely reliable and also have a slight mood-lifting effect. However, they produce a physical dependency when used continuously, which is accompanied by withdrawal symptoms when they are discontinued. These can even exacerbate sleep problems.It is therefore particularly important to follow the dosage instructions and the recommended duration of use. Anyone who has already been taking corresponding products for a longer period of time should definitely try to slowly reduce the dosage together with the doctor.
Ibuprofen to fall asleep?
Now and then one hears the recommendation to use ibuprofen to fall asleep. However, this drug is a painkiller and is not considered to promote sleep. On the contrary, the possible side effects of ibuprofen may include sleep disturbances. On the other hand, if one suffers from pain, it can make it difficult to fall asleep. In this case, a painkiller can sometimes help to relieve the pain and thus to spend a peaceful night. However, this decision is best made after consulting with a doctor.
