Tossing and turning all night? Well, a day or two of sleeplessness will cause you no harm, except that you may wake up in the morning with a heavy head and a muzzy mind. But, sometimes sleeplessness becomes a pattern. When that happens, it becomes a difficult habit to break. Sleeplessness can have dire consequences on every aspect of your life. It can sap your energy, kill your desire to work and ruin your relationships. Prolonged insomnia can even play with your mind. To make matters worse, insomnia is a self-fulfilling condition. The more you fear it and think about it, the more likely it is to occur.

As a result, many people make use of sleeping aids just so they can enjoy a night of rest. However, artificial sleeping aids like sleeping pills can have a wide range of negative side effects on the body and mind. Besides, such sleeping aids are very addictive. They are habit forming, and as you use them continuously, you will need to increase your dosage in order to enjoy the same effect. This is the reason why it is often recommended that you stay away from such sleeping aids.

Fortunately, there is a healthy alternative. Natural sleeping aids are made from natural vitamins and herbs. In order to understand the effect of these natural sleeping aids and vitamins on the body, it is important to get to the crux of your sleeping problem. For some people, sleeping problems are the result of unusually high stress levels. For others, it could be a change in diet or intense emotional trauma. In some people, sleeplessness could be the result of certain medications. In each case, sleeplessness occurs due to the body's inability to relax and let go. Often, this happens because of a deficiency in certain amino acids, minerals and enzymes in the body.

Natural vitamin and herbs help the body increase production of minerals and enzymes that promote relaxation of the muscles. Certain vitamins like calcium have a sedative effect. Therefore, if the body is deficient in this nutrient, episodes of restlessness may be experienced. Adults may take in 600mg of calcium supplement with their meal. Calcium works very well when it was combined with magnesium. This is because magnesium supplements promote relaxation, since its deficiency leads to nervousness, which ultimately robs you of sleep. Studies show that low levels of magnesium lead to light sleep. The recommended daily dosage of magnesium is 250mg each day. Taking in magnesium rich food like bananas, wheat bran, almonds and cashews also help.

Vitamin B6 and B5 are other important nutrients that bring on good sleep by alleviating feelings of stress and anxiety. Folic acid is also helpful.

Melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland, controls our sleep and wake cycles. The production of melatonin goes down as we age. Melatonin supplements may be taken in for a short period of time, just before sleep. Melatonin is also very effective when it comes to counteracting the effect of jet lag.

A good night’s sleep is the result of a number of factors. Good food, sufficient exercise, mental relaxation and a settled stomach are vital for sleep. Unwind before you go to bed. Activities such as listening to music, meditation and yoga help you relax your muscles and put you in the right frame of mind for sleep. And stop worrying!