Guest guest Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Alternative Remedies for Insomnia Meditation is my number one cure... but this takes time to learn. And it takes a lot of practice. But once you get it down, it works wonders. Aromatherapy... in a warm (not hot) bath or in a hot pot in water: Lavender, Clary Sage, Marjoram, Chamomile. Herbal tea... avoid black tea (the caffeine and tannins can keep you awake), coffee and chocolate. Herbal tea with lavender, chamomile, hops, valerian, and skullcap work well. This is one I like... " Angel Sleep Tea " 1/2 cup oatstraw 1 cup chamomile 1 cup lavender 1/2 cup hops 1/2 cup skullcap Let steep for about ten minutes.... Drink warm. Ideally, combine the three above... a warm bath with lavender and chamomile, a cup of herbal tea, the light of a candle and meditating on the candle flame as you sip the tea. There is an oil remedy called Sleep Ease that has Rescue Remedy in it that I rub on the soles of my feet... where you have the best nerve endings and is the best transdermal absorption. You can also make your own sleep oil: Sleep Oil 3 drops of Rose essential oil 2 drops of Chamomile essential oil 1 drops of Jasmine essential oil Anoint temples, pulse points at neck and wrist and soles of feet to induce natural and restful sleep. Do this after your bath and meditation. Bach's Flower Essences have been very helpful for me... especially Rescue Remedy, White Chestnut and Impatiens. Practice yoga. And/or tai chi. And go for a walk after dinner. Get massages once a week, but get them in the late afternoon, not evening. Don't think of this as a luxury, my doctor even " prescribed " this for me. You can now find massage therapists that only charge between $25-$40 an hour. Once a month isn't too expensive. Get off of the computer or stop watching TV about an hour or two before going to bed. The light from these screens are bright enough to reset your internal clock. After dark, keep the light in the rooms you are in as dim as you can... DARK room! Think cave. No tv or computer after 10PM. Good time for meditation, listening to music, sipping that tea... Do relaxing and deep breathing exercises. Listen to soft music (classical, new age, nature sounds, angel music) with damp eye pads on your eyes. " Visualize " yourself sleeping, or floating on a cloud. Keep a notepad and pen by your bedside. Write down the things you need to do, your worries, your concerns. In the morning, write down your dreams. Keep a journal... write it every night before you go to bed. Get all of those frustrations out on paper instead of stuck in your head. Make sure your room is dark and cool. Is your bed comfortable enough? Do you need more or new pillows? Are you comfortable in what you sleep in? Do you wear pajamas because you think you should or would you be more comfortable sleeping in less or in the nude? Make sure your sheets are soft and cool.. not itchy. Have room darkening shades or drapes on the windows or use a nightmask (I have three and wouldn't be without them). Get a teddy bear, especially one filled with lavender... something squishy and cuddly. Seriously!! I was given one when I was in the hospital to hold on to so I would cough (to avoid lung congestion) and I was amazed on how well it helped me sleep. Sometimes reverting back to childhood is a healthy thing to do. Try Bergamot Milk. Bergamot milk is said to be a sedative, it makes a pleasant drink. 1 tbsp. dried or 3 tbsp. fresh monarda (leaves and/or petals) and 1 cup heated milk. Combine milk and monarda. Steep 5-7 minutes. Strain and serve. Cooling Cinnamon Powder ¼ cup cornstarch ¼ cup rice flour 1 tbsp cinnamon Mix ingredients together until thoroughly blended. Then pour the mixture into a clean, dry jar with a few holes punched in the lid. Sprinkle the powder on your skin or over your bed sheets for good night's sleep! Falling Stars Body Mist 2 cups distilled water 3 tbs. vodka 5 drops lavender essential oil 10 drops chamomile essential oil 10 drops valerian essential oil Mix all the ingredients together in a spray bottle, shake well. Allow to settle for at least 12 hours. Store in a cool dry place. Spray on after your bath and/or spray your bed pillow with the mist. Crystals have been very helpful for me. I have a tiny amethyst pyramid that I place on my third eye chakra (the center of your forehead) while I meditate and do relaxing exercises while lying down. Again, I listen to music while I do this, especially my angel music CD's. Placing crystals under your bed (clear or rose quartz are perfect for this), or hanging over your bed. Crystals on a Native American dream catcher also are nice. Other crystals good for sleep problems are Labradorite, Smoky Quartz, and Celestite. Color therapy can help... I've found the colors purple and lavender have a relaxing effect, blue and green also work. Try these colors in sheets, wall colors in your bedroom, relaxing outfits in the evening. Avoid red, orange and yellow as they are energizing. Get a reiki treatment, or better yet take a level one class so you can do self-treatments. If your body twitches or jerks before sleep or just after falling asleep, try taking vitamin E and calcium. Take Magnesium, 400 mg every night. It makes your brain stop working! Take B6 200mg, helps you remember your dreams, calms inflammation. If you do take Melatonin take 3mg at the same time you take your mag and B6. Go into the dark room and lie down 15 mins after you take them. (do the same thing when taking Ambien... too much light can counteract the effects of both Ambien and Melatonin) Try this smoothie... Sleepless-Night Smoothie 1/2 c orange juice 1/2 c plain low-fat yogurt 2 Tbsp sesame butter 2 tsp honey 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp freshly grated orange peel 1 tsp chlorella or blue green algae (optional) 6 ice cubes Pour the orange juice into a blender and add the yogurt, sesame butter, honey, orange peel, chlorella as desired, and ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and serve immediately. Try the Johnson's Baby Lotion (I think there is one with lavender added), gently massaging it on your arms, legs, the back of your neck. Some people swear by this. Don't watch TV or read in bed... this just trains your brain for the wrong activity. Use your bed only for sleep and sex... Speaking of which.. orgasmic sex is great for insomnia. Check the medications you are one.. many cause sleep problems. If you are one of these, check with your doctor for a substitution. Do you have ADD? People with ADD/ADHD are notorious for having sleep problems. Learning about your ADD and coping skills can make a difference. Drink more water. Being dehydrated can make it more difficult to sleep... I learned this one the hard way. Eat foods with tryptophan in the evening... milk, chicken, turkey, pork, tuna, sunflower seeds, cottage cheese.... Also carbohydrates are good for relaxing the brain... like a bowl of cereal with milk about an hour before bed. Feng shui your bedroom.. I know it sounds strange. But clutter, the wrong bed placement and the wrong colors can greatly effect your sleep. Saying thank you before you go to sleep... to whatever deity you hold dear.. prayer, ritual, a gratitude journal... None of these will work, literally, overnight. It will take time, usually it takes up to 7 weeks to establish a new habit. But try a variety of these things and see what happens. Many, if not most of these have worked for me, if I stick with them. It's a constant battle, but it's one that I've had most of my life... 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