What do you think about when you think about insomnia? Most people immediately go to Lunesta or one of the other current pharmaceutical sleep aids being advertised on television. Well, here's the big secret: if you use them properly, natural sleep aids can be just as effective or even more effective than the over the counter sleep aids(otc sleep aids ) sold at your local pharmacy.

The best natural sleep aids are not medications at all, but rather modifications to your sleep behavior. You may remember having a whole bedtime ritual as a child; this is because a set and sensible routine is the first key to getting yourself to sleep regularly. How do you go to bed? Do you lie down in a dark room, or do you watch television for a while to unwind? The best bedtime rituals are quick and relaxing, and lead directly to you sleeping in a darkened, quiet bed. Things like leaving the television or radio on are unlikely to help you get over your insomnia.

If you do have healthy bedtime habits but you still need help sleeping, herbal sleep aids are the best place to start. Lemonbalm, valerian, peppermint leaves, and St. John's Wort are all excellent natural sleep aids. Drinking them in teas is the best choice, as hot liquids can also help you get to sleep, but St. John's Wort and other remedies are often available as capsules or tablets. Remember, no matter what sleep aid medications you use, let your doctor know whenever you see him. Even mild herbal medicines can have deadly interactions with prescription medications.

Your best sleep aids, outside of habits, depend on your needs and experimentation. For instance, St. John's Wort is one of the strongest available herbal remedies, acting on depression and many other serious psychiatric disorders, but it has no effect whatsoever on some people. Lavender, on the other hand, is very mild, but its scent is one of the best natural sleep aids available to many others. Keep a record of what you've used, and note which ones have an effect and which ones don't. Through trial and error, you'll identify your personal best natural sleep aids.

Herbal remedies are not the only OTC sleep aids you can try, and in some cases not at all the best. Natural sleep aids do not always act quickly; many require a "loading period" during which the concentration of the drug builds in your bloodstream but has no significant effect. If you're looking for a fast-acting non prescription sleep aid, consider using Benadryl; this sleep aid, while usually sold as an antihistamine, is one of the most reliable medications for getting you to sleep quickly and safely.

For your chronic insomnia, use a combination of behavior modification and natural sleep aids, with Benadryl used occasionally to get to sleep when nothing else works and you must have that sleep. If this does not work, you should see a sleep specialist.