Tried and tested: Sleep remedies
Posted By Sofia Schonell on October 16, 2011
A GOOD night’s sleep is as important for your health as exercise and nutritional food. But recent studies show that over one-third of us suffer from sleeping problems, with stress, going to bed late, or having to get up too early cited as the most common reasons we aren’t soaking up enough Zs.
Health experts warn that getting less than six or seven hours’ sleep a night can lead to problems, including heart disease, depression and weight gain.
However, taking sleeping tablets to help you have a restful night isn’t a good solution long term, and heavy doses can mean you don’t get the right type and combination of sleep.
There is now a growing number of alternatives aimed at helping you join the land of nod by using natural ingredients that aren’t addictive and don’t leave you feeling groggy in the morning. These can work well combined with a good boost of our sweet Irish air and plenty of exercise.
Melissa Dream
THESE tablets from Scandinavian company New Nordic are fairly new to the market and aren’t made from valerian — the most common natural plant derivative used to help insomnia. The formula includes 100mg of magnesium per tablet, good for helping muscles to relax.
What they say: Good for stress relief during the day, as well as helping with sleep. Recommended for calm sleep and relaxation. Doesn’t cause drowsiness.
What we say: These do the trick in helping you get to sleep, and worked well for us because valerian doesn’t. But although they help you to drop off, they don’t always keep you asleep through the night. You can take another dose if you wake up with a busy head at 3am without feeling ill effects the next day.
Cost: €13.95 for 40 tablets — take two to three each night or one in the day to combat anxiety.
Contact: Nourish health food shops nationally
Rating: 8/10
Dormeasan
THESE drops from the well-established natural herb company A Vogel are made from organically grown valerian and hops, two natural ingredients known to promote sleep.
What they say: Dormeasan is not a ‘sleeping pill’. It’s a herbal sleeping aid that won’t leave you drowsy.
What we say:This is one of the few products that has managed to pass muster under our new, tougher laws governing the sale of natural remedies and herbs that mean a product must prove its efficacy before being allowed on the market.
Dormeasan works quite well for most, although not me, and it gets good feedback from consumers on its website.
Cost: €10.50
Contact: Down to Earth, 73 South Great George’s Street, Dublin 2, available online www.downtoearth.ie
Rating: 6/10
Heath and Heather Night-Time tea
THIS is a nice gentle tea to start sipping early evening as a replacement for the more stimulating black tea with its high caffeine content.
What they say: A delicate infusion to help you to relax and unwind at the end of the day.
What we say: It might be the spearmint and trace of lime flowers, but this tastes a lot less earnest than many night-time teas (although Tea Pigs camomile, available from Avoca, is another favourite). Sip it early, sip it often and lay off the caffeine.
Don’t drink too much, though — then you’ll have a restless bladder on top of your wakeful night!
Cost: €1.95 for 20 teabags
Contact: Holland & Barrett health food shops nationally
Rating: 8/10
amphelan@independent.ie
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