Insomnia!!!!!

J.-

Melatonin is an excellent all natural sleep aide. Also-let's look at your eating regimen-often many women do not get enough Omega's in their daily eating. Coconut oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, legumes should be the cornerstone of every diet. 40% of all calories should come from these sources. Also you can not get enough fresh fruits and veggies-organic of course.

Also-the toxin build up in your body is most likely contributing to your insomnia-including estrogen dominance caused by the birth control. Please do not take the Ambien anymore-it is terrible for you. Further drugs like that often alter your brain chemicals on a permanent basis. I will not get on my soapbox.

If you would like more info-send me a message and I can forward you some documents.

I hope this helps:)
T.
Detox Coach

1 mom found this helpful

I've been having difficulty sleeping since I became pregnant and went through this with my first pregnancy too. What I found that works for me as crazy as this may sound but praying. I say a prayer I know Like Our Father or Hail M. and focus on the words as I say it. By focusing on the words and what I'm saying I'm unable to think about the past day or what needs to be done tomorrow. Since I've done this I've been able to get back to sleep and sleep much better through the night. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

Try yoga. I have trouble sleeping sometimes especially when I have a lot going on...I just can't shut my mind off. But on the days I have yoga I sleep like a rock! Don't let your doctor convince you you are depressed and need anti-depressants. As soon as I told mine I was having trouble sleeping that's what she did and after gaining almost 20 pounds in 3 months I WAS depressed! Then I spent another 3 months SLOWLY weaning myself off them to avoid all the side effects. Only take them as a last resort and only if you're experiencing other symptoms of depression. Otherwise try yoga or another form of exercise and see if that helps!

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How loyal are you to your Dr? If you are open to a 2nd opinion I really like my Dr (Dr George Elvove in Libertyville). He's an MD (so he's covered by my insurance), but he considers natural options first. It's a nice balance having someone who can prescribe, but chooses to try other options first. I had a skin condition and Dr Elvove prescribed high doses of fish oil which worked like a charm. I really like his approach to medicine. He may have other options. Also, I feel like he really listens to his patients, so he may be able to make some recommendations based on the connection you saw to your insomnia and the pill last time this happened.

1 mom found this helpful

Oh my, I can't speak to the causes of insomnia but I can tell you what has worked for me. Tylenol Simply Sleep. It is the same active ingredient and dosage as Benadryl, but I think it is time-released so you don't wake up at 4 am.
Very few side-effects that I've noticed.
I tried Ambien for a few days, but found I'd rather be awake than have the weird dreams and cold sweats(!) it caused, and I'd still wake up an hour before the alarm.
By all means, eat vegetables and limit caffeine to the morning, but insomnia really compounds itself. Are you worried about something? Yes! I'm worried that I'll lay down and not sleep!
Good luck.

DO NOT TAKE AMBIEN. no doc should prescribe it for "a month". It is only supposed to be used a max of 2 weeks because is IS SO ADDICTIVE. I have Dr friends that NEVER prescribe it because it is very difficult to get off. I am living proof. I didn't know and my doc gave it to me for a yr. It took a year to get off. and it was a HARD YEAR. I used bennadryl (which is the active ingrediant in some sleep aids) for several months to wean me ... now i'm aid free. Try everything possible before ambien. I had a friend that had hallucinations from it and the news was talking about a sid effect of people waking up "driving" after taking it. i'm not a dr but i think that will only my your issues worse.

J.,

I agree with Toni who mentioned Melatonin. My boyfriend has never slept well and started taking that at the beginning of this year. He's now able to sleep through the night and no longer feel he's been drugged when he gets up. You just have to be patient and give it time to work, but it's better than a prescription or other OTC aids that aren't natural. Good luck!

Hi J.,
Your sleep situation sounds awful. Not to pry, but could you elaborate on why you think it's physical and not mental? Is it your mattress? Have you tried white noise? How many hours are up awake at night? Do you ever fall asleep and if you do, what is waking you? Pain? Have you thought about seeing a chiropractor? How long have you gone without any caffeine in your body (no pop, black tea, coffee, chocolate, etc)? I personally would stop the sleep drug - especially if it's not working any way, you know? Please don't feel obligated to answer my email if I have asked too many questions ro made you feel uncomfortable. It's just I have gone through this, my sister and my husband and this is where we started...by asking these questions.

Get your thyroid checked - an overactive thyroid can cause insomnia.

Hi J. I can sympothize with you I have also suffered from insomnia my doctor recomended Valerian Root. You can get it from the health food store. It really works for me.I hope it woks for you too. Good lock!

T.

Hi J.!
I experienced episodes like this in the past. I do alot of reading about holistic therapies and I am also a wellness pracctitioner. What I learned is that any time your sleep is interrupted, there is something very out of balance in your physical and emotional body. The western medicine approach looks to treat symptoms and doesn't usually look for a cause.

I would encourage you to read about Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome.

I practice a technique called Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique and I have had clients who have seen immediate improvement with sleep issues.

You can visit my website at www.gibsonwellnesscenter.com
I offer free consultations where I can explain how addressing your whole body, versus just addressing a symptom, can help.

As a mom of three myself, I understand how fatiguing it is to be a mom who is missing sleep.

Please let me know if I can help.

All the best to you,
C.

Hi J.,
I have had insomnia on and off for the past two years and for me I know it is stress related; sometimes my mind will not shut off. I try not to take anything, but I do on occasion take the over the counter counter generic sleep aid "Equate Nite time sleep Aid". I was worried about not waking up or being able to function for my 13 mo old, so I shied away from taking anything for so long, but eventually gave in. Most people would tell me to try Tylenol PM, but I don't need the tylenol, so that is why I chose this. I don't care much for pills, my Mom told me to take Melatonin, but I was bad about taking it regularly. I have used Equate a few times and found that I could take care of my baby if he was fussy; I just felt very sleepy. I also just took 1 of the two caplets recommended so I would not be so groggy if he did wake up, and boy does he get up alot with teething, etc. That worked just fine for me and I never woke up feeling sleepy. It is the same ingredient used in Benadryl. I rarely need it now, but have it for those in a pinch times. If I do wake up and have to use the restroom I try not to turn on the light-that seems to make it harder to go back to sleep sometimes. Perhaps it is anxiety? I take (or am supposed to take) anti-anxiety medication (very small dose); you may want to look into that too. BTW:I have a 13 mo old boy & 4.5 r old boy. Currently I am a stay at home Mom, going through a divorce. Good luck and try the good advice from others too; I would stay away from prescriptions unless nothing else works. Take care!
J. S.

The doctor prescribed my mother Ambien and her insurance would not cover it either. She said it is quite expensive too. She felt it did not do the trick and her doctor told her to take Tylenol PM or Advil PM, she takes the Equate PM (Wal-Mart generic brand) It worked wonders for her, so when I have some insomnia I just take Equate PM (2 pills) the next night to make sure I get a good night sleep. Make sure to take it an hour or two before you go to bed so it has time to work. At first I thought about the fact that I am taking a pain reliever I don't need but the doctor said that is not a problem as long as you don't take more than suggested amount.

S.

DO you exercise? Sounds like you have tried most things, but exercise will both help with mood swings, depression, and insomnia (not that you said you had the first two issues). Exercise has actually been shown to be as effective as antideppresants for many depressive disorders. I have PMDD, which is like a increased form of PMS, and it affects my sleep (as well as my mood). Exercising has done wonders for many of the symptoms, and I sleep very well.
Good luck! Hope you get some sleep!

Sometimes when I wake up and am wide awake in the middle of the night I find that it is because I am worrying about something. I usually get up and walk around the house and check on my two sons then try to go back to sleep. Could you possibly be worried about something that would keep you awake? Do you excercise? If not maybe try either walking or biking. I know when I excercise it sometimes help me sleep more. Have you ever heard of Restless Leg Syndrome? I personally don't know exactly what it is but I think I have heard before that it can keep you from sleeping too.

Good luck there is nothing worse than not getting enough sleep.

M.

I've heard great things about Melatonin, too. But other suggestions that work for me are: turn on a fan in the room low so that there is a soothing sound in the room. Sometimes if its a continuous almost droning sound it can lull you into sleep. Also, another suggestion is to put the radio in your room on a talk station (WGN is good after 9:00 PM) and listen to the topic and eventually you'll nod off. My last bit of advice is to pick up a book or magazine to read right before bed. Your eyes will get tired and you should find yourself dropping the book and nodding off.

try a little turkey sand before bedtime. milk and graham crackers is the choice of bedtime for diabetics to help thru the night. Also, something as simple as a tylenol (regular not PM) is usually a good sleep aid. Good luck!!! I know how frustrating lack of sleep can be!!!! especially when the alarm goes off at 5:30. J.

Hi J.,
I was also having trouble sleeping and my dr. put me on Ambien, and it made me so sick, i was having severe stomach pain and was feeling groggy all day.
My acupuncturist told me about a natural supplement Life Rising AML-2, i take 3 tablets 3 times a day, and have never slept better. I wake up feeling refreshed with no side effects. You have to take it for a day or 2 before it kicks in, and you can stop it anytime. Here's a link below if you want to take a look at it. Good luck.

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:WpNFyHqhJ6EJ:www.lif...

T.

Hi J.,
As someone who has worked the night shift and flip-flopped my schedule constantly for the last 4 years, I have some experience with insomnia as well. One of my favorite little "tricks" when I can't fall asleep or go back to sleep is this: I pick a subject, say Fruits and Vegetables (or band names, dog breeds, retail stores, etc.) and I name as many things as I can in that category from A to Z. Example: Artichoke, asparagus, apples...bananas, Bib lettuce, Bartlett pears, etc...It gets your mind to focus on something mundane and helps you to fall back asleep right away. I would suggest not using names as a category though otherwise you will start thinking about people you know.

Hi J.,
The only thing I have to suggest is to find a reflexologist in your area. I am a reflexologist and I know that not only can your insommnia be overcome, allot of other health conditions can be helped. The secret is in your big toe. The pineal gland reflex can be found there and that releases melatonin naturally. I hope this helps. If you have any other questions about reflexology you can write to me at ____@____.com
Sweet Dreams, L.

Hi J.,

I get that problem myself. I found that doing yoga or just stretching out before bed really helps. I feel keyed up from the day and the stretching makes me relaxed.

Good luck!

I have never had insomnia so bad that I needed Ambien, though I do suffer bouts of it. Usually I have found that the more I sleep the better I sleep. Maybe you're trying too hard to go to sleep. Try taking a nap during the day. Get a lot of fresh air, some physical activity, etc. I always sleep with the tv on, and it helps me relax & fall asleep -- drowns out the noise. If it's not on & I'm overtired, there is no way I will fall asleep, and the more tired I get, the worse my sleep is. All I have to do is break the cycle (benadryl helps really well when I'm desperate). A friend of mine has taken Ambien and she always feels bad when she wakes up. Do what your doctor says, but then just try keeping your routine the same, and wear yourself out!