Natural Remedies for Insomnia: A Comprehensive Guide

2 stars for 5 HTP.

I have tried it off and on and you can build up an intolerance, which I did and cause you not to sleep. The best sleep aid is not on here are adaptogens for adrenal health.. Helps with deep sleep, energy like crazy---the best!!!!! This is almost my silver bullet and I have had extremely severe problems!!!!!

Oh I forgot the most important one!!! If your stomach is bloated and you have gas, it may be a sign of allergies of food, for example gluten or milk. If people eat what they are allergic to, it can cause severe insomnia. The very best recommendation is go on an elimination diet like I did and I started sleeping. When I mess up the diet, my sleep is bad.

2 stars for 5 HTP. Oh I forgot the most important one!!! If your stomach is bloated and you have gas, it may be a sign of allergies of food, for example gluten or milk. If people eat what they are allergic to, it can cause severe insomnia. The very best recommendation is go on an elimination diet like I did and I started sleeping. When I mess up the diet, my sleep is bad.

Yes, potassium would be a major factor in "turning off" the adrenals and thus cortisol production. I use 3 drops Lugol's and two caps Apple Cider Vinegar. I'm going to try mixing in the honey and sodium bicarbonate.

Better But With Side Effects

I have ibs-d and insomnia. Ted (I think) suggested magnesium for the insomnia, but I have to be careful taking it because of the diarrhea. So, I've been reading and have heard of something called angstrom magnesium--such small particles that it bypasses the gut and goes straight into the system. So, I got some and tried it last night--had diarrhea all day today. I also do the mag oil, so am I getting too much? It did seem to help me sleep, I was groggy most of today, but it wasn't a good sound sleep. I wake and doze all night. I also take niacin (500 mg 2X/day), the code kind of multivitamin, d3, b complex, astaxanthin (4 mg/d), calcium aep (don't remember the dose) and ubiquinol (200 mg/d). I use the mag oil in the morning after my shower, about a tablespoon worth. I thought the angstrom kind didn't cause digestive upset--maybe it was something else? I really felt under the weather all day. Thanks for the input.

How do you prepare the apple cider with the kcup in the keurig coffee maker?

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 have the same problem.. tried all of the above and the only thing work was nutmeg and milk. 1 tsp of powder nutmeg mix in warm milk. Drink just before bed. This work really good. Moreover, nutmeg is very good for your overall health. Hope this works.. please let me know.

Good luck.

Dear Flippside (Tampa, Fl),

The Zinc worked like a charm!!! I only used it once at 15 mg. and not only was I asleep in half an hour amazingly I had tremendous energy all day! I had been dragging for weeks and not sleeping! And without taking anything I am sleepy right now. But I am taking one tab of Zinc right now!

I can't believe the energy I have with only one tab of zinc!

Thanks so much for posting this!

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~

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

I happened to be at the hospital and spoke to a sleep Dr.She said the first thing she has sleep patients do is start iron. Said that, often, this is enough to correct the sleep issue. I've never heard of this but I'm willing to try anything. What kind is most easily tolerated? I've tried the sloFE and it was awful on my tummy. Thanks.

I am a 52 year old post menopausal woman who has had a challenging time during the past couple of years during the transition due to adrenal fatigue. I have tried everything for insomnia due to cortisol fluctuations and recently tried zinc supplements (zinc glycinate chelate) after reading that zinc lowers cortisol. Results were immediate and I'm happy to report that I have been sleeping like a baby, 8-9 hours straight, for over two weeks now! I initially started with 30mg before bed, but I have cut back to 15mg with no noticeable affect. I also take magnesium glycinate before bed but it alone wasn't enough. Just wanted to share in hopes that supplementing with zinc might help others!

Another great remedy I have found for sleeplessness/anxiety is oil pulling, specifically before bed or in the evening. I know you're supposed to oil pull in the morning before eating, but when I oil with Grapeseed oil it makes me so tired and feel so relaxed, it's really something I need to do at night!

I have tried various oils - coconut - which was quite possibly the WORST thing for anxiety - my heart was racing for days - BE CAREFUL with coconut oil if you are prone to anxiety! I tried several other oils and didn't feel much of anything, but GRAPESEED OIL is like taking a sedative for me. I feel so calm and could sleep for 12 hours, the deepest sleep with very vivid dreams. A must try for people with anxiety and insomnia!!

Whenever I can't sleep, I take about 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds at night in rice or almond milk or cottage cheese and I instantly feel calm and can have the best night's sleep!

Thanks so much Dave! Ive had insomnia for a couple years now. Seems to be a problem due to getting "older". I used to sleep with no problems. You didn't mention where you buy the dead sea salt. I will try Whole Foods tomorrow.....hoping they have it.

Hello All,

I'm reporting back again on the use of Dead Sea Salts to help with improved sleep and reduced tension.

I also enlisted one other to try the DS Salts bath and he reports a dramatic improvement in a chronic condition he has suffered with for years. It is a neuropathy that goes down the side of his head then into his shoulder and down his side. It centers in extreme sensitivity to cold; even a breeze on his head can produce this painful condition. He'd suffered with an ear infection that predated the condition and now is very sensitive to loud sounds.

He uses colloidal silver with DMSO compress to his neck on the painful side and takes the Dead Sea Salts baths.

He reports much less pain and improved energy.From my perspective, I found the DS Salts baths have dramatically improved my sleep.

I now sleep through the night five out of seven nights. Over the years as I was a caretaker for years for my wife, I never slept throughout the night. So this "sleeping through the night" is a happy thing!

I take this Salts bath once every ten days. I use about 2/3d of a cup of Dead Sea Salts and 2/3d Epsom Salts; 3 tablespoons of MSM and a tablespoon of Borax. If I only had the DS Salts, it would be fine. But the combo covers a lot more issues.

I dissolve the combo in a big pot of hot purified water while running the bath water ... then I add the solution and just soak for 20 minutes or so.

That's it.

I started using valerian root capsules when I couldn't fall asleep several years back. A 500mg capsule worked ok for me. Usually takes me about half an hour after ingestion. Recently, I've found that drinking 1 teaspoon valerian root powder an hour or 2 before I asleep works really well. I'm able to fall asleep quick and sleep through the night.

In general, I've found that ingesting powdered herbs works faster and better than taking capsules. Not sure exactly why. Maybe it's being slowly absorbed by my body as I sip drinks instead of all the dosage at once. Make sure you mix it with some kind of fruit or sweetener. It smells like feet but doesn't taste bad.

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 everyone,

I often have trouble falling asleep, recently I found out about the the "4-7-8" breathing trick, and it seems to work for me.

"You breathe in through your nose for four seconds, hold it for seven seconds, and exhale through your mouth for eight seconds. She explained to me that it slows down your heart rate and it also releases chemicals in our brains that soothe you".

Article about it on Dr Weil's site here.

Dear Beckywolf,

An epsom salt bath before bed may be of help. 1 cup in a warm bath for 20 minutes. I take Natural Calm before bed (1 teaspoon) and sleep like a rock.

I hope you get some much desired and needed rest soon!

~Mama to Many~

Last night I wasn't able to get to sleep till 1:30 am, then I woke up at 3:43 am, I wasn't able to fall asleep at 1:30 am till my long distance boyfriend called me, and now he's off doing something and I'm still unable to sleep, I am thinking maybe I can't sleep because I don't want to fall asleep without him. Any help?

I've been suffering from insomnia for years and I finally found something that really works & wanted to report it for people here! I've been taking 2 heaping tablespoons of Chia seeds in 8 ounces of almond milk, and within an hour after, I'm out like a light and super relaxed all day, I may even feel a bit too sleepy throughout the day, but it's a welcomed relief from the insomnia that has left me stressed out & debilitated for years. Chia has been a real miracle for me, definitely try it if your stressed out, have anxiety, and can't sleep!

Hi Timh,

Dr. Sinatra seems to be one of a few doctors who have an honest understanding of heart disease. I have read other articles he has written and often take his recommendation of CoQ10, d-Ribose and Carnitine. I found a carnitine product that has L-Carnitine, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Arginate and Taurinate and GlycoCarn-GPLCto to cover all the bases. This combination helps relieve symptoms in congestive heart failure and with hearts in general. Ironically, one person got a snapshot of a warning on the British National Socialized medicine site saying there is an epidemic of CHF expected due to the use of statins because of the muscle damage they can cause, which of course includes our largest muscle, the heart. It has since been removed. Dr. Graveline, Space Doc, astronaut and MD, has had a difficult time after taking statins, but is doing very well after using dolichols for the muscle damage. There is hope!

I've had great success with l-tryptophan and l-glycine for insomnia. To keep costs down, I bought the bulk powders of each. L-glycine is sweet and easy to take. But, the l-tryptophan tastes horrible and I can't get it to dissolve. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? A reviewer stated to mix with collagen, so I did that and it worked but wow that taste is awful! I can stomach anything, but I'll take suggestions if anyone can offer them. Thanks.

Thanks for all your support Rsw. Let me assure you that no matter how much my Dr. demanded the statins, it was so much in the category of not medicine and yes toxin that I discontinued. It was worth the try and I even took it in combination w/ Red Yeast Rice and Niacin plus CoQ10. Low dose statins plus these additional nutrients may be beneficial in some cases of advanced heart disease.

Dr. Sinatra has found that women are much more sensitive to the side effects of statins than men. speaking of Dr Sinatra, he has a new publication out on the big cholesterol myth and did a lengthy interview w/ Pat Robertson tonight. Here is a link http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/healthscience/2015/February/Heart-Disease-Cholesterol-Is-Not-the-Real-Enemy/

Hi Timh,

After reading your post on niacin, I started to look around for a low dose option and found that Dr. Clark has a 25mg capsule at a good price. I am going to try it. Thanks!

For neuropathy caused by statins, there is new research on the use of dolichols that looks encouraging. For more info, look at the Stopped our Statins Yahoo site.

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.

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Rsw: I have so much amiss in my physiology to provide any normal reference as to sleep or waking. If tiredness is an issue as a side effect of Niacin, try the Chromium and Ribose in combination. There are a few manufacturers who have these NAD precursor nutrients that ultimately raise the body NADH levels.

Additional B-6 may also prove beneficial w/ Niacin especially for heart health by reducing Homocystein.

I haven't found any Niacin below 100mg and split these w/ a pair of scissors to 50mg.

I made a cup of just plain old apple cider with a kcup maker and it cut my wind down time by a half an hour. Now I use it every night and I am thinking since everyone says apple cider vinegar works, maybe it's apples in general.

2 table spoon of old pine vinegar will give you a good sleep.

Hi Timh,

I read your post on the niacin. Thanks, as always! Does taking a low dose several times a day help with your sleep without making you too tired during the day? I'm not too fond of the flush and this sounds like a good option. Good for the heart, too. I didn't realize it came in 25-50mg until you mentioned it. Thanks!

L: To gain the most benefits I almost always take 50mg Niacin w/ either 500mg Nicinamide or 500mg Inositolhexaniacinate. At 50mg Niacin, taken several times per day, the flush is almost never for me. This must be why they make a 500mg Niacin as a "time release" which some folks report w/ good results.

Using all three forms of Niacin must produce a more broadspectuim effect which may be necessary for some folks that don't get such a positive response w/ only Nicinamde as yourself.

Speaking of "broad spectrum", Chromium and Ribose synergize w/ Niacin to produce benefits like lowering blood lipids & sugars, as well as needed weight loss.

Warning

Niacinamide lowers my blood pressure so much that I faint. I was taking 100 mg. Be careful.

When I rub castor oil on my chest at night, I go to sleep like a bear in hibernation! Be sure you have at least 8 hours to sleep because you may feel a bit groggy if you don't have enough time to sleep. Someone else posted this here on earth clinic awhile back.....happy sleeping!

Niacinamide, which is vitamin B3, will make you very sleepy. I have trouble getting to sleep due to menopause. I take 1000 mg of nicacinamide 1 hour before bed with about two small bites of food. Don't take regular niacin as it produces a flush to your skin and has other side effects. Niacinamide does NOT have these side effects or make you flush. It might be better to start at 1 pill which is 500 mg. One side effect is it may lower your cholesterol.