I am looking at different sleep remedies and sleeping aids and came across the natural remedy kava.  Could you give me more information about the natural sleeping remedy kava kava?

Kava, or kava kava, with latin name Piper methysticum, is an herbal shrub in the pepper family whose root was traditionally chewed or made into a beverage. Kava kava which calms and relaxes the body.  Kava relaxes the body and gradually relaxes the body to help you feel sleepy to go to sleep naturally for a night of blissful rest.  Kava allows you to remain alert and focused with no side effects of grogginess or amnesia.  Kava has naturally been used as a remedy for anxiety so it is most well suited for insomnia associated with anxiety.  Kava is best categorized as an herbal and natural mild sleep aid and anxiety reducer.  The main active ingredient in kava is kavalactones which have been shown to produce drowsiness.  Kava is also a muscle relaxant to help you rest.  These days, kava is available as a supplement or sleep aid in the form of capsules, tablets, beverages, teas, or liquid extracts.

While prescription sleep aids may knock you out like a freight train, natural kava kava works gradually and mildly.  Also, your body will not develop a tolerance to kava so you will never have to increase your dosage, as seen with most prescription sleep aids and sleep remedies.  One thing very important to note with kava is that you should be aware of a consumer advisory issued by the FDA about the potential risk of severe liver injury resulting from the use of dietary supplements containing kava. To date, there have been more than 25 reports of serious adverse effects from kava use in other countries, including four patients who required liver transplants.  Because of these warnings, you should be cautious and get kava from a trusted source only after consulting with a sleep specialist or trained physician and doctor.

With kava and all other dietary supplements, sleep aids, or sleep remedies, you should always consult with your physician or doctor and inform them of the supplements you are taking especially if you are taking any prescription medications in case of drug interactions.  Also, you should not drive, operate heavy machinery, or do any other activities that require a high level of alertness after taking kava.

Can you tell me more about insomnia such as its possible causes and patterns?

Sure! there are many kinds of different patterns of insomnia, and they can disrupt your getting a good night’s sleep and rest. Onset insomnia refers to people having problems falling asleep quickly. Middle insomnia refers to waking up during the middle of the night and having problems staying asleep. Terminal insomnia or late insomnia refers to people waking up too early in the morning as often seen with the elderly. Onset insomnia is often associated with anxiety disorders, life stresses, and worries while middle insomnia is usually seen with body aches, pains, or some medical illness. In addition to different kinds of insomnia, there is also poor sleep quality where people do not feel rested even though they have gotten normally adequate hours of rest and sleep. According to the USDHHS United States Department of Health of Human Services, around 64 million people in the US suffer from some form for insomnia each year, with women 1.4 times more likely to be a sufferer.

There are some common causes of insomnia:

• certain stimulants such as nicotine, tobacco, cocaine, amphetamines, caffeine
• antibiotic drugs with fluoroquinolone
• pain from injury or other conditions
• hormonal changes
• stress, anxiety, and worries about life
• depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD post traumatic stress disorder
• circadian rhythm disturbances such as jet lag or irregular routine schedules
• rebound insomnia from abuse of some prescription sleep aids and sleep remedies

Besides using a prescription sleeping aid or sleep remedy, what are some other ways to ensure falling asleep faster, getting a better night’s sleep, and improving the quality of sleep?

There are many important lifestyle habits to pay attention to which may help you improve your sleep schedule and rest quality. For example, doing some strenuous exercise earlier in the day such as the morning or afternoon, as well as leading a more active life, will help you be more tired come bedtime and will allow you to fall asleep quicker and deeper. As for the strenuous exercise, be sure to avoid such rigorous activity at night so that your body will not produce as much adrenaline come bedtime which will hamper your falling asleep and quality of sleep.

Along with leading a more active life, keeping a regular schedule will help your body be acclimated and to know when it is sleep time. Having a regular schedule will keep your body in a regular and normal cycle of waking up and sleeping. When you are going to bed, it is often helpful to listen to some soft musical such as jazz or classical which has less than 60 beats per minute. Such music will help your body and mind relax and help you fall asleep faster and deeper. You might also want to have a routine of relaxation before going off to bed such as taking a warm bath, doing some deep breathing exercises, or sipping some hot tea (non-caffeinated) in order to condition your body to know that it is time to relax and drift off to sleep.

Managing daily stress is also another important part of getting to sleep faster and getting a good night’s rest. Worries and stresses can weigh on your mind and make it much more difficult to fall asleep and sleep deeply. Learn some nighttime stretches and muscle relaxation exercise to stretch out and relax your neck, hips, buttocks, and back muscles to help your whole body relax. Also, it might be helpful to do some stress relief and meditation before going to bed. Lowering your daily stress levels and lessening emotional outbursts will help you relax and get to sleep easier.

Your bed and sleeping area should be a comfortable and large enough area, with the mattress, pillows, mattress, and bedding providing enough support and comfort for a good night’s rest. You might also want to choose some mild fragrances such as lavender which helps your body to relax and also become conditioned to know that smelling that fragrance means it is time to sleep. Keep your room at a comfortable temperature with an adequate level of ventilation and light levels low to help you fall asleep. Your bed should be reserved for sleep and rest only, as it will also help condition your body and mind to associate your bed with going to sleep.

If adding these behavior changes as well as following the tips for things to avoid below do not do enough to help you fall asleep fast and get enough rest at night, you might want to consult a sleep professional, physician, or doctor. They will be able to monitor and assess your sleep habits and identify and rectify and problems. When appropriate they will also work with you to recommend to you some effective sleep aids and sleep remedies so that you can see which will work the best for you with the least side effects. There are also many natural sleep remedies and sleeping aids that you can check out and try, preferably under the careful supervision of a sleep professional or physician.

What are some important things to avoid around bedtime since they will usually hamper falling asleep or getting a good night’s rest?

One important thing to avoid that is in many people’s lives is caffeine. You should try to avoid caffeine as it will disrupt a body’s periods of rest and impede the process of going to sleep. If you must have some caffeine to function during the day, avoid caffeine later on in the day, although it would be best to avoid caffeine altogether as it will disrupt falling asleep and sleep quality.

You should also avoid drinking any liquids after dinner since having to go the bathroom to urinate during the night will require your getting out of bed which will certainly disrupt your sleep quality and getting a full night’s rest.

You should also avoid watching television before going to sleep, since studies have shown that it will disrupt the process of falling asleep quickly and sleeping deeply. If you must do something before going to bed, reading has been shown to be beneficial to falling asleep and getting a good night’s rest. You should also avoid any sort of bright lights, large noises, or uncomfortable temperatures in your sleeping area.

How do I choose the best sleeping aid to allow me to fall asleep and improve my sleep quality?

When making any kind of important decision such as making a choice on a sleeping aid or sleep remedy, you should first gather as much information as possible. Do the research on different options and products and collect pertinent advice so that you can. A good way to get information and advice is to solicit your family and friends for information and any experiences that they have previously had with any sleep remedies or sleeping aids. Since those who have faced similar problems with sleep can share their experiences with you, you can get recommendations on which sleep aids or habit changes have worked best for them to improve their quality of sleep and fall asleep faster. If you are thinking about taking any prescription drugs, medicines, or sleep aids to help you fall asleep faster and deeper, you should discuss such a decision with a doctor, physician, or trained sleep professional and they can give you the benefits and cons of different sleep aid options. You should also consider and check out natural sleeping remedies and sleeping aids in getting as much information as you can on things that can help you with falling asleep faster, curbing insomnia, and getting a good night of rest. You should weigh all the information you receive carefully and make the best and most informed decision for yourself. Figure out what works best for you, since that is different for everyone especially in the area of sleeping aids.