According to the Nielsen Media Company, which tracks television viewing habits in the United States, some 20 million Americans are watching TV at 2:00 in the morning. But that's only a fraction of the people who are kept awake by insomnia.
Perhaps you fall asleep easily, but wake up at 3:00 A.M. and can't fall back to sleep. Or maybe you wake up and fall asleep several times each night, but rarely get one lone, uninterrupted stretch of restful, refreshing sleep. All these problems are insomnia.
"People think that insomnia just means trouble falling asleep," says Peter Hauri, Ph.D., director of the Mayo Clinic Insomnia Program in Rochester, Minnesota, and co-author (with Shirley Linde, Ph.D.) of No More Sleepless Nights. "Actually, it's any problem with falling or staying asleep."
It is estimated that 30 million to 60 million Americans-mostly women-experience chronic sleeplessness, and 10 million consult doctors for the problem. Half of all American adults have taken sleep medication at some point in their lives, and millions use sleeping pills frequently.
Herbal Medicine
Take tea and sleep. Many medicinal herbs are gentle sedatives. James A. Duke, Ph.D., recommends chamomile, catnip, hops, lavender, lemon balm, passionflower, and valerian. With the exception of valerian, you can enjoy these herbs in teas, either individually or in combination. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of herb to 1 cup of boiled water, steep for 10 minutes, then strain.
Valerian is very effective, but it has an unpleasant taste. As a tea, the herb is virtually undrinkable. Look for capsules or a tincture in health food stores and drugstores. Use it according to the package directions.
