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Thread: Help with debilitating insomnia

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    United States Avalon Member onawah's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    Earplugs and a sleep mask can also help, and a fan nearby if the white noise is soothing to you,
    Each breath a gift...
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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    Quote Posted by angelfire (here)
    Quote Posted by Omni (here)
    Cannabis (an indica - preferrably purple kush or related to purple kush) really has helped my insomnia.
    Cannabis, of any description, leaves me more than usually wide awake! Thanks for the suggestion though.
    Does that include CBD?

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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    I to have suffered from insomnia for years probably due to the fact of staying up late like a naughty girl. But none of those herbal/natural supplements worked for me including Melatonin. But as I am going through a good period of sleep at the moment fingers crossed I am using 5HTP and that seems to be working for me for now. Trytophan I heard is the best but unfortunately you would be hard pressed to get it prescribed by a doctor here (what a surprise!). Also Melatonin has to be subscribed by a doctor here as well, a very expensive exercise if it doesn't work for you.

    If you are really desperate a sleeping pill could help you get a little bit rest for a short period of time. Exercise seems to be the best option as well. Good luck....

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    Scotland Avalon Member angelfire's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    I tried that too, Omni but it only worked for a night or two.

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    Scotland Avalon Member angelfire's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    Quote Posted by Cardinal (here)
    If you can, get your thyroid checked. If it is not functioning properly, this will cause insomnia and other symptoms. It is unfortunate that Melatonin is illegal in the Uk. I use 10 mg to help me drift off to sleep.
    Thanks, Cardinal. I did have my thyroid checked a number of years ago and the results were normal. However, i also know that these tests are notoriously unreliable. I believe there is a more reliable test but they dont like using it in the UK as it's expensive.

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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    Before I make any suggestions, angelfire, have you had your cortisol levels checked out?

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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    Quote Posted by Debra (here)
    Before I make any suggestions, angelfire, have you had your cortisol levels checked out?
    Hi Debra,

    No, that's something that has never occurred to me.

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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    You can try ashwagandha in the evenings, some hours before bed-time. Its scientific name is "Withania somnifera" for some reason... It really helps with sleep related problems, but also it is very beneficial for your body in general. I buy Himalaya brand from i-herb myself.
    Hoping this is helpful to you. Please keep us informed.
    Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle (Plato)

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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    In addition:

    I am a shiatsu practitioner. You can massage this point indicated in the picture below. It does wonders with insomnia and heart related problems. It is a very important point in acupuncture, but it also gets good results with massage and digital pressure.




    The name of this point is Shen Men or “Spirit Gate” and is specifically indicated for insomnia. It is also indicated for irritability, palpitations, mania, and dementia, among other things. The point is located on the pinky side of the wrist crease, on the inside of the ligament that attaches the hand to the arm. Gates have a special importance in Chinese medicine and when gates that should be open are closed, or vice versa, energy is either not flowing correctly or not contained correctly. By opening or closing these gates, the body is brought back in to balance. And when a gate is associated with the spirit, things like sleep can be affected.
    Last edited by Unicorn; 4th July 2018 at 12:24. Reason: images added
    Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle (Plato)

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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    Quote Posted by Unicorn (here)
    In addition:

    I am a shiatsu practitioner. You can massage this point indicated in the picture below. It does wonders with insomnia and heart related problems. It is a very important point in acupuncture, but it also gets good results with massage and digital pressure.




    The name of this point is Shen Men or “Spirit Gate” and is specifically indicated for insomnia. It is also indicated for irritability, palpitations, mania, and dementia, among other things. The point is located on the pinky side of the wrist crease, on the inside of the ligament that attaches the hand to the arm. Gates have a special importance in Chinese medicine and when gates that should be open are closed, or vice versa, energy is either not flowing correctly or not contained correctly. By opening or closing these gates, the body is brought back in to balance. And when a gate is associated with the spirit, things like sleep can be affected.
    Many thanks, Unicorn, I will massage this point. I am considering Ashwagandha although I wonder if it's too stimulating for a Vatta type who is very sensitive?

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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    I get insomnia too, a lot. I take nothing for it, so I'm sorry I can't offer any original suggestions. If I can't sleep I simply get up, make a cup of tea, and then watch TV for an hour (something thoughtful, like a documentary), then go back to bed and try again. All the best!

    (as a side note I'd advise against sleeping pills, for so many reasons, which you seem to already agree with).
    "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace."
    ~ Jimi Hendrix

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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    In the case of an overactive mind that won’t shut off—too much chatter or worry going on in the head—I find the following mental exercise useful:

    Picture an empty hut. The location can be on a tropical island or in the cold north. Anywhere, really. Then, think about what you would need to survive. Start making a mental list in your head. Don’t worry about the actual survival part, but rather on the items you’d want to have with you. Be sure to have some fun with it—what books would you want on your shelves? what comfort foods?

    This exercise began organically for me when I was a child. At the age of nine, I read a book about a pilot and a young woman whose plane went down in the Yukon. They survived for weeks on the few supplies that they had and were eventually rescued. It left a strong impression with me and at night, I began mulling over what I would want to have with me in a similar situation, but would fall asleep before I got my hut furnished. Fifty years later, I’m still working on it!

    I suspect it’s similar to counting sheep—that it’s difficult to worry while counting/listing something. It also shifts one’s attention away from the fact the one isn’t sleeping, if that makes sense?

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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    Quote Posted by angelfire (here)
    I am considering Ashwagandha although I wonder if it's too stimulating for a Vatta type who is very sensitive?
    As far as I know, ashwagandha has a good action alone or combined with other herbs, depending on your dosha, but it seems particularly effective for vata type. For instance, I quote from https://chopra.com/articles/calming-...our-vata-dosha:

    Ashwagandha is particularly beneficial for Vata types as it calms the nervous system and helps focus the mind. It is frequently prescribed for people who complain of fatigue, have difficulty concentrating, or feel “ungrounded”—all symptoms of Vata imbalance.

    Only pitta (my dominant type) has to take it very moderately, if combined with other ayurvedic herbs.

    Hoping this helps!
    Last edited by Unicorn; 4th July 2018 at 17:28.
    Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle (Plato)

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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    You may want to try using a programmable LED lamp in your bedroom with a color temperature range of 2400K (or lower) - 6500K. You can program the lamp to automatically turn on in the evening at 2400K, turn off at your bedtime, and turn back on in the morning at 6500K to wake you up.

    This will help assist your circadian rhythm and has become extremely popular in nursing homes and hospitals. It's definitely worth a try.

    There are a lot of different manufacturers out there. Here's one example that has a 2000K - 6500K color temperature range:

    https://us.sengled.com/products/element-color-plus-kit

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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    Quote Posted by angelfire (here)
    Quote Posted by Cardinal (here)
    If you can, get your thyroid checked. If it is not functioning properly, this will cause insomnia and other symptoms. It is unfortunate that Melatonin is illegal in the Uk. I use 10 mg to help me drift off to sleep.
    Thanks, Cardinal. I did have my thyroid checked a number of years ago and the results were normal. However, i also know that these tests are notoriously unreliable. I believe there is a more reliable test but they dont like using it in the UK as it's expensive.
    This is true, it is very difficult in the US now to find a Doctor who truly understands thyroid issues and how to properly treat them. A friend of mine went to a very expensive endocrinologist and he was able to help her with all of her issues. I am on thyroid medication as well as bio identical hormones, and they help tremendously but I still have to take melatonin (which decreases with age in your body) to get to sleep.
    I hope and pray you find a remedy soon.

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    Scotland Avalon Member angelfire's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    Quote Posted by Unicorn (here)
    Quote Posted by angelfire (here)
    I am considering Ashwagandha although I wonder if it's too stimulating for a Vatta type who is very sensitive?
    As far as I know, ashwagandha has a good action alone or combined with other herbs, depending on your dosha, but it seems particularly effective for vata type. For instance, I quote from https://chopra.com/articles/calming-...our-vata-dosha:

    Ashwagandha is particularly beneficial for Vata types as it calms the nervous system and helps focus the mind. It is frequently prescribed for people who complain of fatigue, have difficulty concentrating, or feel “ungrounded”—all symptoms of Vata imbalance.

    Only pitta (my dominant type) has to take it very moderately, if combined with other ayurvedic herbs.

    Hoping this helps!
    This helps a lot, Unicorn and I will try it especially as at night I often feel very ungrounded.
    Many thanks.

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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    Bless all of you who have responded to my post. There's a lot here to think about and I'm feeling hopeful now of finding something which will help.
    Xx

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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    Quote Posted by Helene West (here)
    Angelfire,
    since you already had a close call (heart attack) could you be associating losing consciousness (falling asleep) with dying?
    If you're lucky enough to get a good counselor it may only take a few sessions to help bring something like unfinished emotional business you have with someone (or yourself for that matter) to the surface. just a thought...
    Thanks, Helene. I'm pretty sure that my heart broke after I sold my family home six years ago and homeopathy helped a lot with the ensuing emotional fallout. Interestingly, I discovered through a system called New German Medicine that heart attacks in post menopausal women are often related to loss of territory. That rang a strong chord!

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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    Hi Bob, thanks for this advice. I will consider getting oxygen levels checked.
    I used to suffer from sleep apnea, especially when trying to have a daytime nap- that became impossible as I did feel that I would suffocate if I fell asleep. However, after cutting gluten out of diet the problem more or less disappeared and my ease of breathing was much improved.

    ¤=[Post Update]=¤

    Quote Posted by Cardinal (here)
    Quote Posted by angelfire (here)
    Quote Posted by Cardinal (here)
    If you can, get your thyroid checked. If it is not functioning properly, this will cause insomnia and other symptoms. It is unfortunate that Melatonin is illegal in the Uk. I use 10 mg to help me drift off to sleep.
    Thanks, Cardinal. I did have my thyroid checked a number of years ago and the results were normal. However, i also know that these tests are notoriously unreliable. I believe there is a more reliable test but they dont like using it in the UK as it's expensive.
    This is true, it is very difficult in the US now to find a Doctor who truly understands thyroid issues and how to properly treat them. A friend of mine went to a very expensive endocrinologist and he was able to help her with all of her issues. I am on thyroid medication as well as bio identical hormones, and they help tremendously but I still have to take melatonin (which decreases with age in your body) to get to sleep.
    I hope and pray you find a remedy soon.
    Bless you, Cardinal, I hope so too.

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    Scotland Avalon Member angelfire's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help with debilitating insomnia

    Quote Posted by Bob (here)
    Hi AngelFire - when I read this, what I sense is a situation called "sleep apnea", meaning one is stopping breathing during sleep periods, and then when CO2 builds up too much, one jerks awake, getting absolutely "fitful" sleep...

    I would ask, have you ever been under surgery? There are anesthetics which are given in hospitals to suppress normal breathing, and those substances actually damage the normal response center in the brain which controls regular sleep, diaphragm response (raising and lowering the chest)... The doctor's solution (which I think is horrendous that they don't tell people that the surgery anesthetics permanently caused brain damage) is to use a CPAP machine, making u look like an elephant forever tied to a positive pressure breather..

    One can get a sleep apnea test done where one's oxygen levels are checked. A deviated septum (in the back of the nose) is also a rather common situation, where breathing is blocked temporarily when the airway closes..

    There is of all things something designed to handle snoring, which moves the LOWER JAW out front of the top teeth.. When that happens the airway is opened up moreso during sleep. It works wonders..

    Just my thoughts based on what I understand in the 'medical field' and some personal experience.

    *PS -- Helene West makes some good comments..

    And PPS - taking substances to suppress or relax breathing isn't the correct solution if the situation is "stopping of normal breathing" (sleep apnea).. You don't need to get more foggy when u are needing more oxygen..


    HERE are a few technical references which backs up my observations of the description of classic Sleep Apnea -

    (summary - find out if your oxygen levels during sleeping are correct. If they are not, find the reason why.. if one is having sleeping problems, such as falling asleep then waking up, then trying to fall asleep, then getting a few minutes then waking up with some "panic" feelings, that is a sure indication of breathing cessation, and excess CO2 buildup.. Don't medicate then cause you want to breathe fully and regularly not slow down your breathing..)
    Many thanks, Bob, this all sounds like very good advice although cutting out gluten has helped sleep apnea which I was suffering from, especially when trying to have a daytime nap.

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