natural sleep aids

[Jody]

My husband has FM and my son has adolescent CFS.

So lots of interesting sleep dysfunction here.

Melatonin helped my husband for awhile when he was having a terrible time getting to sleep then staying asleep.

Rescue Remedy worked for him after Melatonin stopped having an effect. He'd take a few drops at bedtime, and within 20 min. be asleep. If he woke through the night (frequently) he would take a few more drops and sleep again. It didn't work for my son though.

Valerian worked for me and my husband until we didn't really need help anymore.

 

[Cort]

Melatonin worked well both for me and my father for awhile but then I kept getting more and more tired. It was as if I couldn't snap out of it when I woke up. I'll have to try Rescue Remedy - never heard of it.

 

[Jody]

If you google Rescue Remedy, its official website will probably be the first link to appear.

It's been around like 50 yrs, made from flowers and can't hurt you. There are no worrisome side effects.

Valerian is also worth a try. I think you can get it in any health and wellness store, drugstore, even alot of grocery stores.

That one helped me to sleep a year or so ago when I was having trouble. I'd take one or two at bedtime. And whether I was trying to go right to sleep or whether I watched some TV first for awhile, when I was ready to wind down, it would then have me asleep within 20 min.

No morning hangover or anything. (Or maybe I wouldn't notice because I often wake up feeling lousy -- usually it's the worst I feel all day for the first hour or so.)

 

[jenbooks]

Toxicity and Flares

When I have insomnia (and I've been periodically plagued by it for a few years) it is related to symptoms or toxicity. Symptoms that wake me up--like an asthma attack, or bladder burning. How are you supposed to sleep when you're wheezing so much? Or when you have to keep peeing as your bladder is burning? When the symptoms ease, I sleep. Also toxicity. Before my period, and other times--like now the small amounts of diflucan I'm taking are making me extremely toxic from die-off, and my system goes into exhausted overdrive from the toxins. I never had insomnia until lyme and it is a nightmare. There were nights this winter I slept like, half an hour. A few nights like that. Then finally I'd sleep from pure exhaustion. Lately there have been periods of insomnia then a few weeks okay then not. I am sleeping 3 hours a night the last few nights, purely from die-off toxic symptoms from the antifungal which makes me feel toxic, buzzy all over, agitated, and highly irritable--but also probably PMS. Far and away insomnia is my worst symptom and I have not had much success with meditation, or calming music, or herbs (I'm sensitive to those anyway). I believe one big contributor can be lack of vigorous exercise. Exercise is what your body wants--play hard, work hard, sleep hard. But yesterday in spite of being exhausted I did a bunch of errands twice so probably walked a total of a mile briskly and it did not help me at all.

During periods when symptoms have improved and I'm sleeping I think I'm over it for good, and then it comes back. I used to be able to fall asleep in 5-10 minutes and wake 8 hours later, or in fact I could set an alarm in my head. I used to play this game with myself, "Wake at 6:14 a.m." I'd look at the clock, go to sleep and I'd actually wake at exactly 6:14 a.m. Showing that my brain kept time perfectly.

 

[Victoria]

Cort,

I have used Bach Flower Remedies for over 25 years - mainly the Rescue Remedy (which is actually a combination of 5 flower essences).

There are 38 different flower essence remedies in the Bach range.

I carry Rescue Remedy in my purse & have a spare at home in the bathroom at all times.

I have also recently tried the Bach Sleep Remedy - it didn't seem to help at all.

I have used it occasionally for severe pain episodes in the middle of the night - sometimes it has worked & calmed me down, not necessarily erases all the pain though.

There is also a relatively new product from the Bach range which is Rescue Remedy (in pastille lozenges form). I didn't notice any effect from the lozenges so will stick to the Rescue Remedy (tincture).

You put a couple of drops on your tongue - don't swallow, just leave it on your tongue as long as you can. The tongue is one of the easiest ways to asborb homeopathic type remedies. Being a tincture, it is alcohol based (so perhaps not the ideal remedy for alcoholics, or anyone with a genetic predisposition for alcoholism in their family).

If someone is unconscious, you can put a couple of drops on the person's inner wrist.

Edward Bach's story is fascinating. I really recommend everyone read it. I have most of the books & leaflets produced by Bach Flower remedies. He was an English physician around the 1930's from memory (& I hope you all know by now that my memory is appalling).

Rescue remedy is used mainly for shock, nervous anxiety or emergencies of any kind. I have used it on my Mother's wrist when she was first having heart episodes. She has now (sensibly) got angina tablets.

When my Mother rang me some years ago, I drove straight to her home & put some on her wrist because she was very shaken from a bad fall. She wasn't hurt in any way, but was very distressed. I put a couple of drops on her wrist & within seconds, the distress, frown lines etc melted away & her face was visibly relaxed & calm. That would have to be the most incredible result I have ever seen from Bach Rescue Remedy.

Use it when going for job interviews (nerves), shock, a severe fright (& your heart is racing) - I've read it has even saved lives, when a person has suffered a heart attack or near drowning. It is alleged to keep the patient stable until the ambulance arrives.

I have also used it on the wrist of a friend who has endometriosis. (sp?). We were out having lunch & the pelvic pain attack during lunch was excruciating. She was very keen to return home asap. I put a couple of drops of Rescue Remedy tincture on her wrist & she said it was miraculous - the pain just disappeared almost immediately.

It doesn't always work, depends on the situation & person.

But it is worth carrying on your person at all times & using when needed. Your never know, it might just work for you.

It is worth every cent. And being a tincture in a dark bottle means it lasts for several years. The bottle is quite small too (comes in 2 sizes that I know of).

Victoria

PS There is now also a range of Australian Bush Essences - apparently they work on the same homeopathic type of principle, but I know nothing about them & have not tried them.

PPS Actually, they aren't homeopathic, but ARE made from such minute traces of the original flower that microscopic testing can find no trace of the original flower in the tincture at all. Bach Flower remedies sort of, contain, the "essence" or "aura" of the flower, to put it rather simply. Some medicos say it is all rubbish & they are purely placebos. I disagree entirely.

Anyway, even placebos can cure. Who cares, as long as the end result is positive.

Samuel Hahneman, the person who is credited as starting Homeopathy is another interesting life story (to read).

 

[Jody]

Victoria,

I love Rescue Remedy!

Alan used the drops for some time when nothing else would help him get a decent night's sleep. Worked beautifully for him. Eventually he began being able to go to sleep without it and isn't up half a dozen times a night any more.

I found it helped immensely 2 yrs ago when I was subject to bad panic attacks. I would also get intense sharp pain in my lower right arm during these, and it would bite and throb, for hours. Then I tried these drops and while it didn't take the panic away completely it would tone it down and the pain was gone in my arm within 30 seconds. Felt like hamburger for hours after but the sharp stabbing was gone at least.

So fast! And no side effects to this little beauty.

 

[Victoria]

Jody,

Bach Rescue Remedy was the perfect remedy for your panic attacks.
Glad to hear someone else has benefited.

I have heard that Vets use these remedies also (as well as Homeopathy). My sister-in-law uses some of these alternatives on the family's horses up on the farm.

Victoria

 

[Jody]

Victoria,

This stuff is great, and no down-side.

What's really amazing is that it helped Alan with his sleep. Oh, and also he had panic attacks a few years ago, different from mine. He would be afraid his breathing was going to stop and he'd suffocate.

This was during 6 months or so as he took care of his dad who was dying. He'd always been a miserable old man especially to Al and that time was excruciating around here. This is when Al's major insomnia and panic attacks began.

There have been very few things that have helped his pain and other symptoms over these 2 decades. He's tried a few things suggested by Kelly, our naturopath and most of them have worked. No one is more surprised than Al! Gives him hope (well, no he is still pretty discouraged but -- it gives ME hope that he will get better.)

 

[Andrew]

Hi Everyone. My first post here.

Anyway, here's what I do.

1. I take 9mg of time release melatonin 30 to 60 minutes before bed.

2. I blocked the windows in my bedroom with foil so no light gets in there. (During the day I just open a window and the light comes in.)

3. I have an mp3 player and a small speaker. Some nights I play relaxing music, and this helps me fall asleep. It shuts off after the album is done. (If you are sleeping in the same bed with someone, there are pillow speakers that only you can hear.)

I should add that all of this is in addition to taking sleeping pills. I alternate two different sleeping pills so my body does not get too used to them. And I wish I could do only the natural stuff, but it's not enough. The sleeping pills alone are not enough either.

 

[Jody]

Hi Andrew,

Welcome to the forums.

It's good to hear that you've managed to find a way to get some sleep. So many don't.

 

[Cort]

So much to learn here. I put the Rescue Remedies on the Sleep section of the website - thanks!

Since I stopped eating grains my night sweats have stopped(!). Wheat was obviously something of a sedative for me as well - so at times I've found it harder to get to sleep interestingly enough.

Had a good nights sleep last two nights - very unusual - I've been off the grains and have been doing Anat Baniel Move into Life 'Exercises" that have really relaxed my pelvis area at least; usually as hard as brick. Plus the meditation helps as well. Hope it keeps up.

 

[Jody]

Cort,

Great news about the change after quitting wheat. I am so glad to hear this.

Good to hear your other practices are making a difference for you as well.

 

[Andrew]

Since I stopped eating grains my night sweats have stopped(!). Wheat was obviously something of a sedative for me as well

Are you eating oats? The reason I ask is I'm thinking of replacing wheat bread with oat bread.

 

[Jody]

Oats seem to be ok for some people who can't eat wheat. Not ok for others. Don't know why that is.

You should be able to tell pretty quickly whether it is for you or not.

 

[IntuneJune]

Jody and Rescue Remedy

Thanks for posting about Rescue Remedy.

I read this post yesterday, and bought a bottle yesterday. Yes, I did sleep better last night and am hoping this continues.

Jody, your posts are helpful, enjoy reading them.

Thank you and to all who take the time to post.

Newbie June

 

[IntuneJune]

Cort and off grains

Since I stopped eating grains my night sweats have stopped(!). Wheat was obviously something of a sedative for me as well - so at times I've found it harder to get to sleep interestingly enough.

I have breakouts of sweating day and night. That is wonderful that your night sweats have stopped. The night sweats can interrupt sleep.

I have been eating gluten free for over a year. My husband bakes GF breads which are very good but now I am wondering if they affect me. I get so sleepy after I have a sandwich for lunch. So I was wondering if I should eliminate more.

Back to you, so all grains???? Rice???? ???? Do you eat any starches, potatoes, I am trying to imagine your diet and a typical day's eating.

Thanks Cort.

June

 

[Jody]

Thanks for posting about Rescue Remedy.

I read this post yesterday, and bought a bottle yesterday. Yes, I did sleep better last night and am hoping this continues.

Jody, your posts are helpful, enjoy reading them.

Thank you and to all who take the time to post.

Newbie June

Hi June,

Welcome to the forums.

I'm glad to hear Rescue Remedy is helping you. It is amazing stuff.

 

[liverock]

Since I stopped eating grains my night sweats have stopped(!). Wheat was obviously something of a sedative for me as well - so at times I've found it harder to get to sleep interestingly enough.

Had a good nights sleep last two nights - very unusual - I've been off the grains and have been doing Anat Baniel Move into Life 'Exercises" that have really relaxed my pelvis area at least; usually as hard as brick. Plus the meditation helps as well. Hope it keeps up.

Dr William Davis is a cardiologist who turned from doing production-line heart bypass operations to heart disease prevention protocols after his mother died from a heart attack whilst having "normal cholesterol readings".

Using heart scan machines which can actually measure the plaque in coronary arteries he has found that low vitamin D levels and wheat are probably the 2 most contributing factors to artery plaque formation.

http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Wheat

What common food can:

Cause destructive intestinal damage that, if unrecognized, can lead to disability and death?
Increase blood sugar higher and faster than table sugar?
Trigger an autoimmune inflammatory condition in the thyroid (Hashimotos thyroiditis)?
Create intestinal bloating, cramps, and alternating diarrhea and constipation, often labeled irritable bowel syndrome?
Trigger schizophrenia in susceptible individuals?
Cause behavioral outbursts in children with autism?
Cause various inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, dermatitis herpetiformis, systemic lupus, pancreatic destruction, and increase measures of inflammation like c-reactive protein?
Cause unexplained anemia, mood swings, fatigue, fibromyalgia, eczema, and osteoporosis?


The food is wheat. Yes, the ubiquitous grain we are urged to eat more and more of by the USDA (8-11 servings per day, according to the USDA food pyramid), American Heart Association, American Dietetic Association, and the American Diabetes Association. Wheat is among the most destructive ingredients in the modern diet, worse than sugar, worse than high-fructose corn syrup, worse than any fat.

What other common food can result in such an extensive list of diseases, even death?

Celiac disease alone, a severe intestinal inflammatory condition from wheat gluten, affects an estimated 3 million Americans (Celiac Disease Foundation). The medical literature is filled with case reports of deaths from this disease, often after many years of struggle with incapacitating intestinal dysfunction and the sufferer's last days plagued by encephalopathy (brain inflammation).

What happens when you remove wheat from the diet?

The majority of people quickly shed 20-30 lbs in the first few weeks, selectively lost from the abdomen (what I call wheat belly); blood sugar plummets; triglycerides drop up to several hundred milligrams, HDL increases, LDL drops (yes, wheat elimination is a means of achieving marked reduction in LDL cholesterol, especially the small, heart disease-causing variety); c-reactive protein plummets. In addition to this, intestinal complaints improve or disappear, rashes improve, inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis improve, diabetes can improve or be cured, and behavioral disorders and mood improve.

Along with the ill-fated low-fat dietary advice of the last 40 years, the advice to eat plenty of "healthy whole grains" is responsible for untold disease and suffering. Yes, if you start with a fast food and junk diet and replace some of the calories with whole grains, you will be better off. (That was the logic--the Nutritional Syllogism--of the studies that established the benefits of whole grains over processed, "white" grains.)

But eliminate wheat grains and health takes a huge leap forward. And, no, there is no such thing as wheat deficiency--B vitamins, insoluble fiber, some protein--can easily be replaced by other foods.

 

[_Kim_]

I have breakouts of sweating day and night. That is wonderful that your night sweats have stopped. The night sweats can interrupt sleep.

I have been eating gluten free for over a year. My husband bakes GF breads which are very good but now I am wondering if they affect me. I get so sleepy after I have a sandwich for lunch. So I was wondering if I should eliminate more.

Back to you, so all grains???? Rice???? ???? Do you eat any starches, potatoes, I am trying to imagine your diet and a typical day's eating.

June

Hi June,
For me, gluten-free isn't enough to keep the night sweats (a hypoglycemic symptom) under control. I have to stay off of all grains (and sugars and starchy veggies as well) if want to avoid those awful night sweats. I am not perfect and eat some rice and corn now and then and some chocolate too. But as soon as it becomes more than occasional indulgences, I go back to waking up drenched and in a panic. You might want to experiment with the no-grain thing for a week or so just to see if it makes a difference.

Good luck,
Kim