Natural Remedies for Insomnia: A Comprehensive Guide

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 have suffered from insomnia since childhood (I am now in my 30s), and it has been crippling to my life, to say the least. About a month ago, my husband and I decided to try turning off all breakers in our house at night, except for the one attached to the refrigerator. Since doing so, I have slept very well, even experiencing deep REM sleep. I have vivid dreams every night. My husband has experienced the same thing -- deep sleep, many dreams. It's worth a try if you have trouble sleeping. As I understand it, the EMFs interfere with hormones in the body. Some people are very sensitive to EMFs. I believe somebody else on this site suggested not using the computer or cell phone before bed, but my suggestion takes the idea a bit further.

I suffer from occasional insomnia and find this is a sure-fire cure:

1000mg L-Tyrosine (capsule form)
3-9mg Melatonin (sub-lingual tablets best)
500-1500mg Vitamin C (chewable best)

For me, this works best if taken as soon as you realise it's going to be one of those nights. I take it with a glass of water, and a slice or two of bread. Ideally, try this when you'll be able to devote 6-8hr to sleep--after that I always wake up 100% refreshed. Best of luck!

Hi CheeMiss: Regarding your insomnina, have you ever considered thyroid insufficiency? Hypothyroidism runs in families and is often not detected by blood tests.Insomnia is a huge symptom of hypothyroidism. I have had this problem and as my blood tests were low normal I got No help from my md. go to www.wilsonstemperaturesyndrome.com Doctor Wilson has devised a wonderful protocol for treating hypothyroidism that works!

Also I sleep alot longer each night now. Good luck, Mary

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.

Hi Jake,

Thank you for your help. I have been taking or tried all that you mentioned to no avail except for the DHEA supplement. I will ask my doctor to check my levels as you suggested. Our gene pool insomnia is tough on all of us, as nothing much works. I wonder why doctors just dismiss this without checking our blood for imbalances. All they seem to want to do is push the pharmaceuticals.

hi, what exactly do you do with coconut oil? drink or masage it? plz let me know.

blackstrap molasses, aloe vera, coconut oil, melatonin and DHEA supplements have all helped me. I suffer from a similar problem and only recently have been having more than 2 hour stretches of sleep on a regular basis.

My DHEA levels are normally well below the reference range and supplementation brings them up. You might check your level.

Most important perhaps is the coconut oil. When I went up from 2 Tablespoons to 4 to 6 Tablspoons - 2 or 3 after dinner time before bed, I noted a definite improvement. You need to find your own levels her and especially for the melatonin - I currently take a quarter of a 3 mg. lozenge under the tongue type - each time I wake up to go to the bathroom.

Experiment.

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 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!

This is amazing. I have been on a quest for a good nights sleep, which didn't include medications, for several months. I fall asleep in a reasonable amount of time, but wake up several times, sometimes for a few hours at a time. I have tried everything posted on this site, but the Castor Oil works! My boyfriend laughs at me and my crazy remedies. Well he has insomnia too, and I'm sleeping through the night. Does anyone have any ideas about why this works?

Castor oil is great to get that deep, restful sleep. Apply about a drop of castor oil to your eye lids only. It is okay if it enters your eye. This is the normal, regular castor oil you get at the stores. Initially you will fall to sleep the moment you hit the bed. So make sure you are ready to sleep when you use it. If you plan to sleep only 3 to 4 hours, i.e. not you full normal sleep, do not use castor oil as it will make getting up very difficult indeed! I use it when I have anxieties or when I find it difficult to sleep. I and my wife have been using it for decades now.

Hope it helps you too. Wish you sweet dreams!

This is in response to 9/18/07: Robin from Dallas Texas was wondering why apple cider vinegar caused constipation after 3 or 4 days. This is caused by using the processed apple cider vinegar but if you switch to an organic apple cider vinegar, that should end the problem and better health benefits overall will be achieved.

Earth Clinic is a great and informative website giving much attention to apple cider vinegar as a remedy, but I think it may be helpful to always specify it as ORGANIC apple cider vinegar instead. Many people that come across this website might miss the few areas that do specify the difference, so not knowing better, they will most likely go out to the grocery store and buy the most popular Heinz brand (processed) apple cider vinegar, and therefore they will have less satisfactory results than if they used an organic one from a health food store.

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!

First of all, I love Earthclinic! Thank you so much Deidre, Ted and anyone else who puts effort in making this site the wonder that it is.

I have a bit of feedback on Valerian Root (tea and liquid capsules). It did not work for me. I have had trouble sleeping due to anxiety. I have tried many other things (warm milk, magnesiun, bentonite clay, etc.), unfortunately, none of them seem to work for me. I believe that my level of anxiety is too high, (I have a big exam coming up and worry about not doing well) therefore I just cannot sleep. I can usually cope well with the anxiety during the day (I usually do oil pulling, take Ted's pH drink (baking soda/sea salt, etc.)). Also for the anxiety, L-Theanine (about 600 mg 3X/day) has been very helpful. Does anyone have any suggestions for the insomnia?

Thanks in advance!

I found this remedy when I was looking for herbal remedies for my daily headaches. I found 5-HTP. According to the article, some of the things it helped with are insomnia, headaches, anxiety & depression. I thought could it be? I immediately went to my husband to show him what I had found because he had problems sleeping at night as well. We went a few days later to our local drug store and picked up a bottle of 50mg. 5-HTP. We had decided on the lowest dosage available in our area, upping the dosage as we went along if it was necessary. We have only been on it for a few days now but there is a very noticeable difference. We both have been sleeping through the night and feeling more refreshed when we wake. My anxiety attacks are gone as well as my headaches. We both are much less snappish than what we were before. We haven't noticed any side effects so far. We are taking them with a meal or a small snack and so far we have stayed at 50mg. Thanks for the very useful information that lead to this discovery!

To Robin with insomnia: Hi Robin, If you are still having problems sleeping, I think that you should keep on taking the magnesium and add a good stress tablet at rate of l tab at mealtime and bedtime. Stress tablet usually only has B complex vitamins + C & E, and I consider them the best nerve pill or antidepressant going, much cheaper and seldom any unwanted side effects.

I have been on a quest to find a good nights sleep, naturally. I have recently been taking myself off of antidepressants and prescription sleep aides. And trying to find a way to balance out the seratonin naturally. This is what I have found: Rhodiola is an enormous help. However, I was still having insomnia, and anxiety. I tried Kava. This helps with the anxiety, and would help me relax, but wouldn't put me in the sleep zone. So I recently got 5-Htp, and magnesium citrate. And it hasn't been long, but I feel I am in balance. I am finally sleeping like a baby.

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.

Insomnia and Milk: I'm ADD and always have been. Also have allergies which peak at night, coincidentally when I do my best thinking... However if I can't get to sleep I will drink a half glass (8oz) of milk, right out of the fridge. {A regular sized glass is about 16 oz.} If that doesn't do it quickly I drink another half glass and repeat until I'm knocked out! Usually about a glass and a half is all it ever takes, no matter how "wide awake" I am. Just for proportion sake, I'm 6' male about 215 lbs. The warm milk we've all heard of is not necessary. Milk contains Tryptophan and calcium, both of which make you sleepy.

Total darkness allows the iris of the eye to completely relax. Eyes are the only place your nervous system is exposed to the world directly. If you are resting in a partially darkened room, cup your palms over your eyes for a while until it seems totally black. Remove your palms and keep your eyes closed. You will perceive some light or lessening of the black through your eyelids. Closing your eyes to sleep, in any illumination, does not allow complete relaxation. Always use a sleep mask or soft cap pulled over your eyes, doubled if needed, and test with palms over mask to be absolutely sure of total darkness.

Sleeping with your head pointing North can improve the quality of your sleep. Also sleeping in absolute total darkness(no alarm clock lights, no light from the door jam) can have a huge impact on your over all health. It will allow more melatonin release by your body and for a longer period of time during the night, which is vital to living longer and healthier. This kind of sleep quality lifts your levels of attention, energy and motivation, awareness and helps keeping aging down to a minimum.

I came across your website while desperately searching for a cure for a severe sinus infection. The ACV helped tremendously. Another amazing plus is that I sleep so well since taking it. I've been troubled with disrupted sleep for about 2 years now. Just curious to know what it does in the body to make such an improvement in sleep? Thanks for this wonderful website!