Night sleep is an essential requirement of the body. But it often fails. A rare elderly person is not familiar with the situation when the night is running out, and it is not possible to fall asleep in any way. Without a good night’s rest, people become irritable, life is not sweet to them, everything falls out of hand, and their health worsens. Sleep is health in itself: it was not in vain that in folk legends the heroes returned their power by sound sleep, or the so-called heroic sleep. Insomnia must be overcome. Time has crystallized folk remedies for insomnia for the elderly, helping to return to normal.

Sleep disorders

In the human brain, a peculiar role of sleep levers is performed by inhibitory neurons, which turn off the nervous system at the right time, thereby ensuring sleep. Older age makes its own adjustments: there are fewer such neurons and, accordingly, the chances of insomnia increase, which in medicine is denoted by the term “insomnia”. In addition, sleep disturbances:

• interruptions in the daily routine and power supply;
• stress;
• heart disease, arthrosis;
• problems with the thyroid gland;
• hot flashes, increased sweating at the onset of menopause in women;
• lack of physical activity;
• a state of depression;
• lack of communication, exclusion from social life.

Attention! Some medications interfere with normal sleep: eye drops containing beta-blockers, diabetes medications to lower blood pressure, cardiac glycosides, for coughs, arrhythmias, Parkinson’s disease, psychotropic drugs, etc.

Be careful with sleeping pills!

It’s easier, of course, to go to the pharmacy and buy all kinds of sleeping pills, but before doing this, you should remember about the side reactions:

• some types of hypnotics depress the nervous system and can disrupt physiological functions;
• it is imperative to take into account the compatibility of sleeping pills with other medicines, and a lot of them are prescribed to older people;
• due to the fact that the body in old age no longer absorbs the incoming substances so vigorously, the use of sleeping pills can cause lethargy during the day.

Statistics show that when an elderly person uses drugs to quickly fall asleep, the risk of death increases.

It is much safer to treat insomnia in the elderly with proven folk remedies, and their effectiveness is often not worse than chemical drugs.

Honey to sleep comrade

Traditional medicine, and in this it is fully supported by the official one, actively uses honey to normalize sleep. There are many recipes, and they are very different.

With milk

For many, honey and milk have become the main means for a good sleep: a glass of warm milk with a teaspoon of honey – and go straight to bed. Sleep will not keep you waiting.

Plus cinnamon

Even with a strong arousal, cinnamon added to honey milk will help to fall asleep. A third of a teaspoon of spice is enough for a glass. The mixture is placed on fire, but not brought to a boil, cooled to a warm state, add 5 drops of vanilla extract and honey to taste.

With kefir

Sleep disturbances are often combined with problems in the gastrointestinal tract. A glass of kefir with a tablespoon of honey will help here. The mixture will be a good substitute for dinner and will ensure a restful night.

With apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp. l. mix apple cider vinegar in 200 g of honey. Take 2 teaspoons before bed. When you wake up at night, you can repeat the drug intake.

With apples

Grind a few sour apples on a grater at night, mix with honey, eat right there – insomnia will recede.

 With borjomi

1 tbsp. l. honey is diluted with the same amount of mineral water and half a spoonful of finely chopped lemon. Take in the morning for a month.

With lemon and walnuts

Add 2 tbsp each to lemon juice (1 glass). l. honey and chopped walnuts. Consume before bed. For one meal – a tablespoon.

Just with water

Drink a glass of warm honey water before bed. To enhance the effect, apply lavender oil to the whiskey.

Attention! For some, bee products are strong allergens. It is categorically contraindicated for people with an allergic reaction to honey to combat insomnia.

Sleep-inducing herbs

Many herbs can help you fall asleep. In addition, they are strong not only with sleeping pills. The elderly body will benefit from their other positive qualities:

• they have a sedative effect;
• show a tonic effect;
• anesthetize;
• stimulate immunity.

However, everything is interconnected here: by strengthening the body, herbs ultimately help to get rid of insomnia.

In case of sleep disorders, hops, motherwort, mint will definitely help. But not instantly, but after 2-3 weeks of constant use. They are usually used in conjunction with other plants.

Decoction of mint, motherwort and hops

3 recipes:

• Crush a tablespoon of each dried herb in a mortar. Boil a spoonful of the mixture with a glass of boiling water. Wrap to preserve heat, strain after a few hours and take in small portions throughout the day.
• Decoction of mint, lemon balm is recommended to be added to tea with rose hips, chamomile or thyme.
• Option with valerian: combine 30 g of motherwort and peppermint, add 20 g of valerian roots and hop cones to them. 10 g of the collection is combined with a glass of boiling water for 15 minutes. leave in a water bath. After cooling and straining, add boiled water to maintain the original volume. Dose: 1/2 cup 3 times a day. Do not forget that a paradoxical reaction of the body is possible – instead of relaxation, the opposite effect will follow. But usually valerian root is a great remedy for insomnia.

Valerian decoction

A tablespoon of valerian roots in a glass of boiling water for 15 minutes. keep on low heat, after 10 minutes. strain. Admission rate: 3 times a day, 1 tbsp. l.

Valerian and the hawthorn

A universal sedative that cures sleepless nights is a combination of valerian and hawthorn alcohol tinctures, which, when combined in equal proportions, take 30 drops at night.

Cumin, chamomile, valerian

To 1 part of valerian roots add 2 parts of caraway and chamomile herb. The broth is prepared for a day, so a tablespoon of the mixture is enough, which, after filling with water, should be kept in a water bath for an hour. After cooling, strain thoroughly. Drink a glass of broth in 3 divided doses per day.

Attention! First, you should try a small amount of the drug to make sure there are no allergic reactions.

St. John’s wort

3 tbsp. l. dry St. John’s wort, a brewed glass of boiling water, let it brew for 2 hours. Take a third of a glass before meals three times a day.

Ivan tea (fireweed)

2 recipes:

1. 2 tbsp. l. herbs with 400 ml of boiling water are placed in a thermos for 6 hours, half a glass is drunk after waking up, at lunch and at night.
2. Brewed and consumed like regular tea. If the weight allows, even with buns and sweets.

Medicines from the garden

Regular dill improves sleep:

• Pouring two glasses of boiling water, 2 tsp. dill seeds are kept for 10 minutes. For 2 days, take three times a day.
• 15-20 minutes boiled in dry red wine (50 g of dill seeds and 1/2 l of wine), stand warm for up to three hours. Daily dose: 1/4 cup before going to bed.
• Filled with two glasses of water 1 tbsp. l. dill insist, after straining they drink a teaspoon at night.

It will help you fall asleep quickly with ordinary onions, which you need to eat just before bedtime.

Sleep from the oat field

The role of sleeping pills can be played by oat grains or its flakes: 

• A glass of oats is poured with boiling water and boiled until it thickens, add a spoonful of honey and keep on fire for a few more minutes. Take half a glass 2-3 times a day.
• 1 tbsp. l. oatmeal or cereal is boiled in 2 cups of water. The broth is drunk during the day and at night.
• 2 tablespoons of grains are poured into a glass of boiling water. In this form, they are left overnight, in the morning they are boiled with a water bath for about half an hour. Consumed until evening.

Home aromatherapy

Herbal pillows (herbal bags with removable pillowcases) are another way to reclaim lost sleep. The roots of this method go back to ancient times, but today this folk method has not lost its relevance. Inhaling the scents of medicinal plants during sleep is true aromatherapy. The pillows are filled with valerian, heather, hops, oregano, St. John’s wort, chamomile, lavender, and other hypnotic plants. You can fill them with one kind or a whole set of herbs. Service life – a year. 

There is another option – put a cotton ball with a few drops of chamomile and lavender oil in the upper pocket of your pajamas. Promotes deep sleep and basil oil. Enough 3–7 drops mixed with a tablespoon of water, pour into the aroma lamp and light a candle there.

Attention! When treating with herbs, a visit to the doctor will not be superfluous. After all, insomnia can be a harbinger of a serious illness that needs to be identified and treated as soon as possible.

Relaxing baths

An evening bath is also an effective remedy for overcoming insomnia. However, many make a mistake that negates its positive effect – they make the water hot, although it should not exceed + 36 °. The optimal end of the procedure will be a contrast shower, which improves the tone of the body. These baths add:

• coniferous broth: add a glass of pine needles to 3 liters of water, several spruce or pine cones are not prohibited. Boil for 10-15 minutes, let it brew for at least 2 hours. The duration of the procedure is 20-30 minutes;
• linden blossom is also a good choice. 2 cups of inflorescences, filled with 2 liters of boiling water, insist within 3 hours. A relaxing bath can last up to half an hour;
• Boil 100 g of valerian root for 15 minutes in 1 liter of water. Or you can simply add 20 to 35 drops of ready-made valerian tincture to the bath.

Folk remedies act on the body gently, carefully, so the effect is usually not immediately apparent. But relief will surely come and last for a long time. It is quite possible to get rid of insomnia.