Which Is A Better Natural Sleep Aid? Melatonin Or Valerian?
Filed under Natural Sleep Aids
I’m 16 & my doctor said that he doesn’t like to prescribe sleep aids and that I should look at natural ones.
and these are the two I found.
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my naturopath told me that melatonin can be good for emergency use, like if you’re a crazy insomniac and really need to sleep, but that it’s not good to take frequently because it messes with your hormones. she also said that valerian is good, but only if you’re not anxiety prone, as this can amplify your anxiety. if you don’t have probems with anxiety, you can drink it as a tea before bed, but you might want to mix it with other herbs since it tastes like wet hay.
here are some other good herbs for help with sleeping:
passion flower
lavender
scullcap
hopps
chamomile
you can make tea with any of these and they are sure to calm you down a bit
if that’s not enough, try counting down from 100 slowly, taking deep breaths for every number (i.e. breath in 100 breath out 99) while doing this imagine yourself in a beautiful place and focus on what you see, hear and smell there. when your mind tries to wander, imagine those thoughts as clouds, don’t fight them, just recognize their existence and let them float away.
having trouble sleeping could also be a sign that you’re not getting enough exercise. make sure you’re using your body each day and it will be a lot easier to fall asleep at night.
Doctor’s don’t prescribe sleeping pills unless your lack of sleep is literally ruining your life. My girlfriend lays down at 11pm and doesn’t fall asleep till 4am, and then wakes up for work at 7. This has been happening for years now, and Doctor’s STILL won’t give her sleeping pills.
I have a bottle of both Melatonin and Valerian in my medicine cabinet at all times. I personally very much prefer Valerian. Once you get past the….uh….unique odor, I find they work much better than Melatonin.
I don’t know what the first person was talking about, I’ve never in my searching have ever heard of someone overdosing from Valerian. If it’s even possible, you’d probably have to take about 200+ pills. You’re only supposed to take 1-3.
Melatonin is good if you have jet lag, or haven’t slept for a couple or days; it resets your sleep cycle. Valerian is a natural sleep aid, and is much better for those nights when you find that you can’t fall asleep.
I prefer Melatonin. Melatonin is a chemical that your body naturally produces at night, which helps regulate your sleep/wake cycles. There’s also less risks and side effects from it.
Since you’re under 18, you will need to talk to your doctor about how much you should take. The normal recommended doses are for those who are 18+.
Melatonin is safer, I think, as you can overdose with Valerian.
My niece has been using Melatonin for years, it’s going well.
Also consider: refrain from TV or computer during evening hours, and you may sleep better. The brightness stimulates our natural response to stay awake, thus making our minds alert just when we want to doze off.
Best wishes.
I prefer melatonin, but that also tends to give you very vivid dreams, i personally like that about it, but you might not. I would recommend trying one for a few weeks, and then switching and trying a different one.
Both of these work pretty well, but not in low dossages, i usually take the highest reccomended dose.
For someone your age, I would suggest you try the valerian first, or try lowest dosage of the melatonin (1mg)….split the tabs, take 1/2 of one 30 minutes before bed, and the second half when you go to bed….
I prefer chamomile tea, with a couple of drops of valerian tincture. It works well, without any next-day grogginess.
Melatonin
here’s a website that compares the two
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/natural-sleep-aids-remedies
good luck