Forgot to add, Melatonin is not recommended if you have POTS. At least it's listed on the DINET.org site, but I'm still taking it. I can't really sleep without it. Sometimes it makes me a little light headed but I'm usually in bed by that point. And I did 1-1/2 years of nightly immovane/zopiclone and it did the same thing, except much worse, and I would be really groggy/non-functioning the next day. I don't notice that with the melatonin. But everyone is different.
Light therapy for resetting circadian rhythms for better sleep, anybody?
- Thread starter Sasha
- Start date
Caledonia,
Thanks to sharing your experiences. Salted water makes me swell up like a balloon but sadly has no effect on my adrenals (by which I mean the daily rhythm of cortisol). Been pretty much through all the tests and treatments available for that part - both private and NHS. Salted water and all the Gatorade replacements do help with POTS etc in the afternoon but no where near a cure.
Methylation has interested me for about 8 years, after testing for the MTHFR mutation, so have been following all the work on that and trying the various protocols. Cannot afford a full range of testing which I think I would need. None of the protocols have helped me at all. My earlier "things that did help" list was already there on similar supplements.
My hopes are firmly for new tx for XMRV as few of the old ones helped me. Until then we can go through the curent ones, share our experiences and hope that it's useful to others/ pick up new things.
XMRV+
Thanks to sharing your experiences. Salted water makes me swell up like a balloon but sadly has no effect on my adrenals (by which I mean the daily rhythm of cortisol). Been pretty much through all the tests and treatments available for that part - both private and NHS. Salted water and all the Gatorade replacements do help with POTS etc in the afternoon but no where near a cure.
Methylation has interested me for about 8 years, after testing for the MTHFR mutation, so have been following all the work on that and trying the various protocols. Cannot afford a full range of testing which I think I would need. None of the protocols have helped me at all. My earlier "things that did help" list was already there on similar supplements.
My hopes are firmly for new tx for XMRV as few of the old ones helped me. Until then we can go through the curent ones, share our experiences and hope that it's useful to others/ pick up new things.
XMRV+
That's interesting, kerrilyn - I've posted a link to your post to another thread where someone was asking if they should fix their sleep pattern, which is viable but shifted.
If unmedicated, I tend to have any combo of delayed sleep onset, multiple awakenings, early awakening without being able to get back to sleep etc. So probably I don't have DSPS. I'm glad you find the light works for your SAD (and that you identified your SAD, which is more than half the battle).
If unmedicated, I tend to have any combo of delayed sleep onset, multiple awakenings, early awakening without being able to get back to sleep etc. So probably I don't have DSPS. I'm glad you find the light works for your SAD (and that you identified your SAD, which is more than half the battle).
Oh, bummer! I remember having that concern about it before I started it but was only on a 21-day course and had forgotten that. I've been on Doxepin for a couple of weeks trying to use it to help with sleep onset and I'm having to rest huge amounts in the day. I just checked the list of side-effects and OI is one of them. Doh! I'm running out of options.
There is also Advanced Sleep Disorder where people get tired earlier and wake up earlier. Common with the elderly and they start to eat dinner at 4:30 pm. I read they benefit from light therapy in the afternoon vs the morning. I'd found a really good article on sleep disorders, but can't find it now. Yeah, understanding where you fall in all this mess of disorders is half the battle 
I think it varies for each person depending on what their issue is. For delayed sleep phase it's recommended in the morning. I've found I do best if I use it within an hour from getting out of bed. Grab something to eat and sit there in front of it. Today I got side tracked and was already up for 3+ hours before using it, and I noticed I didn't feel well while I was sitting in front of it. Obviously for me I've now learned that is a mistake.
For people with advanced sleep phase, who get tired in the early evening and wake up early morning, it's recommended to use the light in the late afternoon/early evening.
Sasha mentioned the sunrise lights and I've read a bit about them, but didn't retain much of it because I didn't think it was something I wanted/needed at the time. I think they turn on before you even wake up so you get light right away, and they are recommended for certain disorders but I don't remember what they were now. Sorry.
Sunrise lamps can be set to come on at a certain time and they increase their illumination incrementally over a period of time of your choosing (e.g. 10 mins, 30 mins etc.). I bought one a few years back that I think must have been less than the equivalent of a 40W lamp, which was useless (I think perhaps they're more a "lifestyle" product for people who'd prefer a less harsh awakening than a normal alarm rather than being medical devices), but I've been looking at one from a SAD website that is 10,000 lux (ten times as bright at full power as a 100W lamp, depending how close you are to it) that sounds more like it and also has the facility to come on at a certain time and gradually get brighter. It's here. It can also be used as a SAD lamp (i.e. fixed output), I think.