Are Natural Sleep Aids Dangerous?
Posted by Jason | Posted in Natural Sleep Aids | Posted on 04-02-2010-05-2008
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It is important to understand that not all natural sleep aids are completely safe and without risk, however, the majority of them are. When you hear that natural sleep aids can be dangerous, it is vital that you explore such claims and get the details. Such reports are often only addressing particular sleep aids and not all the products as a whole. Not getting all the facts and details can be very misleading and cause you to avoid using natural sleep aids altogether.
In general, when reports state that natural sleep aids carry certain health risks, they are almost always referring to synthetic, over-the-counter or prescription sleep aids. Not many take the time to distinguish the difference between synthetic and natural sleep aids and tend to see them as one in the same. Prescription sleep aids in particular are the ones that cause the most concern, with some studies showing that these products can trigger allergic reactions and even dangerous behavior.
Where natural sleep aids are concerned, only certain ones have side effects or may pose as a health problem. The main ones to be wary of include the herb kava kava and valerian. Kava kava is ideal for treating sleep disorders by calming the body, promoting sleep and getting rid of anxiety but it is not recommended for long term use because it can cause liver damage. It is important to note whether any dietary supplements you are taking contain kava kava. Valerian won’t cause any harm or damage to your body’s organs but it does carry some side effects, including dizziness, mild indigestion, palpitations and headache when used in high doses so stick to low doses instead.

