6 Natural Ways to Overcome Insomnia

Currently sleeping pills are becoming a big business, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control, about 1 in 25 adults have used sleeping prescriptions. Meanwhile, according to Consumer Reports, Americans spend 41 billion USD for sleep and recovery assistance in 2015. This figure will be expected to reach 52 billion USD in 2020.

But most people are also looking for a natural solution. The use of melatonin supplements, for example, more than doubled in the United States from 2007 to 2012. While scientific evidence for many of the thinnest herbal and alternative insomnia treatments, there are several free drug remedies that have been well-studied by scientists.

If falling asleep becomes an ongoing problem, it is important to know and address the cause, says Dr. Daniel Barone, neurologist in New York-Presbyterian and Weill-Cornell Medicine. Meanwhile, other alternative treatments quoted from the Time page on Tuesday (2/5) can help you get back to sleep faster.

1. Melatonin Supplements
"By far the most common thing I recommend to patients is melatonin," says Barone. Hormones, which are produced by the brain in sleep preparation, are also available in pill and fluid forms, which you can get in health stores or pharmacies.

2. Valerian root
If melatonin does not work, or the patient does not want to accept it, Barone suggests to try the valerian root. A 2015 review published in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine concluded that, "Some high-quality studies report the benefits of valerian for simple insomnia patients".

Lavender
A 2016 study published in Explore journal found that students who breathed in lavender before bed, got better night's sleep, and more energy during the day, compared with those who inhaled placebo. Studies in other populations, including middle-aged women and patients with heart disease, can also improve sleep quality.

4. Chamomile Tea
It is marketed as a drink before bed for a reason: chamomile herb has been used as a sleeping aid for thousands of years. While good research on the effects of chamomile on sleep is still rare.

5. Meditation
"I am a strong advocate for attention and meditation for relaxation," says Barone, who recommends turning off electronics 30 to 60 minutes before bed and sitting quietly, focusing on soft music or deep breathing. "And if someone wakes up in the middle of the night, I tell them to have a 10 to 15 minute meditation session as well," he said.

6. The sound of nature
The study, published earlier this year in the journal Scientific Reports found that listening to sounds from nature, such as rainforests or rivers, could trigger a relaxation response in the brain. Look for machines or apps with natural-inspired settings, or choose one with the 'pink noise' option: A recent study, published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, shows that pink noise, a more natural sounding mixture, can also improve sleep .