Natural Remedies for Insomnia: A Comprehensive Guide

Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium

Posted by Clatterbuck (Beltsville, Md) on 09/12/2018
★★★★★

I had been having trouble getting to and staying asleep for over a year. I tried melatonin, meditation, magnesium, castor oil, etc... Nothing really seemed to work consistently. For other health reasons, I started upping my intake of calcium, magnesium, and potassium. After this change to my diet, I noticed my sleep improved dramatically. I try to get 1,200 mg of calcium through my diet each day, but if I fall short, once in a while I will take one 500 mg chocolate supplement. Every night before I go to bed I take a half of a magnesium supplement with a glass of watermelon water (for potassium). This combination of minerals knocks me out. I still get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, but when I get back in bed I fall right back to sleep. I also wake up feeling refreshed. I never would've thought that a nutritional deficiency could cause insomnia.

Iodine

Posted by Jenny (Uk) on 09/06/2018

I live in the UK but get my melatonin from the USA from Iherb. It's very cheap and if you choose the slower shipping, very cheap to ship or even free depending on the spend.

Carbohydrate Snack Before Bed

Posted by Gina (Alberta) on 08/31/2018
★★★★★

I recently read an article by a physician who suggested a carbohydrate snack at bedtime to cure insomnia. After years and years of believing that one should have a protein snack for sound sleep and never being able to fall asleep, I thought I would give it a try. So simple, right? It works. Every single time. Just an apple or some grapes, juice, whatever you like. Cherry juice even is a source of melatonin, so that might work really well. I can now fall asleep quickly and effortlessly and sleep soundly. It's beautiful.

Supplements

Posted by Gert (Hg, Al) on 07/31/2018
0 out of 5 stars

I finally found a formula that helps my insomnia and now have a pain--does anyone think this is from the stuff I take or could it be something else? I take 1 Seriphos (1000mg), 200 mg L-Theanine, 1000 mg Glycine, 1000 mg Taurine, 1000 mg Gaba and 500 mg niacinamide. This mix also calls for 1 mg extended release melatonin, which made me fall asleep faster but left me with a migraine all day after. Without the melatonin I fall asleep within an hour, wake up several times but go right back to sleep and have strange dreams.

Now, after a week of doing this at night, I have a pain in my back (slightly lower than kidney) that radiates over to my hip and on to my groin. Almost like a kidney stone? Never had one, so no idea what causes this. It aches during the day unless I'm moving and is what I notice most when trying to go to sleep. Any ideas what it could be? Almost like a pulled muscle, except I haven't done anything to pull a muscle.

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Mary (Mn) on 07/10/2018

I'd put money on Microscopic Colitis.

5 HTP

Posted by Raphael (Seals, Tx) on 07/01/2018

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.

Melatonin

Posted by Martin (Cambridge) on 06/12/2018
★★★★★

Melatonin to regulate my sleep cycle which was worsening with age (62 y/o male). Give it 2 weeks or more time before you see results. People give up too soon when experimenting with melatonin. Give your brain time to adjust to a new circadian pattern. 3 mg sublingual melatonin before bed is what I do.

5 HTP

Posted by Mama To Many (Tn) on 05/30/2018
★★★★★

I mentioned using a pedometer watch in a recent post as a way to see how much sleep you were getting. A low tech and cheap way, but a possibility none the less.

My watch (when paired with a smartphone) will give you a bar graph each day to show you the light and deep sleep. I was rather horrified to see the sleep pattern of my teenage daughter when she used her watch to track her sleep. Few and brief were her periods of deep sleep. No wonder she is tired a lot!

I tried a few things - some herbs, melatonin, etc.

5 HTP was the best for improving the amount and frequency of deep sleep for her. It does not cause any side effects for her that we have noticed, anyway.

~Mama to Many~

Niacin

Posted by Gert (Hg, Al) on 05/25/2018

I've been taking niacin (flush type) for cholesterol for years, 1g/day. Cholesterol levels are great. Now I have read that it is part of the Healthy Sleep Formula (Steve Gibson), but he says take the non-flush inositol type. So I have bought that. My sleep is terrible.

Anyway, can I take both types? Should I take the flush in the morning and the non-flush in the evening? I don't want to screw up my liver.

There are 2 sleep protocols: 1) niacinamide + extended release melatonin or 2) seriphos + glycine+ taurine+ gaba + l-theanine + timed release melatonin. I am desperate for sleep. This #2 formula seemed to let me sleep but it was like being awake until I realized that I had dreamed something that couldn't be possilbe since I was at home in bed. I have all these things already, so just need guidance on the niacin.

Also, mama to many mentioned nettle tea so I tried it some time ago and didn't see that it helped. But recently I purchased a large bag of nettle loose tea and have been drinking a quart of it per day--it does seem to make me sleepy at this dose.

My problem is that I get so so very sleepy but don't drift off to sleep. Then I get weak and take an ambien--which is awful, but I've gotten so desperate for sleep. I just want to be unconcious for a time and feel rested.

Melatonin

Posted by Claudia R. (Maryland) on 05/14/2018
★★★★★

Melatonin for nighttime stress and anxiety. I take a low dose 3 mg sublingual melatonin 1/2 hour or more before going to sleep. I used to wake up in fits of anxiety a few times a night and it would take me 2 hours or more to get back to sleep. Sometimes it happened twice in a night. Since taking melatonin, I sleep much better. Still sometimes I do wake up but go back to sleep within a min or two.

Catnip

Posted by Peacepasstethallunderstanding (Usa ) on 05/04/2018
★★★★★

For those searching for insomnia helps I like to try tinctures. Catnip has helped along with skullcap. If I wake middle of night tincture of catnip and the 4-7-8 breathing has helped. I got a Saliva hormone level test that verified my need for help.

5 HTP

Posted by Blue Star (Tennessee) on 05/01/2018
★★★★★

5 HTP for Sleep and Depression

I recently discovered 5 HTP for my sleep issues. I never seemed to go into a deep sleep and would grind my teeth. I have back, neck and sciatica issues so the pain would keep me up at night.

With 50 mg of 5 HTP about an hour before I go to bed, I go into a deep sleep and finally become fully rested. I wake up in the morning loving my life. I am feeling that 5 HTP is going to be great dealing with my SAD, which seems to happen every year Jan- March. I just want off the planet with SAD... it will sneak up on me..

My attitude towards life is much better. It seems my depression has lifted somewhat. I don't seem to crave carbs as much.

Nutmeg

Posted by Terry (Md) on 04/29/2018
★★★★★

Was interested in nutmeg for nocturia. I recently read that a grandmother used her mother's remedy as a cure to stop from having to pee when she went shopping. It was incredibly easy. Granny said to put about a teaspoon of nutmeg in the palm of your hand and lick it off. She did this just before leaving the house and she did not have to find a bathroom during the whole time she went shopping.

Anyway, I have tried everything under the sun and nothing is too weird when you have to get up all hours of the night to pee. So, I have tried it for the last 3 nights and Alleluia! I got up after 3 1/2 hours the first time, then 3 hours the second time. By the time I needed to go again, it was time to get up. It was wonderful to feel refreshed, something I had not felt for many months.

However, about the nutmeg: I just used a good 1/4 tsp on the palm of my hand and licked it off just before going to bed. I also took a very tiny sip of water to get rid of the nutmeggy taste on my tongue. I will up the amount to 1/2 tsp and see what happens. I am thrilled even tho nutmeg is pretty expensive. It's worth it!

Sleep Tracker to Evaluate Sleep

Posted by KT (Usa) on 04/24/2018

Thank you for this post! My husband snores too...that's why we have to sleep in different rooms!

I'd be interested in getting this tracker watch because he feels he NEVER gets enough sleep. I think he underestimates how much he gets.

I have an internal alarm that gets me up after six hours, sometimes less. I think if you go to bed exhausted you can sleep hard for four hours and have enough. It has been reported that a 20 minute mid-day "power nap" can revive as much as sleeping eight hours. I did that when I was pregnant and worked full time. Little did I know that what I was eating (hidden sources of MSG) made me that tired.

BTW, I worked almost all day on my feet, went for monthly check-up, drove home thinking I was just having Braxston Hicks after exam, had my husband's labor inducing spaghetti sauce for dinner and had my first baby that night!

Sleep Tracker to Evaluate Sleep

Posted by Mama To Many (Tn) on 04/23/2018
★★★★★

My daughter and I each got a wristwatch/step tracker and are having a fun time of it. She has a friend she is comparing steps with. I got one because I thought it would motivate me to stay active on a regular basis. We did not get the expensive ones. They were about $25 each. Not only did I not want to spend a lot on one, a friend who was wearing a smart watch was having some weird symptoms that she attributed to her smart watch.

My watch can be paired to my phone to record data, which I do daily.

Honestly, I am not sure the steps are accurate. I did get to 10,000 steps in on Saturday which was supposedly over 4 miles in the day but I am not convinced I walked that much. 80% of it was just stuff I normally do around the house on Saturday (cooking, cleaning, gardening.) But, I do think it is comparatively accurate, so for my purpose of motivation to keep moving, it is effective.

I was especially fascinated by the fact that it can track sleep.

I feel like I am a light sleeper and often worry that I am not getting quite enough sleep. 5-6 hours a night seems typical for me.

I have tracked several nights and it appears that I am getting better sleep than I thought. I am getting plenty of deep sleep. Apparently, in the light sleep cycles one can be somewhat aware of what is happening around. I often feel like I am "sleeping with one eye opened, " but I am apparently getting rest. In fact, more than I might have guessed. One morning data was that I got 6 hours and 20 minutes of sleep, which was 45 minutes more than I was guessing I got.

My point is, if you suffer with insomnia, a sleep tracker may encourage you that you get more sleep than you think, or confirm how little sleep you are getting!

My husband snores and I have been concerned about sleep apnea for him. He has a bad family heart history and sleep apnea is hard on the heart! I had him wear my watch and he registered 8 hours of sleep with a good balance of deep and light sleep!

Obviously this is a very low tech way to evaluate sleep, and not appropriate for someone with significant sleep issues. But for the curious it gives some interesting data.

My watch also gives my heart rate. I thought it was reading too low, but when I compared it to the reading on a pulse oxygen meter I have on hand it appears to be pretty close.

So that is my two cents on a fitness tracker watch!

~Mama to Many~

Castor Oil

Posted by Jean H. (Us) on 04/14/2018

Be careful giving melatonin to children as my research indicates it can cause seizures in children. I researched it for an article for my blog which is how I came across this. Plus, taking it can cause your body to stop producing it.

Magnesium

Posted by Jean H. (Us) on 04/15/2018

I don't doubt what you're saying, but magnesium has what's called 'bowel tolerance' where your body shunts any excess to the GI tract washing it out. When you've reached the amount your body needs, you develop loose stools and/or diarrhea that washes the excess out of your system. Look at the magnesium citrate given for bowel cleanses and colonoscopies that are at least 12,000 mg, and are considered to be safe.

Magnesium

Posted by Jean H. (Us) on 04/15/2018

If the magnesium oil stings, it's an indication that your body is low in magnesium so dilute the oil with a bit of purified water so it doesn't sting. You can also make a magnesium body butter with 2 parts cocoa, shea or mango butter, 1 part coconut oil and 1 part magnesium oil. Melt butter and oil over double boiler, stir to help emulsify. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes. Slowly mix magnesium oil in butter/oil mixture, mix with hand mixer. Put in the fridge for about 20 minutes to cool and then blend a second time with hand mixer and put in container. I saved a large necked jar from some herbs for my dogs that I use that works well. A teaspoon of the body butter provides approximately 250 mg of magnesium chloride.

Coconut Oil

Posted by Jean H. (Us) on 04/14/2018

Don't spit the coconut oil in your toilet or down your sink as it's solid below about 76 degrees and will clog your pipes.

Ginger Tea

Posted by Jean H. (Us) on 04/14/2018

Ginger also lowers cortisol levels.

Melatonin

Posted by Mary (Ca) on 03/29/2018

I have struggled with insomnia. will try this. Thank you.

Melatonin

Posted by Lisa (Westport, Ct) on 03/28/2018
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

For months I have been waking up at 4:00 am and unable to get back to sleep, either because I need to use the bathroom or someone moving around in our house or anxiety attacks. In the past, magnesium supplements have done the trick keeping me asleep but lately they have not helped much. Exercise that tires me out definitely helps keep me asleep all night, but on the days I don't exercise hard I wake up. I bought 3 mg melatonin and tried that. Helped the first night, but not after that.

Finally I tried 1 melatonin and 1 magnesium l threonate capsule before bed. That was the winning combination. I am sleeping deeply until the morning and feeling extraordinarily refreshed and energized. Don't want this to become less effective, so I'm only doing it 2-3 nights in a row, then taking a break from the supplements until I feel the need to do it again. Usually another 2-3 days off. Hope this helps someone.

Lettuce Tea

Posted by Mama To Many (Tn) on 02/22/2018

Mary,

This is great!

100 years ago, Beatrix Potter wrote about the "soporific effect of lettuce on the Flopsy Bunnies" in a children book! The bunnies were sound asleep from eating too much lettuce.

I guess she knew what she was talking about!

Thanks!

~Mama to Many~

Lettuce Tea

Posted by Mary Martinez (Arcadia, Ca) on 02/21/2018
★★★★★

LETTUCE TEA. For insomnia

I found this recipe from a lady I buy plants from. She said that her baby grandaughter was very troublesome so he said she rubbed the baby with lettuce leaves and placed a few underneath her pilllow as well and the baby went right to sleep! I found the recipe on the computer here it is:

How to Make Lettuce Leaf Tea

If you are wondering what else to do with all that lettuce laying around the house - try making a great cup of tea for insomnia. This simple recipe for lettuce tea will help you with insomnia and also acts as a mild sedative. The recipe was found in a 40 year old herbal medicine book - and I have tried it. It works ever so gently.

After the basic recipe there is more information about the particular lettuce that I chose, romaine, which is by far more nutritious than iceberg. I always recommend that lettuce be bought organic only.

Recipe for Lettuce Leaf Tea:

- 2 outer leaves of organic romaine lettuce

- 8 ounces of water

Thoroughly wash the leaves and then simmer for 20 minutes in the 1/2 pint of water.

Strain and drink before bedtime

How often should I drink it? - While it is recommended as a nightly drink - I'd suggest trying it first on the weekend when you don't have to get up for work and see how you feel. It is supposed to have sedative effects and I found the next day that I wanted to lay around and read a book. I didn't feel tired but wanted to lay around - it felt quite good. Perhaps that is the sedative effect.

Read the full article: https://hubpages.com/food/Make-Lettuce-Tea-for-Insomnia

Castor Oil

Posted by Ve (Dayton, Ohio) on 02/17/2018 3 posts
★★★★★

I developed insomnia after menopause. I tried lots of remedies. One remedy was melatonin which gave me strange dreams and made me groggy during the day. Then Magnesium which also made me groggy during the day. The third remedy I tried was Castor Oil. Since I am a big fan of castor oil I noticed that when I used it for other ailments I would sleep thru the night. So I experimented after reading an article that in the 70's there was a clinic in California that would have great success in curing all sorts of ailments when they gave people full body castor oil packs. I started rubbing castor oil all over my skin and I slept wonderfully thru the night. I don't use a pack at night just rub the oil on every night. Sometimes I cover most of my body and other nights a 1/2 a teaspoon anywhere and it still works! I use an oversized cotton pj with long arms or cotton pajama type leggings if I do my legs.

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Michael (New Zealand) on 01/20/2018

Hi Waltz of Bangalore,

A friend of mine almost had to quit his job because he suffered from persistent, severe insomnia for weeks and weeks and ended up like a zombie! The quality of their work (and life) was suffering to an alarming extent. It was a long time before we hit on a solution / remedy but from desperation sometimes brings forth a solution / sharpens the mind prodigiously!

I managed to persuade him to undergo a course of approximately six treatments (however long it took! ) by a Chinese lady acupuncturist I had been visiting for a pain related matter I.e. I was impressed with her treatment, so felt comfortable referring him to her after she mentioned she thought she could help him.

He has never looked back - just looses the odd night now and again like many others I suppose. Sleep becomes more elusive as we age unfortunately, so one must begin to acquire strategies to cope with that such as the many other recommendations on this Site.

You should verify if a reputable, licenced acupuncturist has had past success with treating sleep disorders before parting with your cash.

My feeling is that whatever treatment regime you undertake, you should commit to it and have faith in it if at all possible, stay the full course and attend all appointments on time.

Power of positive thinking etc!!

This worked a treat and he went back to work as a refreshed human being.

Not all people respond to all or any treatment of course but I would love to learn of your success if it happens.

Cheers, Michael

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Myway (Usa) on 01/19/2018

The one area you did not mentioned in your post was EMF (electromagnetic frequencies). Your sleep could be disrupted by consistent frequencies going through your body. This has become a huge problem with all the electrical devices in our lives. Go onto YouTube and look up Dr. Nicholas Gonzales and sleep disorders. He discusses this problem in detail. Also, our pineal gland is not able to make enough melatonin when exposed to the “blue light” emitted from our tablets, phones, computers, floresent lights, etc a. So, many people are staring at these devices before they go to bed - then they can't sleep. Dr. Mercola suggests turning off the electrical breaker and router to your bedroom at night - and leave the devices in another room ( I put my iPhone on airplane mode). Also, when you go outside, ditch the sunglasses - your pineal gland needs the sunshine exposure. Do your research on all this - it surely has helped me in the past!

Note: try to find out if there is a cell phone tower near your residence. If so, there is an indoor paint used to prevent the frequencies from getting into your bedroom. Look this up.

Good Luck!

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Teena (Melbourne Australia) on 01/19/2018 233 posts

Hi, I understand you have tried magnesium, however your symptoms scream magnesium deficiency to me. Perhaps the supplement you tried was not well absorbed due to gut and or intestinal issues, the tablet/capsule housing did not break down in time, etc. I would suggest absorbing some minerals transdermally, avoiding possible absorbency problems in the gut. In a bath every night before bed, one cup each borax, sea or Celtic or Himalayan salt, Magnesium in the form of Epsom salts, also supplying sulphur, as it is likely you are deficient in other minerals/vitamins because of absorbency issue. I would try this bath routine every night for a week at least. Thinking also some bentonite for ingestion. And after bathing apply some magnesium oil, perhaps on to of slkome coconut oil. Also consider a cheap and easy way of getting minerals to your cells would be 1/4 tsp sea salt to a litre of water a day.

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Waltz (Bangalore) on 01/19/2018
★☆☆☆☆

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

Posted by Sarah (Montreal) on 11/29/2017
★★★★★

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! :)