Approximately 30% of American adults suffer from insomnia, with 10% saying that it results in consequences during the daytime. This means that almost 1 in 3 of every American adult is not getting a sufficient amount of sleep, and it is severely effecting the lives of 1 in every 10 of them. Almost half of Americans complain about not getting enough sleep, regardless of an insomnia diagnoses.
In order to combat this sleeplessness, many Americans have been looking towards pharmaceuticals to help them, and the sleeping pill industry began to boom as a result. Although these sleeping pills fixed patient’s short term sleeping problems, along with them came a whole new set of problems in the form of side effects. Thankfully there is an effective, all-natural way to combat sleeplessness and insomnia without the side effects of sleeping pills. But first, lets take a deeper look at sleep deprivation.
Insomnia and Sleep Deprivation
Insomnia is a common diagnosis for people who are unable to sleep due to a variety of factors such as having a hard time falling asleep, frequently waking up during sleep, waking up to early or simply just not getting a deep, restful sleep. Causes of insomnia are said to be made up of either biological, psychological or social factors. These can include anxiety, depression, high blood pressure or medical problems or illnesses.
Insomnia is slightly different from sleep deprivation. This is because insomnia is generally defined by having the proper resources and environment to sleep in, but having internal factors that keep you from sleeping. Sleep deprivation is slightly different, as it can be caused by insomnia but can also be caused by external factors such as loud noises, being physically uncomfortable or being surrounded by too much light.
Although the causes of insomnia and sleep deprivation can be different, the outcome is the same, and that is a lack of sleep. Not getting enough sleep can cause a variety of unpleasant symptoms that can effect your daily life. Here are some of those symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Moodiness
- Irritability and anger
- Fatigue during the daytime
- Anxiety
- Lack of concentration
- Poor memory
- Lower cognitive function
- Lack of energy
- Headaches or migraines
- Upset stomach
- Lack of coordination
These symptoms are not just a nuisance, they can be incredibly dangerous, especially if the person experiencing them drives regularly or operates heavy machinery at work.
High rates of insomnia occur in middle-aged or older adults. Women are also more likely to suffer from insomnia than men. If you fall under the at risk demographic, are experiencing any of the typical symptoms of insomnia (most important being the lack of sleep) then you should consider getting tested for insomnia.
Side Effects of Sleeping Pills
Although sleeping pills can be effective at putting somebody to sleep, they almost always come with a large list of side effects that can often incapacitate a person more than symptoms of insomnia would. Here are some of those side effects:
- Burning or tingling in limbs
- Changes in appetite
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty keeping balance
- Dizziness
- Daytime drowsiness
- Dry mouth and throat
- Flatulence
- Headache
- Heartburn
- Impairment the next day
- Mental slowing/problems with attention and memory
- Stomach pain and tenderness
- Uncontrollable shaking
- Unusual dreams
- Weakness
Now, you may have noticed that the list of side effects from sleeping pills is almost one and a half times longer than the side effects from getting a lack of sleep. If this is not enough reason to try and find an alternative to sleeping pills, then I don’t know what is.
The prevalence of these side effects may be due to the fact that sleeping pills work by depressing the central nervous system, which can lead to a variety of problems. What’s worse is that many of these sleeping pills have also proven to be very addictive and have consumed many people’s lives, whether they were using it for sleeping or not.
Nutmeg For Insomnia And Sleep Deprivation
Nutmeg is a great natural cure for both insomnia and sleep deprivation. It is a rich source of myristicin, a natural organic compound that inhibits the release of enzymes that cause stress. Since stress is one of the many factors that play a role in insomnia, this makes nutmeg effective at making sure one has a more peaceful sleep.
Nutmeg has also been shown to be a powerful sedative, which means in can help in both cases of insomnia in sleep deprivation. For people with insomnia that have trouble initially falling asleep, nutmeg can help speed up the process. For people who have sleep deprivation due to outside factors, nutmeg can help one fall asleep through them.
We recommend mixing one quarter of a teaspoon of nutmeg powder with one cup of water and drinking it an hour before going to bed. Although some people claim that too much nutmeg can cause hallucinations and psychiatric problems, there is little to no scientific evidence backing up these claims, however if you are still worried about these possible side effects make sure to take nutmeg in moderation.
Let us know if nutmeg helped you combat lack of sleep in the comments below.
Please note that this is not recommend for children due to potential toxicity although it is rare it still would not be advised. Nor do we recommended a regular dose of nutmeg for pregnant woman.
