Natural Sleep Remedies?

First thing, try to go to bed always at the same hour, if possible around 30 min before the moment you''d like to fall asleep.
Put on a soft light and read something to relax yourself (no thrillers or things like that).
Maybe you can also drink something like herbal tea or hot milk with honey (1 ts not half the pot) , that may help you.
You also try to find some music to help you fall asleep. I have two CDs, one called Deep sleep and the other one Anti-stress that are very efficient.
You may also think to avoid looking at a screen at least one hour before going to bed (no computer or TV), avoid doing sport at least 2 hours before going to sleep, and avoid to take hot bath or too hot shower before going to sleep as your body temperature as to lower to fall asleep. On the same idea, you may think about lowering the heat in your bedroom, a temperature between 18°C and 20°C is usualy enough for a bedroom, and it's better to have an extra duvet if you're cold than to increase the heat.
You may also watch what you're eating on the evening. Try to avoid proteins and sugar, and in general try to not eat too much and no alcohol either.

I hope this could be helpful. Take care, Cécile

 

There are two problems that people describe as "trouble sleeping":

1. Trouble falling asleep
2. Trouble staying asleep

It sounds like you have the first- you cannot fall asleep until 3AM?

Eleanor Rigby has listed most of the things that I would suggest. The important thing to remember is that the human body likes consistency and regularity. So, even if you can't fall asleep until 3AM, you should still try to get up at the same time and you should avoid naps until you get back into a normal sleep pattern. Too often, people who need to sleep from 10PM to 6AM will not fall asleep until 3AM but then they will sleep until 11AM to make up for it. By doing that, you're telling your body that the 8 hours of sleep it will get will be between 3A-11A. Even if you don't fall asleep immediately, try to get up around the normal time so that your body doesn't try to adapt to the new hours.

And the other important thing is to avoid stimulation late in the evening. Try to exercise early in the day and not late in the day. Don't drink caffeinated beverages late in the day. Try to avoid bright lights in the hour before bedtime - this includes televisions and computer screens. Reading before bed helps. Cutting off lights in the house will also help.

 

cranberries. if I remeber correctly, they contain melatonin, which can help ease you to sleep. just eat a handful of dried crannberies before you go to bed. my grandmother swears by it.

dont drink crannberry juice, it doesnt have the same effect.

 

wear yourself out. Do a workout before going to work. Its good for the body and good for the sleep cycle

 

YES MELATONIN. I've had sleep problems for years, and it's a life-saver for me. I'm also the type of person to avoid taking pills at all costs, but it is a natural hormone that your body produces, and as long as you don't take it every night (I usually take 3 mg for two or three nights in a row, then take a break for a few nights) there should be no problem. Unlike sleeping pills, it doesn't make me feel groggy in the morning, either.

 

Wow, I'm surprised no one has mentioned masturbation.

 

Even though I have the same issues sometimes, I think I know how to fix it. I just can't really care to fix it... someday.

Anyways, KB is right (not surprising.), make a time to wake up every day and stick to it. Go to bed when you're tired. When you're actually tired. I can be tired, but get into doing things on the computer and stay up for hours past when I should go to sleep. (so try not to do anything too stimulating when you think you're getting tired) If you wake up at the same time you will eventually get tired around the same time every night. Your body will tell you when you need to sleep. I hope this makes sense. If you go to bed at 12 and wake up at 6, you will obviously be more tired the next night, and probably go to bed around 10. Which will give you 8 hours if you wake up at 6 (you might need more than 8 hours though), but it will balance out. Just wake up at the same time, and when you find a time that is good, try to follow it and go to sleep at that time.

A few things which may help too : make sure you're comfortable. I find it hard to sleep without a blanket on me. Make sure it is not too hot. Most people cannot sleep when it is too hot. Or too cold. I can't sleep if my stomach is rumbling while I'm lying there, so maybe make sure you get some food a bit of time before bed. Another recommendation I don't have personal experience in is using your bed only for sleeping. I've read this in lots of places.

So basically just be comfortable, and wake up at the same time, but go to bed when you are tired and know you'll be able to sleep. Don't do stimulating things before your normal bed time when you are on a normal sleep pattern. Sorry I am so wordy.

 

Oh God I know how you feel.

I take a cocktail of xanax and 12.5 mg of Ambien CR....and I'm lucky if I get 3-4 hours a night.

It is miserable.

 

my dad uses melatonin. its really good for him, but it does nothing for me. i just stick my earphones in and prentend i'm asleep until i actually fall asleep.

 

Same here. I don't get how everyone says it relaxes you. I just presumed that it worked for a lot of other people.

 

I personally didn't have a good experience with melatonin. I'd get eight hours of sleep, but wake up feeling like I'd gotten two. And what good was that?

The thing that helped me most with my insomnia was, surprisingly, attitude-based. First off, I'm aware that it'll happen. And I know it's survivable. I don't lie in bed staring at the clock. I get up, do something boring and wait until I feel tired again. And if that takes some time, I'm cool with that. Worrying about not sleeping simply makes matters worse. Secondly, I concentrate on doing things that aren't really interesting. Don't play video games or post online if you really enjoy those activities. My personal favorite insomnia activity? Housework. Swear to God. I get up and start washing dishes or something. By the seventh dish, it's surprising how tired I feel.

Lex

 

I use a natural herbal supplement called Valerian Root. It works really well, it also helps with anxiety similar to St. John's Wort.

 

Here are a few tips you can try.

1. A warm cup of chamomile (tea)

2. Masturbation. I can't tell you how many times I have fell asleep with my toy in my hand...

3. Stare at the wall and count from 100 backways

4. Have a couple cubes of chocolate. Chocolate does have caffeine in it, but caffeine does not keep people awake, quite the contrary. It makes people alert, hence focus.
So taking it when u want to sleep does the opposite of being alert...makes u calm, more soothed and relaxed.

5. Read a book. Don't you dare stop till ur eyes are so heavy, you feel like they are sacking a baby kangaroo!

6. Change your sleep pattern. I go to England like once or twice a year. Everytime I do, I end up waking up at 2-3 in he afternoons. Worse, night falls earlier in the tropics, so seeing longer days makes me compromise my sleep time.
The only way I would get back to my regular sleeping pattern is to force myself awake long beyond when I would normally sleep and sleep when I know I should (or when I desire).
Take no naps during that force awake period.

7. Lastly, incense works wonders. I mean, burning a little frankincense and myrrh at nights with 2 slices of cucumber over your eyes before bed helps. Its not a myth. It works!