Sleep
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Xlynx, camomile tea is good but peppermint can be an irritant to the intestine if it is inflamed, so avoid that. If you're on a calcium supplement take that at bedtime because it is quite soporific. Also if you are allergic to foods you are eating they will fill you with histamine which make it almost impossible to sleep no matter how exhausted you feel. That can give you dizzy spells. If histamine is a problem for you, you are likely to get extra bad from eating fruits, pickled things, preserved/delicatessen meats, alcohol, etc. Ask me for more on this if it sounds possible to you.
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Hi Athene,
Interesting information thanks for posting. I know that some people find taking a calcium supplement at night can be relaxing, but I have always been curious about the fact that it does the opposite for me. I do find that magnesium helps me sleep. In searching the internet looking for answers about why calcium doesn't seem to work for me I came across the following:
"CALCIUM In the autonomic dominant, calcium usually acts as a stimulant by innervating the sympathetic system. Thus, in the sympathetic dominant, calcium supplementation before bed is not recommended. However, in the extreme parasympathetic dominant who has problems awakening in the night with hunger pains, calcium may help diminish the appetite by restoring autonomic balance. In this type, calcium supplementation before bed may help prevent the body chemistry from going too parasympathetic during the night.
In the oxidative dominant, calcium tends to have a sedating, calming effect by slowing down the rate of oxidation. When the oxidation rate gets too fast, carbohydrate is "burned" too quickly. The result is that one also runs out of fuel too quickly as well. When this occurs at night, insomnia may result. Calcium supplementation before bed for the fast oxidizer may help prevent this from occurring. (CAL-COM)
MAGNESIUM In the autonomic dominant, magnesium acts as a natural tranquilizer by inhibiting the influence of the sympathetic system. In the sympathetic insomniac characterized by racing thoughts or an inability to shut the mind off when trying to sleep, magnesium has been found to be an excellent bedtime supplement. (MAGNESIUM-COM) "
If anyone is interested, I can post the link to the site where I got that info.
So, if I understand this right, calcium really helps those in the parasympathetic dominant or oxidative dominant. Magnesium seems to help those in the autonomic dominant.
Who knew this stuff could be this complex???
Take care,
Maxine