| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 9/12/2007 11:09:16 PM | I've gone to the doctor and he perscribed me pills. Some are strong and others not so bad. Some are addictive and others not so much.
I hate being dependent on anything, but as a human I'm weak at times. Haha.
It's not stress that keeps me up. It's just my constant desire to "go-go-go" and never stop. I have the weirdest things cross my mind while trying to fall asleep. Questions that are not worth pondering. 
How many pencils can I fit in that cup?
Totally useless, but my mind actively seeks anything to keep me awake. Sometimes I have interesting thoughts, which lead to jumping out of bed and into note taking mode. Regardless of the nature of my thoughts, I can't seem to remember "How to fall asleep". Haha.
I'm thinking meditation. I've tried natural techniques. I excersize almost daily and physically exhausted when I hit the pillow, but mentally my mind is going still. I try and watch TV and "Brain my Damage" before sleep so I don't have the cogs wheels spinning at full throttle.
Short of putting a gun to head and pulling the trigger, I'm really running out of options here and I understand the bullet technique is a more permenant sleeping method than I am willing to accept. Haha.
Has anyone tried meditation (just about used masterbation...ooops...tried that by the way...doesn't work)??? Is it just breathing techniques?
I just need to clear my mind before sleep and focus on nothing...
Any ideas/suggestions??? | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 9/13/2007 3:51:53 PM | exercize in AM...walk in the evenings before bed...try Chamomile or Skullcap tea...
btw...Xaviera Hollander swears by a good orgasm... | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 9/13/2007 8:25:01 PM | When I have trouble sleeping, I take a dietary supplement called Melatonin. It works for me every time...... just don't take more than one pill. It's easy to find too... even Wal Mart carries it now in their vitamin section. | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 9/14/2007 6:47:29 AM | Alex, are you taking anything that would be stimulating in the evening? Like caffeine? If so, cut it out. And don't discount a nice, warm glass of milk just before bed.
You could try the melatonin, but I recall reading somewhere that it's no more effective than a placebo.
Have you tried turning on some soothing music. Think lullabies.
Then there's the tried and true telling your body to fall asleep. Start at the toes and imagine them to sleep. Go up your body "feeling" each part going to sleep. This should relax you and ease your over-active mind a bit too.
Or you could read the most boring thing you can possibly get your hands on. Got any school textbooks still kicking around? | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 9/14/2007 7:08:00 AM | Alex, try doing yoga in the evenings and the sleep after is amazing! Here the yoga is for about an hour and half and quite popular with the men too. If you can find "hot yoga" go for it as long as you don't mind sweating tons in the heat. And as you mentioned it's somewhat a meditation - for myself when I am doing it the whole world fades away and one is focused on the moves - not to mention it's incredibly good for you on numerous levels.
Or swimming for over 1/2 hour has a similar effect, which my friends have confirmed too - because fortunately anything/any time can put me to sleep!
And as someone mentioned melatonin is a good sleeping aid, personally I use it more to adjust quickly to a change in time zones across the world. I don't like the idea of using it on a regular basis, but than that's just me. | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 9/14/2007 11:38:18 PM | Google circadian rhythms and read up about them. Usually the third bright exposure to light resets your rhythm. Bright light when you wake up... yeah, we all hate this. Isn't that usually the way? 
Train yourself to wind down. Self hypnotic tapes can help as well as hemi sync technology, they work but for very severe problems you probably need a multifaceted approach.
http://www.hemi-sync.com/store/product.php?productid=1455
Like I tell everyone else here with medical issues join yahoo.com for their ten thousand health groups and find the insomniacs group and talk to others across the world with the same problem you have.
But the hemi-sync stuff I mention above is a technology I have been aware of for two or three decades now, and it is hardcore science, even if it is sometimes sold near a lot of the new agey crap. It can do things to your mind that monks take years of meditation to accomplish, I believe.
valerian, skullcap, kava kava all work on the body but it sounds like you need some mental training. You can ask your doc to send you to a sleep specialist and they can do several different types of sleep studies. Some are in their "sleep chambers" and others are just as simple as wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet that lets them examine your body's habits and then try to help you from the info they get. Couldnt hurt you to try the monitor.
Try 12 mg Chlorotrimeton about an hour or two before bedtime. You will wake up drymouthed the next day but its very old, very well established, and very safe. 24 at walgreens are under $15, one a night. They last 12 hours. It's actually an allergy med but a lot of these make people very tired as a side effect so this particular one is often given at bedtime and a different one like claritin is used during the day for round the clock protection. Totally non addictive. Available OTC and for the most part safe to mix with herbs, too, but it wouldn't hurt to double check. | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 9/16/2007 2:34:03 PM | I do the circulation meditation to help me sleep. You follow your blood circulation in your mind and imagine it as it goes through every single part of your body over and over again...
If I really can't sleep, I use a product called 5-HTP which is 5-hydroxy tryptophan from griffonia seeds. You can get it at the heath food store, does not cause any after effects the next day and is non addictive. | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 9/17/2007 4:28:49 PM | | Melatonin is my choice, and I do full body relaxation/yoga technique and meditation. BUT, I swear it took me 3 full years to be able to accomplish full body relaxation - when you have a spinning mind, it does suck sometimes. Meditation can be really difficult to hold, too - one of my favorite "tips" is that during meditation when you feel your mind wandering, picture putting that thought on a cloud and let it drift away while you continue to concentrate on your breathing. I feel for ya...I often can't sleep, and it's not worrying or anything like that, just like my brain won't turn off. Keep your eye out for my 2 and 3 a.m. posts. :) | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 9/18/2007 4:54:34 AM | So I'm an exhausted sleeper, I'll sleep heavily once a week when I'm just too tired to keep my eyes open. Usually that sleep lasts a day. The rest of the week I get a couple of hours each night.
With out drugs or tea its willpower. I try to imagin a blank screen, when thoughts pop up and jumble I think to myself "Shut up!" and go back to the blank screen.
When I Really need to fall asleep I refuse to let myself even move and picture myself on a nice long quiet midnight drive, that usually does the trick. Not a great idea for midnight trips though. | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 9/18/2007 5:04:49 AM | Sounds to me like you might have something a little more serious than insomnia, like OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). I know others who were note-writers or list-makers at the most unexpected and strangest of moments. The fact that your events are all associated with sleep time doesn't mean they really are... that' s just when you notice that it's a problem for you.
In any case, take it seriously and get evaluated by a competent mental health care professional. It's not weak or embarrassing to do so. In fact, it shows great maturity, courage and self-awareness. And besides, if you DO have such a condition, or something related, it can't be resolved until it's identified.
What I think you'll find is a whole new quality of living that is truly unimaginable while you remain in your current state.
Good luck, my friend,
Eric  | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 9/26/2007 5:11:18 PM | | Alex, I like to unwind before sleeping as well and nine times out of ten I will grab my daughter's Nintendo DS and play a card game with the stylus. A hand-held solitaire game works nicely too. It is so relaxing that I'm usually out like a light in no time. Try it! | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 9/26/2007 8:09:25 PM |
which leads to jumping out of bed and into note taking mode
Oh Christ. You're me. I'm paranoid I'll forget great ideas by morning.
I just had an acupuncture treatment this afternoon for insomnia, and plan to have one a week for a while to get this sleepless period over with. My overactive mind (job stress, moving, pending audit) has me in overdrive. The treatment focussed on imbalances in my pancreas and spleen. What time you are actually not able to sleep is indicative of where your issue may lie. Can you not get to sleep, or do you wake up at 2:ooam and that's it? You toss and turn and check the alarm clock until it's time to get up, getting progressively more freaked out that you're not sleeping and you have a killer day the next day. Arrrggghh.
There are pressure points for sleep/insomnia issues on the back of the neck at the base of your skull just above those two depressions about half way between your ear and the top of your spine. Feel around in there and see if you can detect an area that's sensitive and apply some pressure there in a small circular motion. You should know it when you feel it.
Try some alternative therapies before reaching for the pills.
Good luck. I feel your pain. | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 9/27/2007 6:19:31 AM | To rule out anything medical, ask your dr for blood test, for your thryoid, glucose, cholesterol and Iron, since the first two can cause you to be awake, and its good to know what your cholesterol & iron level's are in your body.
I would an hour before bed, lower the lights, use candles for a hot bath with gentle bubble bath, and if you don't take baths, then a hot shower.
I do shift work, and found the Valerian Root help's me sleep with no side effects the next day. The only suggestion when taking it, that you should have 6 to 8 hours of sleep without being disturb by anything. I find I wake up refreshed and slept very well.
I also recommend Camille or Rosehip tea that's herbal and make your last hour before sleep, keep your place calm & relaxed.
Don't rule accupuncture & naturalpathetic dr, if other idea's dont work.
Sweet dreams | |
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Rain57
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Joined: 9/20/2006
Msg: 16 | |
| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 9/30/2007 11:20:14 AM | Yes, I had sleeping problems for years , and I took all the drugs. I could go days with no sleep. Then I learn Transcendental Meditation....and to my purprise it " WORKED"...
With TM, you train your mind to slow down, and focus on on though....
It was proven that after 20 min of TM you're at the same level of relaxation as in a REM sleep | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 9/30/2007 2:37:02 PM | Such a common ailment, and yet so frustrating.
First off, make your sleeping area a sanctuary. Remove all things that stimulate the mind. No laptop, no bright light, loud colors and no noise. You have to train yourself mentally that this is where you completely shut down. Take a hot shower, drink some Chamomile tea and get one of those CD's from Target that channels the brain to sleep. I did this and it works for me. I use the Rainforest one. Also, avoid caffeine, nicotine, spicey food and exercise from your routine at least four hours before going to bed.
If all else fails, get a partner that will exhaust you. Sex is ten times more powerful than Valium in sleep studies. Good luck. | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 9/30/2007 10:09:06 PM | | I also suggest reading. Get really comfortable and pick light reading material. It works wonders for me. I have had a hard time falling asleep my whole life. My mind will race and think of everything under the sun. But reading really helps me unwind - my mind is lost in the book and then the next thing I know I am sooo sleepy. I have also found that I have to turn the light out right when I feel that really sleepy feeling. If I don't, then I have to start all over again. | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 10/4/2007 6:17:01 AM | Try mexican valerian will put you to sleep
try vertiver oil on your feet rub with a little sweet almond oil
try mixing lavender,vertiver and a few other relaxating oils into a burner for 7 night it will eventually work
drop of lavender oil on your pillow
drop of lavender oil on middle eye | |
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lap58
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Joined: 7/12/2007
Msg: 20 | |
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MAF66
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Joined: 9/9/2007
Msg: 21 | |
| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 10/4/2007 7:46:50 PM | I'm a Insomniac and this sounds bad.
But sex.
The best way to sleep.
I've been on all the medication, gone for testing, stayed up for 48 hours and longer.
Sounds dumb but it's true.
But if your not going out with someone, it's hard.
I go until, I conk out.
But I'm trying to solve the problem.
All My Best... | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 10/8/2007 12:08:54 AM | i have a racing mind. moreso when i sleep alone and don't have someone to pet my head or cuddle up. somehow having the dogs and cats just doesn't do it for me! . you have many suggestions above, but the question is why can't you sleep? do you have too much to do or are you just creating stimulation? this all can tie in with a full range of diagnoses. for example, the lorazapam described above is for anxiety. but many take it in the day time and don't necessarily fall asleep. so, i guess if you save your anxiety for the night it might work. same for muscle spasms keeping you up or nerve pain, etc. etc. each one has a different angle to treat.
i have lyme disease and if i have a flareup the pain may keep me up. or, if i have way too much on my plate at any given time that does not seem to let up, i just try to think things out at night when it's quiet. i also have way too many reactions to many of the meds. for example, they once tried to give my tylenol with codeine in it and i broke out into hives. mobic worked a while and then stopped working. so i take the lyme antibiotics for long periods until my stomach hurts and then stop a while until the pain returns. clearly if i have a lot on my plate and have to persevere through it, the stress can bring out the lyme flareup, so meditation and humor work for me when that happens. also the bed is important and whether you need certain kinds of pillows.
furthermore, please make sure you are not bipolar as "extreme" sleeplessness is a symptom of that diagnosis. i have one friend who can stay up for a full week and paint an entire house. unfortunately these ups are followed by severe bouts of depression.
for me,melatonin has worked the best and longest period of time. melatonin ties in with the circadium rythmns mentioned above. with artificial light and irregular schedules for sleeping, the melatonin in your body is being overridden. also as you age, there is less melatonin. taking a "time released" pill will replace the natural amount and just "retime" it. it also works for jetlag when the timing is off even more than you are used to having.
however, to get a quick start, you can use "sublingual" melatonin which kicks in all at once and is not time released. i take one of each if my mind is totally racing. sometimes just one and sometimes none--depending upon whether it's getting to sleep or staying asleep that is the problem. source naturals makes both the time released and the sublingual. i have found that some other brands had no effect. maybe it's the quality of the supplement. not sure. also, do not take more than a dose of 5 combined according to physician friends. | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 10/8/2007 7:46:13 PM | I've got Chronic Fatigue syndrome and was also diagnosed with a sleep disorder. The dr that diagnosed me also works with natural remedies, so here is what was suggested to me and what I know about sleep disorders.
Form a bedtime routine. Take a warm bath or shower to raise your body temperature about an hour before you want to fall asleep. It will raise your body temperature temporarily, so when it falls that triggers your body to release the hormones/chemicals that it makes to help you fall asleep. Also, do things like brush teeth, wash face, check door locks, windows, lay out clothes for the next day. What ever you need to do before bed and might make life easier in the morning. This routine signals to your body its time to prepare for sleep. Do the same things in the same order every night.
No reading, studying, tv, or anything stimulating in bed. The bed is to be used for only sleep and sex. If you cannot sleep, get up and do something. When you feel ready for bed again go.
As suggested by others, even a half hour of yoga, a gentle style will release body tension and get you back into your body and out of your head. Gaiam.com has some really excellent dvd's and videos on yoga.
Make the bedroom calm and serene. Keep the room cool and as dark as possible while trying to sleep. Wear a sleep mask. Keep it clean, simple, and conductive to sleep. 100% Cotton sheets, washed in organic laundry detergent doesn't leave the chemical smell of traditional laundry products that could be contributing to the problem. Also, keep your alarm clock where you can't see it. It does no good to know how much sleep you are actually missing, it just makes you more tense knowing your not asleep yet.
Go to bed at the same time every night, and get up at the same time every day, no matter how much sleep you did or didn't get the night before. Religiously.
Get an electric aromatherapy machine. Use essential oils of lavender, sandalwood, clary sage, either singly or together. Homedics makes several of these, and also makes sound machines which play sounds of waves, rain, streams and other natural noises.
Get at least 10 minutes of sunlight every day. If thats not possible, invest in a light box to simulate natural sunlight and use it daily, first thing in the morning is best. It resets your circadian rhythim which govers what time you fall asleep.
Have sex if possible, its good for you...hehehe....and releases much tension.
A teaspoon of raw organic honey before bed will relax you. You can also try an herbal non-caffinated tea made from the nervines I mention below or warm milk and honey. Also, eating a light snack of lean protien will help you fall asleep. Especially turkey....
The combination of herbs and supplements that have helped me fall asleep are, melatonin, 5HTP (tryptophan, the ingredient in your turkey dinner that makes you sleepy) Valarian root, kava kava root, and a 2:1 ratio of calcuim/magnesium supplement. It's ok to combine more than one treatment at the same time because some cases of insomnia are very stubborn. Take one hour before you want to fall asleep.
Other herbs that work on the nervous system to relax include hops, chamomile, scullcap, passion flower, and lemon balm/melissa.
The Bach Rescue Remedy or FES's five flower formula flower essense formulas before bed can also induce sleep. The flower essenses of Madia, White Chestnut, Pencil Cholla cactus, and Fairy duster can also stop a racing mind and help you concentrate, or clear your mind to help you fall asleep.
Eliminating stimulants such as coffee, black and green teas, pop/sodas, energy drinks, chocolate, sugars and simple carbohydrates made from white flour also help reduce nervous energy while trying to sleep. Drink at least 64 oz of clean, pure water a day. Smoking can also make it hard to fall asleep, or make you wake to smoke again. Eliminate smoking.....oh, and no more than one alcoholic drink near bedtime if you must.
Some sort of exersize every day, the ulitmate being at least a 20 minute walk outdoors daily will help stimulate sleep in the evening as well.
Good luck and happy  | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 10/10/2007 4:52:50 PM | Several months ago, I had a pharmacist recommend magnesium glycinate. Only glycinate, not the other types, as this is absorbed quickly by the body. I take 400 mg. at bedtime and 9 out of 10 times it works.  | |
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| Natural sleeping for insomniac???
Posted: 10/20/2007 9:29:12 PM | I think all the suggestions above, are great.
I would add, turn your beside clock to the wall, so you don't "check" the time throughout the night.
Take Vitamin B supplements before mid afternoon, as closer to evening it can wake you up.
When you decide to stop worrying about not sleeping and telling yourself you are still getting the rest you need, the brain seems to relax more.
With pesky thoughts that intrude? I tell the pesky thoughts to make an appointment - which I keep and then give my full focus to what is rattling me. I write the worries out by keeping a diary.
Buddhist techniques say to just let the ideas flow past like a river, just observing, just labelling the thoughts but not buying into them. Every time you realise you are off on a thread, you bring your mind back to the observer on the river bank. This tool is more powerful than you would think - it is literally life transforming.
Sweet dreams! Just noticed the date of this thread - have you had success? | |
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