At some stage in our lives we will experience the tossing and turning of insomnia.  No matter how many sheep you count or cups of milk you sip you just can’t drop off.  The thoughts are churning through your head and the sound of your partner’s blissful shores and snorts are making you want to bludgeon him or her to death in pure green envy!

Valerian is the best known herbal remedy for sleep.  Like conventional benzodiazepine drugs it puts to sleep but unlike the drugs it doesn’t give you a sleeping pill hangover, interact with alcohol or lead to addition.  It will also improve your sleep quality.

However in addition to supplements you need to take responsibility for your lack of sleep and start setting the stage for a good night’s kip:

• Eliminate stimulants such as tea, coffee, caffeinated drinks, sugary or chocolaty desserts or abstain from them within 6 hours of your bedtime.

• Avoid alcohol and tobacco.  Many people think a slug of wine will help to relax them before bed - this is not so! 

• Check out any medications – some can impair your sleep.  If so, speak to your GP.

• Wind down with relaxing and pampering rituals such as yoga, massage, meditation or a hot bath with essentials oils such as lavender.

• Get regular exercise and tire your body out!  However make sure you don’t do a big workout just before bed as this will disrupt your sleep

• Daytime naps will interfere with your night time sleep.

• Go to bed at the same time every night and avoid lying in at weekends which can lead to that Sunday night insomnia!

• If you can’t sleep get up and do something relaxing and soothing.  Reading may help but do it in another room.