Cashews for Insomnia

I have always suffered spells of insomnia, even when I was a kid.  In fact, that's where my love for cheesy late night flicks started. I mean, not much on the TV in the middle of the night back in the 80s and 90s for a farm kid with no cable. But, I digress.

Honestly, I never realized how much of an issue it was until I became a married adult.  Then, suddenly, I couldn't get up quietly and lay on the couch without disturbing the entire household. So I would stay in bed and flop, and flip and stare and wish myself to fall asleep, but it was never any use. I'd end up laying there for hours on end only to eventually give up, get up, disturb everyone and then spend the rest of the day navigating grumpy attitudes all around.

Some people tell me that I don't REALLY have a sleep problem.  It's a learned behavior, natural sleep cycle, I drink too much caffeine (or drink it too late), it's stress related, anger related, hormone related. Get the idea?

Quite honestly, I don't really disagree with them, but I don't fully agree either. The fact is, except for my stint in the US Army, I am really a super light sleeper. And once I'm awake, that's it.  However, because I believe that we CAN make lifestyle changes to improve our overall well being, I started doing some research on possible natural remedies.

Have you ever heard of over the counter Melatonin?  If not, you might look for it the next time you visit your local health food store.  It's a natural chemical in your brain that helps regulate sleep. Sometimes, it can get out of whack and so a supplement is helpful.  I don't use it on a continual basis though because I tend to build up a resistance to it. Well, that's probably not 100% accurate. I guess my body decides it's all caught up and doesn't need any more supplementing.

Recently, I stumbled across an article that suggested CASHEWS as a sleep aid and anti depressant.  I already love the little nuts so I thought, let's see what this is about.  And, on the surface, it makes sense.  Cashews have high levels of magnesium, which is another chemical your body uses to help regulate sleep.  And, let's face it, they are tasty.

For the last several days, I've eaten a small handful of them in the evenings when I get home.  I usually snack on them while I fix dinner.  And I will say that I have slept better on those days!

Now, I'm not a licensed anything. I don't have an advanced degree in anything that counts for much.  So please, do your own research. Talk to your doctor.  And, of course, if you have a nut allergy, don't try this at home.

Cashews might not be a fix in the long run, but I'll take my wins where I can get them.  Plus, it's better then chowing down on cookies or potato chips.