Garlic is a
powerhouse that has been vastly used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. So,
incorporating garlic into your diet plan is bound to confer amazing health
benefits. As far as folk stories go, it has long been credited as a deterrent
to insects, vampires and evil spirits.
Amazingly, garlic is also used as an old folk cure for
insomnia. Indeed, its allicin content generates a relaxing effect that helps
you nod off fast at night. While this may sound strange, many people swear by
it.
Can Prevent Sleep Issues
How Does Garlic Help with Sleep Issues?
The powerful smell of garlic can unclog nasal passages and improve your breathing. If you have tried sleeping with a cold, you certainly know how uncomfortable it gets when you cannot breathe properly. However, you may notice that your susceptibility to sickness decreases when you put garlic under your pillow. Indeed, allicin blocks two groups of enzymes that enable infectious microbes to invade and survive in the body.
In case smelling garlic does not work for you, try eating some prior to your bedtime- ahem, if your spouse doesn’t mind. Although scientific search is quite meager in this particular area, there is a correlation between garlic and sleep.
Garlic & Sleep
Garlic features a decent amount of magnesium and
potassium- both minerals play a vital role in quality sleep. Magnesium helps
initiate a deep, restful sleep, by maintaining healthy levels of GABA – a
neurotransmitter that lowers the activity of neurons in the brain and central
nervous system. This, in turn, boosts relaxation and reduces stress levels. On
the other hand, potassium increases sleep efficiency and helps maintain sleep
after you drift off into slumber land. If you received enough of these
nutrients from your daily diet, you might not need garlic before bed. But if
you want to try it, here is a folk remedy for that.
Milk and Garlic Drink
To prepare a warm milk and garlic beverage, you need to boil one crushed clove of garlic in one cup of milk for around 3 minutes. Allow this concoction to cool off, then remove the clove and add a teaspoon of honey. You can customize this drink according to your personal preferences. Drink this mixture 30 minutes before going to bed for maximum benefit.
Now, you might cringe at the thought of
drinking this concoction, but you should know that there are garlic supplements
that you can ingest to escape the strong flavor of raw garlic. Of course, they
are not as effective as garlic, but are also beneficial.
Bear in mind that high amounts of garlic can affect
some meds, and that supplements have different levels of garlic in them. So,
consult with your doctor if you want to try a garlic supplement.
A Word of Caution
If you have pets that invade your room or your food, you should know that garlic is toxic to both dogs and cats. So, do not leave any cloves of garlic under your pillow when you’re not in bed. A clove of garlic is enough to make your furry friend sick. Be that as it may, placing a clove of garlic under your bed at night is the most effective sleep aid.
Eaten or put under your pillow, garlic works wonders for your health. Whether or not you trust folk remedies, people who grapple with insomnia have found results using garlic. In addition, once you get accustomed to the smell of garlic in your room, it reportedly becomes pretty calming. Just don’t forget to put it in a paper towel since garlic releases oil when crushed and can damage your bed sheets.
