Natural Remedies for Insomnia: A Comprehensive Guide

Valerian helps me sleep at night, deeper+ longer.

Occasionally I also take tryptophan along with valerian once or twice a month if I am stressed out. I take a valerian capsule around 8pm, about 2 hours after dinner. Not too early and not too late.

I had terrible insomnia for 6 years following the birth of my first child. I was 37 when it started. I took several different sleep drugs during that time: Lorazipam, Trazadone, Benedryl. They made me depressed, so I was also taking a morning antidepressant. I did not like how flat and foggy I felt, and I worried that my sleep quality was not natural. I finally went to a naturopathic doctor who tested my cortisol levels and found that that hormone was not cycling properly for me. I took a natural supplement to suppress cortisol at 9:00 pm every night for about a month. I also improved my diet (no gluten, no milk and no sugar). Within a few months, I was off all drugs and sleeping great. Now I only take it if I stay up too late and feel that a second wind is keeping me awake. I have started waking around 4 in the morning lately, and I've found that a tablespoon of MCT oil helps me get back to sleep quickly. I've also started having a healthy carb and fat snack before bed (usually sweet potato with butter and salt and a little Brain Octane Oil). When my kids have insomnia or restless legs, they get magnesium - either lotion or drink. I used to put lavender essential oil on their pillows as well, when they were having trouble sleeping. Sleep hygiene is great too, but when my cortisol was off, no amount of sleep hygiene could get me a full night of sleep. Also, if I start eating poorly (too much gluten and/or sugar), it can bring some sleep issues back for awhile. And if I don't eat 2 healthy meals during the day, that can also cause my sleep to suffer. I would recommend seeing a naturopath for help in discovering the underlying cause of your sleeplessness, if possible. I am so thankful that I finally did!

Hi All,

I am 38 years old, I have been suffering from restlessness for no particular reason for past 7-8 months. This is affecting my sleep to the extent that I am able to sleep only around 4-5 hrs a day on an average. I feel so sleepy some nights that I find it difficult to keep my eyes open but the restlessness does not allow me to actually fall to sleep.

I have consulted psychologists and psychiatrist who have told me its kind of post traumatic stress disorder due to the tremendously difficult time I had faced for 7 years until a year back. So even when the issues resolved, I am still struggling to free myself of this restlessness. Sometimes even when I feel like I am about to fall asleep, I automatically start thinking about this sleep issue of mine and wake up. It happens even in the middle of night. I struggle of keep myself in the same position in the bed for long and keep tossing and turning due to this restlessness.

Restlessness is mostly at night but sometimes face in daytime also but then I am able to distract myself with work. In night time, there is no respite because even though there is little in my life to worry me, this needless restlessness doesn't allow me to fall asleep.

Now I have started facing cognition, memory and low efficiency at work due to lack of sleep.

I have been suggested Ambien, Melatonin and Aplrazolam by Drs. Ambien and Alprazolam help more but they are addictive and full of side effects and cant take them regularly.

I have tried magnesium, all B-Vitamins, Vitamin C, DHEA, Boron, Zinc, Ted's carbicarb formula, ACV, Yoga, Pranayam, Ayurvedic treatments like full body and foot massages, basti etc. Hot water baths as well. I do not know what else to do.

Anyone having any ideas here? Please help.

Vetiver oil should be on the list for insomnia remedies! It's the main natural remedy I use for a restful sleep. It relaxes me so much and eases all those crazy thoughts that come up that prevent sleep from happening. I diffuse it at night or put some on the back of my neck. Combine it with lavender oil and its even better! :)

Staying at a guest house in Ireland, I had very bad insomnia every night. The sheets, pillow cases, duvet cover, and throws were red. When these were changed to neutral colors my sleep pattern returned to normal.

Hello Art,

I do take Magnesium, usually just Citrate works for me, 400 mg twice a day. It does help me with sleep as well as leg and foot cramps at night. I also started taking it every day to hopefully help with Essential Tremors but I feel I need more than just the Magnesium.

I am able to see ALL your posts thank goodness, just by clicking your username. Then it takes me to another page that has a link to all your posts over the years. I think maybe in each of our profile, I know mine has an option to check or uncheck a box that asks if we want to allow others to see our posts/replies, and I have mine selected "yes" and I am betting you do as well. Finally figured that out when I woke at 1 a.m. and the thought just popped into my head, LOL!

I need to get your feedback, and possible knowledge of Taurine for Essential Tremor. I've posted there..

https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/essential-tremor.html

..and so hoping you see this and stop in on that thread if you might be able to help me with searching for answer for my tremors in head & left-hand?

Can't thank you enough for all your dedication to helping others Art, Denise

Gal, I've taken Blackstrap Molasses for iron, when nothing else worked. I wonder if it would work for sleep.

Dear Gal,

I think the best way to take Iron is with Blackstrap Molasses. A tablespoon once a day. I have also used Floradix. That works well, but it is expensive.

Using a cast iron skillet is also a great way to get iron into your foods. I use my cast iron skillet daily.

The herb, Yellow Dock is also high in iron.

~Mama to Many~

I used to take a long time to go to sleep or wake up shortly after falling asleep. I had read on Dr. Mercola's site that the lowering of body temperature acts to put us to sleep, so my hypothyroid, too-low temperature didn't allow more lowering. I guess I was wide awake to preserve life when my temp was 95.9 - 97.2F. (In cold survival situations people who fall asleep die.)

I have had some 1,2 and even 3 hot bath nights to get back to sleep. I used to monitor my temperature frequently at night. Now I just take a hot water bottle to bed. I go right to sleep and sleep all night long. Electric heating pads are not recommended. They put off harmful EMF, ElectroMagnetic Fields, plus I got a fatty tumor where I fell asleep on one set on low. Sweet dreams!

HI U Timh, , , , , , , , , your posts of niacin and niacinamide are right on, but I fear some folks don't realize that these are two different compounds. One, as you say, is to clean out your blood vessels by dilating your capillaries which allows more blood into the cells. In his book Ron L. Hubbard used the niacin flush and saunas to detox his lSD buddies from the 60's.

We starting using niacinamide when the U of Calif at Erving published their study how they cleared alzheimers in mice in a few months. They stated that humans were next, but that study will never happen.

For our sleep, we drink a cup of hot Jasmine Green Tea with a scoop of Magnesium L Threonate. It calms you down and does not mess up your bowels. I appreciate the tip about niacinamide for sleep and will try that.

===========ORH===========

I read that hypnic jerks are caused by a copper deficiency. I am currently taking a combination capsule of copper and zinc twice a day. I must say by the third day they have stopped.

I took care of anxiety, racing mind, depression and hot flush by taking Vitamin D3 with Omega3 4000IU - 8000IU, plus Vitamin E 1000IU... the only thing not yet fixed is insomnia, I sleep about 3 -4 hrs, always wake up 3-4 am in the morning and then cannot get back to asleep, I also need Melatonin to help me get to sleep when I get to sleeping time.

I found after I took CoQ10 100-200 mg my sleeplessness can be taken care of and now I wake up in the middle of night, go to bathroom, and then I can get asleep in about 5-10 mins. and I have a total of 7 hrs sleep average.

I can't use melatonin, it triggers migraines. Maybe I'll do the tryp in that way, small dose an hour before the main dose. Thanks

Is black strap molasses any good for insomnia?

Hi Audrey,

I love Black strap molasses, although I find that it gives me energy, even with the calcium and magnesium. It has so many other nutrients too, and a lot of potassium. It gives my body what it needs, like a vitamin. I like to make it into a tea and I drink it in the late morning or afternoon for a pick me up.

I have been trying to find a solution to my persistent insomnia and heart burn. Since giving up wheat both have completely subsided. After years of otc and struggling to find a solution I am so relieved to be sleeping like I did when I was a child (41 years young now).

YES! Skullcap TOTALLY works! I've been drinking the tea form of it and it's just incredible! Like natural Valium! Rooibos is another good relaxing tea but Skullcap is a much stronger sleep aid. I just fall asleep practically immediately after drinking it! It's a must try for insomniacs!

Wendy: Thank you for that great post on the use of magnesium and insomnia. I have insomnia problems that herbals haven't seemed to help. (Worry about work I think.) But I'll try the mag at night as you recommended.

Compelled to provide this warning: according to a nutrition almanac, high levels of magnesium can cause skeletal paralysis, respiratory depression, coma and death. Magnesium is generally well tolerated but there are exceptions and when in doubt, a physician should be consulted. Sometimes less is better.

Magnesium Chloride, liquid form 2 teaspoons 3 X a day. Magnesium Glycinate (tablets), and liquid Magnesium Citrate all have been very effective for me in helping me relax and having a good, sound night's sleep.

I took 400 mg magnesium glycerinate an hour before bed for 2 nights and had severe insomnia both nights. Does that mean I am not MG deficient? Or should I take them during the day? I have been having menopause based insomnia, I think, for over 5 years, and so eager to find something that can help me sleep.

Father's Daughter: sometimes older folks have some similarities to babies. In this case, if he was used to having his wife/children home, he would be subconciously uneasy if they are not home. Just like small children do not take to changes so easily and do not sleep well if they are not surrounded by the people they deem important to them.

I have to unplug some things to get a good night's sleep. I also sleep poorly if strong magnets are near the bed (like speakers) or, and even solar powered devices, and - I don't know if this is weird or not - if I have polyester in my pajamas or too much polyester in the room. I've found some success learning about the best feng shui direction to sleep in - its different for every birth year, and in herbal supplements too, the easiest being lettuce.

Hi TrudyG and all others suffering from insomnia,

First, taking a nightly capsule of organic borage oil, regular dose, an hour before bed got me deeply asleep, deeply dreaming, and very calm/confident-feeling the next day. It does take about 3 weeks for most people to have results, although I seem to recall it was more like 10 days for me. After a while I ran out and forgot to take it, only remembered while reading here.

Next, I got an inversion table. You can set it so that you start with a relatively low angle of inversion, by tying the strap underneath--say, 20-30 degrees for at least 10 minutes. That feels like plenty to me. If your heart is lower than your feet by 17 degrees, apparently the lymph glands release and clear. Other benefits I've noticed: practically no asthma, NO INSOMNIA, back pain decreased and overall well-being increased. Not to mention, better circulation.

However I am forgetful so the latest thing I take is borax. This is actually covered in depth at http://educate-yourself.org/cn/boraxconspiracy03jul12.shtml.

In my case, I was looking for help with my out-of-control restless legs syndrome, which, on the first day, diminished almost to nothing (now my Requip prescription of. 25 mg is more than sufficient, where before even 1mg spaced throughout the day barely controlled it. ).

Now I take the borax right before sleep, and I sleep deeply and w/o interruption for 8plus hrs. And I wake up feeling crisp! Also my asthma, which had me audibly wheezing prior to the borax, is slowly disappearing. It's also a fabulous detoxer, and is anti-microbial and perhaps also alkalining too.

At first I took the Borax in the morning, but after 3 weeks, it started to make me very sleepy so I switched to bedtime. It's very fast-acting--one minute I'm lying in bed wide awake, wondering when it's going to start knocking me out, and the next minute, I'm so deeply asleep I haven't even noticed I was getting sleepy, it's so immediate a response.

My friends who are also taking borax find that they have more energy. I MAY be feeling more energetic, but the stuff still knocks me out, so experiment on a laid-back, no-driving-etc-day to see how it affects you.

The other reason I was taking borax is that it balances the whole body's hormone, endocrine, and glandular system over time. I've been taking it now for at least 3 months. I've increased my dose to a tablespoon (from a teaspoon). Just last week it seemed to me that my post-menopausal dryness was no longer an issue. I intend to continue taking this forever.

Oh yes, another borax good result: my neighbor, 70 yrs old, fell off a horse and broke 2 ribs. Since he won't go to doctors, I gave him some borax. He says his ribs healed fast, and with much less pain than the other times they have broken.

Dosing excerpts from midway through the link at beginning of this post:

Firstly, dissolve a lightly rounded teaspoonful (5-6 grams) of borax in 1 litre of good quality water* free of chlorine and fluoride. This is your concentrated solution. Keep the bottle out of reach of small children. (* I''m using distilled water)

Standard dose = 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of concentrate. This has 25 to 30 mg of borax and provides about 3 mg of boron. Take 1 dose per day mixed with drink or food. If that feels right then take a second dose with another meal. If there is no specific health problem or as a maintenance dose you may continue indefinitely with 1 or 2 doses daily. "

(elsewhere in my reading people taking the borax-in-water cure seem to take it for 5 days, stop for 2, then start again for 5 days, off for 2 days, and so on. )

"If you do have a problem, such as arthritis, osteoporosis and related conditions, menopause, stiffness due to advancing years, and also to improve low sex hormone production, increase intake to 3 or more spaced-out standard doses for several months or longer until you feel that your problem has sufficiently improved. Then drop back to 1 or 2 doses per day. "

http://g2cforum.org/index.php/list/other-alternatives/20552-the-borax-conspiracy-how-a-mineral-vital-to-health-was-suppressed

http://g2cforum.org/index.php/list/other-alternatives/2910-big-island-dairy-farmers-fight-radiation-with-boron

BTW... Trazodone HCL does work for my insomnia. At first I had to double-dose but now I can take 1/4 pill and that will also knock me out.... But why bother when borax is much safer and helps with so many cures.
...............

Last I would like to thank Joy and Everyone about mentioning the water cure. I think adding the right salt will help w my frequent urination, thirst, and allergies. Had forgotten that histamine is a dehydration response. Beginning to wonder if I was developing diabetes. Would diabetes show up in a hair sample?

Many Blessings!

Niacinamide stops the chatter of the mind but take it with other B's they work together... It also helps sleep. First time I took it my mind went blank, freaked me out.

2 teaspoons of Apple Cider Vinegar with a teaspoon on honey in warm water before bed, along with magnesium, niacinamide, tumeric, vitamin C, and occasionally 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. Has helped with lifelong insomnia problem.

Also important is to reduce naps during the day and focus on a quieting image when going to bed. Very important to find a way to calm the mind -- a form of prayer.

I don't expect a perfect night's sleep every night and am usually relieved with the improvement in sleep. Will still awaken after 3=hour sleep cycle but am able to drift back off pretty quickly and sleep till morning.

Am very grateful for the information on this website.

Try "Insomnia" by Hyland. I"ve used it for years and it has worked for several people who I've recommended it to (I always offer to buy their bottle if it doesn't work for them). It's a tiny homeopathic tablet that dissolves under your tongue. One or two should solve your sleeplessness and a bottle of 50 costs less than $10 so it's definitely cost effective. Totally counterintuitive as to why it should work but it does. It's more effective than melatonin, ambien, and all the other things I tried. Now, I always have some at home by the bed and definitely when I travel. Especially good for those nights when the tape in your head won't turn off or if you wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep. I've taken one tab to get back to sleep when I had to be up in 2-3 hrs; two or three when first going to bed, if needed. You won't have a 'hangover' like some of those others give you. Hope this helps you get some rest.

Hi Trudyg; Insomnia has been a problem for me too, and like you, I've tried many supplements and herbs. It is still difficult. What works for many, sometimes will have the opposite effect for me.

I try to keep a record of supplements, herbs, even foods that have a stimulating or relaxing effect.

I take B vitamin supplements, but most are stimulating, so I take them in the morning. ( I take extra B12 sublinguals. BTW, it helps my hot flashes. ) B12 suppresses melatonin in the day, allowing it to increase at night.

I do take Niacinamide, (B3), in the evening, it relaxes me. ( I take 250 mgs.)

I still take 1mg. of Melatonin in the evening. It helps, but it doesn't work alone for me.

This past year, I've had good results from taking 15mgs. of Zinc in the evening. ( It may help people with elevated evening cortisol, or possibly, elevated blood sugar.)

I take extra Potassium as a supplement, it also relaxes me.

There are many supplements that work miraculously for other folks, such as : Vitamin D, Magnesium, etc. , but I seem to have a paradoxical reaction to them - worsened insomnia. (I'm sure many folks could have this same reaction to the supplements that work for me.)

I believe my best success with insomnia is from finding the substances that interfere with sleep.

Good Wishes.

I'd put money on Microscopic Colitis.

Joy, niacinamide does not cause flushing, niacin does. In fact, niacinamide is what's recommended for those who want the benefits of niacin, without the flush.

Try drinking just before going to bed about 300ml of water then on your tongue put a pinch of 50/50 mixed natural unrefined (rock or sea) salt and Epsom salt (you will have to mix this yourself) let it stay there for 20 seconds before washing it back with a little more water. Have a good sound night's sleep.

Extended use of Nutmeg is not recommended as it is mildly toxic and hallucinogenic. Can induce wild dreams or nightmares, dry mouth, and constipation.

One could safely include Nutmeg with these herbs: Valerian, Hops, Avena Sativa, Passionflower, Kava, and Chamomile for a more pronounced effect.

I am new to the site and I must say that I am impressed. I enjoy reading what real people have to say about treating their ailments, and what they treat them with. It's been educational. There is one thing that I looked for here that I didn't find was OAT STRAW TEA. I've done a lot of reading about it in other places, and even saw a segment about it on a television show. I was impressed enought that I got some to try out. It is said to be good for a number of ailments from high cholesterol to increasing your libido. I have been using it for a short time. When the coffee pot is empty (my only vice) I make up a tea bag and let it steep. I really don't know yet what it might be doing for my cholesterol, but it does seem to be aiding in a good night's sleep.

Hi, what brand of cherry juice did you use?