Mois : janvier 2013

How to make herbal tea to help you sleep

Posted on by bridget

Sleepless nights can be exhausting and frustrating to contend with. When you do not get enough shuteye, you can feel worse in the morning than when your head hit the pillow. There are many traditional aids to choose from to help you sleep. They can make nighttime a more restful and calming experience. Relaxing music can help you, but there is nothing to stop you from engaging in a herbal tea remedy at the same time.

Herbal tea is natural and easy to prepare. This makes it a good option for individuals suffering from sleep disturbance to contemplate, as over-the-counter sleep medication and pills from the doctor can be daunting if they dislike taking unnecessary medication.

Many varieties of herbal tea produce calming, restful feelings. The best sleep inducing teas known are chamomile, valerian and lemon balm. One of these would be a good choice if your lack of sleep is due to an overactive mind and rushing thoughts.

If your sleeping difficulties are produced due to digestive problems, mint tea would be a good choice for you. Other herbs have different properties that may also help you, depending on your particular symptoms and feelings.

Making herbal tea is simple. If you have fresh herbs to use you will get the benefit of a gorgeous rich scent when they are scolded with boiling water. The scent from herbs is almost as helpful as their properties when consumed, so attempt to find fresh varieties if possible. If you can only get dried herbs however, do not worry, as they will still be good for making tea with.

To make a home brew you will need the herbs you’ve chosen, boiling water, a strainer and honey or sugar, if you like your tea sweet. Honey incidentally, can be helpful in herbal tea if you have a sore throat as well as insomnia or difficulties relaxing. There are two ways to make herbal tea. The easiest is to wash the herbs, and using a tablespoon per person, place them into a clean teapot, and then pour on scolding, boiled water and leave to steep for five minutes, before stirring and straining.

If you do not use a teapot, you can place herbs into a pan of freshly boiled water, put a lid on the pan, and steep and strain in the way already mentioned. After you have practiced making herbal tea a few times, you will develop personal taste for your homemade beverage, and may decide to steep herbs for slightly less time if you find they taste bitter, or to dilute tea with more boiled water. The more water it is diluted with in this way however, the less strong it will be, and you may need two cupfuls to help you nod off to sleep.

Making your own herbal tea can be rewarding and satisfying, as you refrain from purchasing weaker, less delicious dried herbal sachets from shops, and enjoy the ritual of producing your own sleep tonic before bed each night.

The relationship between hormonal imbalances and depression in women

Posted on by bridget

In the past women expected to enter the menopause, while having symptoms such as hot flashes and irritability, somewhere around their fifties. It was assumed that this was the time when hormonal imbalances would occur, and could influence a woman’s emotional wellbeing. Today it is understood that hormonal imbalances associated with aging can begin when women are still in their thirties. The result can be depression, anxiety and insomnia, amongst a handful of other symptoms.

Early signs of hormonal imbalances, sometimes referred to as the stage when a woman experiences per menopause; include irregular periods that may be accompanied by heavy bleeding, weight gain, dry eyes, difficulty sleeping and ultimately depression.

The cause of the problem is an imbalance of the hormones progesterone, testosterone and estrogen. The perimenopause is a transitional stage between fertility and full-blown menopause, and during this time a woman’s hormones fluctuate causing mood swings. Diet, exercise and stress also play a role in increasing or decreasing depression at this time in a woman’s life.

Months, or years after the onset of perimenopause women enter into menopause, when their hormonal levels alter dramatically. Hormonal depression is likely to be heightened in women who undergo hysterectomy, as this results in estrogen levels falling fast, rather than at a natural pace.

Estrogen helps give serotonin a boost. When it drops considerably women can feel very depressed, and may even have consistent thoughts of suicide and death. Estrogen is also responsible for raising endorphin levels, and increasing the neurotransmitter GABA, which has a calming effect.

As the menopause begins to strike women can experience a fluctuation in the stress hormone cortisol. When cortisol levels rise, the result can be weight gain and insomnia. When it drops, mood swings are likely, along with a lowered libido and trouble dealing with stress.

The hormone progesterone has the job of balancing estrogen. However, during the menopause it fluctuates, resulting in depression and further anxiety. When progesterone levels are normal they act as an antidepressant. Once they begin to fluctuate, along with estrogen and cortisol, it is no wonder that many women become depressed.

Women experiencing depression due to hormonal imbalances can expect to show signs of other related symptoms, such as insomnia, a sense of being overwhelmed, indecisiveness, fatigue, appetite fluctuation, and feelings of worthlessness, guilt and decreased pleasure in life.

Those who think they may be experiencing hormonal imbalances can benefit from seeking help from a medical professional for diagnosis. They may be prescribed hormone replacement therapy, also referred to as HRT, or an alternative therapy to address imbalances and put them on the road to a more joyful life.