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Are there any alternative therapies for insomnia?

Insomnia is the inability to get enough good sleep to feel rested. This can mean being unable to fall asleep or stay asleep. It may also include waking too early or not feeling refreshed after sleeping. Certain medicines, medical conditions, excess stress, or poor sleep habits can all affect the quality of your sleep. Developing good sleep habits often eliminates insomnia without the need for other therapies.

The most popular herb for insomnia is valerian. It makes getting to sleep easier and increases deep sleep and dreaming. Valerian doesn't cause a morning "hangover", a side effect common with some prescription sleep aids. The usual dose is 300 to 400 mg of a concentrated valerian root supplement 30 minutes before bedtime.

Melatonin supplements may promote sleep in some people. Small-scale studies of melatonin for insomnia have found improvements in sleep onset, a reduction in the number of times people awaken during sleep, and improvement in the percentage of time spent asleep. These benefits have primarily been seen in older people who have decreased melatonin levels. Most other people produce enough melatonin naturally and it is unknown whether adding more as a supplement is a benefit. The usual dose is 0.3 to 5 mg of melatonin at bedtime.

Some people find that the supplement >5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) improves the quality of their sleep. The recommended dose of 5-HTP is 600mg at bedtime.

Sources:
Micromedex® Healthcare Series. Thomson Micromedex, 2007.
Peirce, A. The American Pharmaceutical Association Practical Guide to Natural Medicines. William Morrow & Co., 1999.
Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs. American Pharmaceutical Association, 2000.
The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. Pharmacists Letter Inc., 2000.
Integrative Medicine Access. Integrative Medicine Communications, 2000.
Drug Facts and Comparisons. Facts & Comparisons, 2007.
Diseases and Conditions, "Insomnia." http://www.mayoclinic.com. Mayo Clinic Health. Last accessed 1/3/2007.

This answer prepared 12/20/2000.
This information updated 1/3/2007.