I've not been getting good sleep for a couple of weeks. I had no problem falling asleep, but slept only a couple hour, on and off. Very dissatisfying... left me weary.
I checked this fabulous website and saw it recommended different teas to help sleep. I found I had two ... Yoga brand "Bedtime" tea and Sunrider brand Calli "night" tea. I boiled both of them separately... 3 cups of water each pot. I slowly sipped a full cup of the Yoga tea after my evening meal, and then slowly sipped a full cup of the Sunrider during the hour before sleep.
I had a good night's sleep, had great dreams and awoke in a positive mood. Tonight I will drink only one of them to see if it's sufficient to the task.
★★★★★
My herbalist friend Bonnie Rogers suggested this treatment for insomnia. It works GREAT. 7 parts of Apple Cider Vinegar to 2 parts of Milk of Magnesia (MOM). Doing 3 parts ACV to 1 part of MOM means that the mixture is more basic and taste pretty bad. If you increase the ACV then it becomes more acidic and tastes better. And anyway, ACV is just plain good for the body. Adding water is fine. I sip a large cup of watered down ACV MOM through out my day and I sleep fine. Of course, if you get too much magnesium, then your stools tend to fall apart; this tells you to pull back on so much magnesium.
Also, yogi types have suggested inverted poses for insomnia. I added the plow and the shoulder stand to my usual yoga regime, and it greatly helped my insomnia.
So the combination of the ACV MOM and the inverted poses have completely solved my insomnia problem.
I have also discovered that a lack of sleep is inflammatory.
I see that many people are combining ACV with baking soda (or bicarbonate of soda). This means that they are adding sodium to their diet. This is either bad or neutral, depending upon the person. But if one adds magnesium hydroxide (Milk of Magnesia) to ACV, one is adding magnesium to one's diet, which is either good or neutral. And the MOM helps to neutralize the ACV. Adding Milk of Magnesia to ACV works much better than adding baking soda. Magnesium is a part of about 800 different reactions in the body, in particular enzyme reactions.
Hi L, I either put a drop of Castor Oil straight in each eye, or take a drop on the tip of my finger and apply it onto each lid. I don't do this every night now since my body seems to have adjusted to a certain time to sleep. It does do the trick though.
I've used melatonin, as Merryanne has suggested, but I don't like to use animal hormones unless it was a dire situation. Instead of melatonin, I use the herb Valerian. It doesn't taste the best, but I got used to it. Buy the tincture and most instructions say to use 30-60 drops in a glass of water. When I take it, I usually do so before dinner at home.
Sea Salt
★★★★★
I cannot describe in words how it feels to sleep without any problem. And after taking sea salt for the past one week I never have trouble in sleeping. Salt should be unrefined to be effective. One other thing I have included and that is oil pulling with mustard oil. It stings a little but in ayurveda mustard oil is highly placed for improving dental and gum problems with a pinch of salt and turmeric. But I do not add turmeric to my oil pulling. Every day before sleeping I take a pinch of sea salt and then water. You can also take it by dissolving in water. And it also reduced my cramps and painful joint condition. I have tried many things like acv, omega 3, wheatgrass etc but sea salt made the effect very quickly.
Earlier I was doing oil pulling with sunflower oil. I have also included green smoothies in my diet and also apply urine on my face and my face glows now. I was always weak and my face never glowed but these things have made the difference.
5 HTP
★★★★☆
Regarding 5htp for insomnia: Dr. Roger Murphree recommends up to 300mg at bedtime on an empty stomach with grape juice. I found that this helped me (I started at 50mg and worked up) quite a bit. Sleep was more restful, although still broken. Daytime anxiety and tremours really subsided.
Magnesium
Maria, your post is exactly what this site is all about!!! I to have suffered from insomnia for many years and would have never guessed that it was magnesium related. That is why this site is so valuable for curing illnesses because it tends to promote the idea that "NATURAL PRODUCTS ARE THE BEST WAY TO CURE ALL MINOR ILLNESS THAT POTENTIALLY CAN LEAD TO IRREPARABLE SERIOUS ILLNESSES IN THE LONG RUN".
Thanks Earth Clinic since this is not the first illness I was able to treat just by reading from the experience of others. Perfect example how Prescription and Over The Counter Drugs once again has no place in the human body! You might Google to find out which food has the highest magnesium content and change your eating habit accordingly. Mike
Magnesium
Maria, what you describe is exactly how I had to live for 15 years. I hardly could cope with my two babies with that terrible insomnia. Please tell us what magnesium to take. There is many different magnesium. Which one? I found this info in the web. www.relieve-migraine-headache.com/magnesium-migraines
So just what is the magnesium migraines connection? Researchers have been investigating the magnesium migraines connection because of magnesium's role in stabilizing blood vessels walls. Magnesium is also an important mineral when it comes to helping you get to sleep. Regular sleeping patterns are also very important to migraine sufferers. Magnesium also helps in protein synthesis, and keeps your bones strong and helps maintain normal nerve and muscle function. It was first suggested that a deficiency in magnesium could cause headaches over 70 years ago. It makes sense, because a lot of the things that cause the body to run short of magnesium also either trigger migraines or lower your resistance. For example alcohol, stress, and menstruation. Today we know that about half of the people who get migraines are also short of a certain type of magnesium (serum ionized). When faced with a migraine that won't respond to treatment, many headache specialists will give an injection of magnesium. You should be able to get benefits from long term (2-3 months or more) regular magnesium supplements.
The magnesium migraines link may make a big difference to many people. Certain types of magnesium are not well absorbed by the body. Too much magnesium, particularly the wrong kinds of magnesium, can cause diarrhea and simply make your mineral deficiency worse. Also, remember to take magnesium for at least 60-90 days to see if it makes a difference. If your body isn't absorbing magnesium well, try avoid these types of magnesium: Oxide, hydroxide, and chloride. Instead, look for magnesium types that end in "ate", particularly glycinate, but also gluconate, lactate and orotate.
Note: Very often two or more types of magnesium are combined, such as oxide and citrate. The best thing is to simply talk to your doctor and then try one kind and see how your body handles it. A note about calcium: Magnesium and calcium balance each other out in the body. If you have too much of one and not enough of another, it can cause problems. That's one reason why it's important not to take too much of one or the other. However, when taking magnesium for migraine don't buy a calcium/magnesium blend. If you're taking a calcium supplement, take it at another time of day. It can interfere with the benefits of the magnesium for migraine.
Magnesium
Magnesium Oil is NOT oil -- but feels like it. I also hate the itchy feeling of this oil on my skin but I found that if I dilute it about 1/2 and 1/2 with water, there is no discomfort. I usually spray it on right after a shower -- in the shower. I don't apply it to my butt as I usually go and check my email (in the nude) while I'm waiting for it to dry.
Your skin will still feel a little "oily", but it will not stain your clothes.
5 HTP
I have found that valerien root, passion flower, melatonin, and 5htp all help me to get a good night sleep. You have to experiment a bit to see what is the right amount of each to take. If you have emotional issues, worry, anxiety etc that are keeping you awake I recommend doing EFT or emotional freedom techniques. You can google EFT tapping points for insomnia and get lots of info/videos.
5 HTP
I like the idea of an essential oil!
I often have bad side effects to pills (mostly prescription ones), so I'm a bit leery about taking the 5-htp, as the reactions to it reported by others are mixed.
Thank you!
5 HTP
Hi Judy, Some times we miss the things available in our own kitchen. Try a pinch of ground Nutmeg in a cup of milk before going to sleep. It works. Good Luck, Baldev
5 HTP
I had really bad side effects from 5-htp. I couldn't sleep, and every joint in my body hurt!!! It was 100mg slow release. I tried again 2 weeks later, same effects!!!! I threw them out, and found out these are known side effects to 5-htp. love Andrea C xxx
Iodine
Mamallama, from all that I have read, Vitamin C (which is in your juice) is not to be taken at the same time as Lugol's. Lugol's is comprised of iodine and iodide and the Vitamin C will convert the iodine to iodide. For this reason I always take my Lugol's in water & wait at least an hour or more before I eat or take my suppliments (including my Vitamin C). Hope this helps.
Linda :-)
http://curezone.com/faq/q.asp?a=13, 281, 2962&q=630
"Let's go through the titration process with a specific example: the titration of vitamin C by iodine. The chemical name for vitamin C is ascorbic acid. When Iodine and ascorbic acid are combined in solution, a chemical reaction takes place. In this chemical reaction, the ascorbic acid molecule loses electrons, which are transferred to the iodine molecule. Chemists call this type of reaction an oxidation/reduction reaction (or redox reaction for short). The ascorbic acid is oxidized to dehydroascorbic acid, and the iodine is reduced to Iodide ions. Oxidation-reduction reactions always occur in pairs like this. The molecule that loses electrons is oxidized, and the molecule that accepts the electrons is reduced."
We need ioDINE AND ioDIDE:
From "Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It":
"It was thought that the intestinal tract could easily convert iodine to iodide, but research has shown this is not true. Different tissues of the body respond to different forms of iodine. The thyroid gland primarily utilizes ioDIDE.... the breasts, on the other hand, primarily utilize ioDINE....
Because different tissues concentrate different forms of iodine, using a supplement that contains both iodine and iodide is preferable to using a supplement that contains only one form, As mentioned above, the breasts concentrate iodine. The prostate gland concentrates iodine. The thyroid gland and the skin primarily concentrate iodide. Other tissues, including the kidneys, spleen, liver, blood, salivary glands and intestines can concentrate either form. With different tissues responding to different forms of iodine, it would make common sense that a greater therapeutic benefit from iodine will be achieved by using a COMBINATION OF IODINE AND IODIDE. My clinical experience has proven, beyond a doubt, that a combination of IODINE/IODIDE (e. G. , Lugol's or Iodoral) is much more effective than an iodide only supplement (e. G. , SSKI and most other liquid iodide formulations)."
Iodine
Acsessing MELATONIN you can send for it via internet.I live in NZ and here we are only able to get it at 3mg via MD script so I order it online and have found an outlet via Australia (www.... au )that has its source from America.They sell it from 3mg up to 10mg and the brand I usually get has small amount B6 added to it and it has an instant factor and a time release over the night incorporated into the tablet. I get it free shipping over a smallish outlay for the order. Works out hugely cheaper than a script and I can bulk up the order if I want (I take it every night)at the mg count that suits me.
I was 65 when I first took it and a remarkable thing happened.
I lay on my bed all day in a state of profound bliss and relaxation with my eyes partially closed not wanting to stir.
Sleeplessness had set in with menopause and I had noticed this affliction also in my mother and a sister a year younger than l.
Nutmeg
★★★★★
For sleep disorder
Please try a pinch of ground nutmeg in a cup of warm milk. Worked wonders for me.
Celery
★★★★★
Celery stick before bedtime takes care of sleep disorder. I have tried and it worked for me.
Omega-3
★★★★★
In July I started having a terrible time falling asleep at night. Insomnia, night-time terrors, anxiety, whatever you want to call it, I had it. The minute I lay down, my mind took off on a rampage. I had watch tv until 3 or 4 am, when I finally felt exhausted enough to sleep, albeit erratically, waking up every few minutes. I was drinking a cup of coffee in the morning, but I have been doing that for 20 years now and it has never affected my ability to sleep.
I started researching the net and tried many supplements that people on this site and other sites were recommending like valerian root, sleepy time tea, lobelia, magnesium, b stress. Nothing had any effect. Then I read on this site about Cod liver oil helping someone with insomnia and realized that the only supplement I wasn't taking was an omega 3. I immediately bought cod liver oil at the health food store and took one capsule a day for a week. Unfortunately, I still could not sleep. Luckily my intuition kept telling me to research omega 3 deficiencies further, so I went hunting for more information on the net. I started reading customer reviews of omega 3 on a site and saw that the most popular brand of Omega 3 had much more EPA and DHA than the Cod liver oil I was taking. 400 mg EPA and 200 mg DHA per fish oil concentrate capsule versus 90 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA for the cod liver oil. I bought the higher dosage omega and started taking 1 capsule 3 times a day before eating. I also stopped drinking my one cup of coffee in the morning. Overnight, I kid you not, my night terrors went away and I was able to get 9 straight hours of deep sleep. It's been over a week now and I am sleeping well. What an amazing relief this is. Not being able to sleep was affecting my work and my marriage. I have such sympathy for those with insomnia issues. You become desperate when you can't get a good night's sleep. It is sheer hell. I read that Michael Jackson also suffered from insomnia and that it tormented him so much that he had to take that drug. Poor man, but I get it now.
Hope this helps someone.
★★★★★
I take two 200 or 250 mgs of magnesium every night to help me sleep. I have tried other products to help me sleep like phosphorus and melatonin. Phosporus is also very good but makes me too groggy when I wake up. Melatonin also makes me too groggy. I take Melatonin when I have had caffiene before bed and it knocks me out. I get the tablets and nibble the tiniest bit off of the edge and it works everytime but seems to be too strong for me and makes me tired during the day. For me magnesium is gentle and when I wake up I feel relaxed but not tired. We stayed overnight in New York City at my daughters boyfriends apt on a busy, noisy, avenue. I took my two magnesiums as usual but woke up in the middle of the night because of the terrible street noises. The next few nights I took 3 magnesiums (200 or 250mg's)and slept thru it all. At home I take two every night. Thank you so much for this website!! People helping People!! YaY people power!
★★★★★
I have found that Melatonin is extremely beneficial in helping me get to bed. This is on top of the Seroquel that I already take, which is dosed at 100mg. I usually start off with 3 mgs. of Melatonin, and if that doesn't help, I take another 3 mgs. (because the supplement that I take only comes in 3 mg. tablets).
The usual recommended dose of Melatonin to start with is 5 mgs., and then take it from there. This is a extremely effective supplement, and I would recommend it first before anything else.
Catnip
Insomnia: This may sound a bit nutty but I'd try making a tea out of food grade catnip, it is a VERY old tea, and formerly the Major tea in all of the European continent, before black teas were introduced from trade with China and India.
EC: A store like Whole Foods might sell Catnip Teabags. It's easy to find online.
I find that taking vitamin D prevents sleep unless taken only in the morning. B vitamin complex I have to take only in the morning too.
Melatonin
★☆☆☆☆
NAY- I have tried Melatonin and I did not find it to be a good alternative for insomnia. Firstly I am on a antidepressant-Lexapro, and I feel like Melatonin really makes my depression worse, and it's effectiveness was inconstant, one time I felt real drowsy and slept good, another time only slept a few hours then woke up again. My boyfriend's Mom also tried it and said it did not work for her either.
I had same issue.. Really troubled sleep, trouble getting to sleep, waking up and trouble getting back to sleep, waking before dawn and just giving up. I actually bought myself an EMF reader like the ones the ghost hunters use in order to find EMF free place in bedroom. The ONLY high EMFs were from my clock radio that I had for years. I first moved it the length of the cord away from the head of my bed and for the first time in years slept all through the night. I got rid of it and bought battery alarm clock and have in past two months only had two bad nights sleep.. Both I believe from drinking sugary and chocolately martinis!
Supplements
Hello,
I have genetic chronic insomnia. My max sleep time is 2 hrs. On rare occasion 4 hrs. I have tried pretty much everything on this site. Nothing seems to work for a long deep sleep. BTW: even the strongest sleeping pills don't keep me down past 4 hrs and leave me very groggy, so I avoid them.
I have been searching the net and came across GABA & a product called Great Nights Sleep 2.Has anyone had any experience with either of these products? Please advise. I'm so burnt out and desperate and I don't want to spend any more monies on things that don't work. Thank You.
★★★★★
I have used Gaba for years for insomnia with great results. I used the Now brand in powder formed with a 5 mg of B6. The key is to take right before you go to bed on an empty stomach. It needs to get to the brain receptors to make neuro-transmitters. I used anywhere from 2,000 - 5,000 mg, depending on how I was feeling. Anything over 5,000 mg did not do any good. Beware that you may get rapid breathing, heart rate, or shortness of breathe for a minute. This because the Gaba relaxes the blood vessels and blood is moving faster; I did. It seem to be the more intense I felt the more I would experience these symptoms. I did research on Gaba a lot before I used these higher amounts. The lower amounts of Gaba had no effect on me, but they may you. Don't take my word for it you can research it too. I hope this helps.
L-Tryptophan
★★★★★
I have had insomnia for a good 10 or more years. I have tried everything and then read a book called The Mood Cure wherein I found the answer to my problems. Because I do not do well with 5HTP, I started using L-Tryptophan. I take 1500 mg each night before retiring - I open the capsules and mix them with a small amount of rice milk and shake well before drinking. I now sleep a good 7-8 hours straight through and awake feeling exceptionally refreshed and energetic!
★★★★★
I just started taking Valerian Capsules (500 mg) right before going to bed for my insomnia, and it works GREAT!! I used to not be able to fall asleep until 4 am, and was always sleepy and groggy when I woke up no matter how many hours of sleep I got. The first night I took one capsule at 11:30, and although I did fall asleep, I woke up around 2:30, and was unable to fall back asleep until I took another capsule an hour later. However, last night I took two capsules before going to sleep, at around midnight, and I fell asleep, slept through the night, and woke up at 7:30 (my alarm was set for 8:30!!) feeling awake and refreshed. I wasn't groggy and when I woke up I was ready to get out of bed- which is usually never the case!
So from now on I will be taking 1000 mg of Valerian Root every night for about a month, and then I'll see if I can sleep on a regular schedule without it. Now I'm not sleepy in my morning classes anymore! I highly recommend it- and I'm so happy I found a natural remedy for insomnia, I love this website! (I found Vegetarian Valerian Root capsules in the GNC section of my RiteAid, so it shouldn't be too difficult to find for anyone else) Good luck!
★★★★★
ive taken 5HTP (150mgs) and it relaxed me and made it way way easier to sleep. with stress during the day, i hadnt been able to sleep until 5-7 in the morning, but when i started taking this i was feeling sleepy by about 10pm, asleep before midnight!
hi, sorry for the very late reply..i took 150mg of 5HTP after my evening meals. I think that may be relatively high, as I was taking it for depression too. Other people here seem to be having good results with a dose of 50mg.
5 HTP
The past half year I could not get to sleep until 5-7 in the morning. Luckily I am retired and be able to sleep through 11a-1p. I will try your dosage of 5htp to see if it can bring the sleep clock back to 10-12 at night.
Suan Zao Ren
Suan Zao Ren For Insomnia And More:
Major herb for insomnia, it has a very calming effect which alleviates symptoms such as anxiety, worry and restlessness, which may be contributing to insomnia. A neurocardiac sedative, it helps to regulate blood pressure.
nourish heart yin, tonify liver blood, quiet spirit
-irritability, insomnia, palpitations, anxiety due to deficiency
-prevents abnormal sweating
nourishes blood, calm spirit, clear Heat, relieve mental restlessness
A superior herb, one of the most popular herbs for insomnia, hypertension and other nerve disorders. Nontoxic and nutritious and can be used long-term. Regular use can brighten complexion.
THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS:
Nourish the heart, benefit the liver and tranquilize the mind for insomnia and heart palpitations; nutrient; reduce perspiration.
To replenish the liver, to cause tranquilizations, to arrest excessive perspiration, and to promote the productionof body fluid.
Insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep; excessive sweating due to debility; thirst due to consumption of body fluid.
Nourishes the heart and the liver. Its natural tranquillizing properties are used to treat mental tiredness. It helps reduce sweating, especially anxiety sweating, and can be used effectively for insomnia and palpitations.
You can buy suan zao ren from chinese medical shop. Just put 30 g in a cup and pour in boiling water. Drink it after 15 minutes while it is still warm. The herb can be reused many times. Do not throw it away after your first drink. Good sleep to all who suffered from insomnia.
Avoid use during Pregnancy.
Milk
Warm milk never works for me, and also makes me get up to go to the toilet later.