A Range of Remedies

There is a whole range of remedies and medicines available to buy from supermarkets, pharmacies and health food shops, designed to help you sleep. Knowing that you’re taking positive action to deal with your problem may help you to worry less, and allow you to sleep more soundly.

Herbal aids

Herbal tablets are available from supermarkets and pharmacies and should be taken before you go to bed if you’re going to buy them to help you sleep.

They commonly contain a combination of the following natural plant extracts:

• Valerian - this can act as a calming sedative, inducing sleep.
• Hops - these can have a relaxing effect.
• Dogwood Jamaica - this can have a sedative effect and soothe pain.
• Wild Lettuce - this can be mildly sedative, can reduce pain and help induce sleep.
• Skullcap - this can have a calming effect, and combined with vervain can aid relaxation.
• Gentian - this flower can have a calming influence, and can help to ward off despondency.
• Passiflora or Passion Flower - this can act as a sedative with a calming influence.
• Pulsatilla - this can have a sedative effect and can help pain. It can also have a bactericidal effect and soothe the muscles.

Visit the Nytol Herbal Tablets section to find out about Nytol’s herbal sleep aid.

Herbal teas are another good way to wind down and relax before bed. Available from herbal practitioners in the form of dried plants, they can be blended to make a tea. Most health food shops and supermarkets also stock readymade varieties.

• Valerian root - can encourage sleep.
• Chamomile - can have a soothing effect on the mind and nerves.
• Passionflower - more likely to calm you down than spark passion.
• Hops - these can have a sedative and relaxing effect.
• Lemon balm - can have a calming influence and relieve anxiety.
• Skullcap - can relieve tension and anxiety; can soothe nerves.

Non-herbal aids

Sleeping aids are for temporary use, to get you back on track when you have trouble sleeping.

They come in the form of tablets/caplets and have been available for many years. They’re used by lots of people to help break the cycle of sleeplessness and to re-establish their natural sleeping pattern. Good sleep will allow you to wake up feeling refreshed, relaxed and ready to face the day.

Clinically proven sleeping aids are available from your local pharmacy.

If you have any questions, your pharmacist will be able to advise on the best remedy for you.

Visit the Nytol Caplets section or the Nytol One-A-Night Caplets section to find out about Nytol’s non-herbal sleep aids.

Things to try if you wake up - a quick reminder

Try not to clock watch

Once you’ve set the alarm, put it under the bed or in a bedside drawer, and then forget about it.

Be positive, see the time as an opportunity to relax rather than losing sleep.

Don’t just lie there, do something - if you can’t sleep it’s time for distraction and relaxation.

Try reading, do a puzzle such as a crossword or sudoku, or listen to some relaxing music.

Go to the loo if you need to - a full bladder doesn’t help.

However, if you need to get up a couple of times a night, reduce your fluid intake before bed. If the problem persists there could be another underlying problem.

Write it down

Make a note of anything that’s troubling you, and then leave it until the morning.

Perfume your pillow

A sprinkling of lavender on the corner of a pillow can help you relax enough to get back to sleep.

Make a small cup of hot milk or herbal tea

This can help you relax and drop back off to sleep.

Relax those muscles

Clench and unclench those muscles, slowly, one by one.

Consider using a sleep aid

You can buy these from your local pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.