Has anyone suffered from Insomnia/sleep problems?

[Tuco]

I've been taking something called Valerien Root for the past year, and it really helps, makes me have crazy dreams, but I'm prefer not to take drugs/chemicals, does anyone have any other remedies?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerian_%28herb%29

[Darren]

Has anyone suffered from Insomnia/sleep problems?

Not since i started making wine

[ms67]

there was a program on radio 5 last night about insomnia.

here's the link from the pop-up player from the show

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/b0070h86/Friday/console/

and if that doesnt work then try this one

http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/programmes/#u

then scroll down the page to "u", and click on friday in the 'up all night' show.

there was other stuff in the show so you'll have to wait a while or >> and it didn't talk much about so called alternative remedies. infact i don't think they mentioned valerian root at all. Probably cos they had an MD on and they can be funny about alternative stuff.

There are masses of natural remedies to get you asleep (hops in your pillow case for example, and i also heard about lettuce too but some find wheat hard to digest so a sandwich may not work). most are probably very gentle so you may need to look into what may be contributing to your sleeplessness and try addressing that to some degree. For example some say that any amount of coffee at any time of the day can interfere with sleep.

On the other side of the fence ..... The MD on Radio 5 seemed keen to point out that pharmaceuticals for dealing with insomnia have come on a long way since the early days and that addiction etc is no longer a problem

Personally i find listening to really boring radio programs helps me to nod off, and cheese before bed sometimes gives me great dreams.

[NorthernWiner]

I usually just turn the TV on to something that I really WANT to watch. Seems like the more I want to watch something, the harder it is to stay awake.

Sometimes a bowl of cereal with milk works well, too. Just stay away from sugary cereals.

[ScoPa]

Chamomile tea unsweetened about an hour or 2 before bed and lavender oil sprinkled on the pillow has helped me. Though I'm quite sensitive to lavender, it knocks me out.

[Mel]

Do you know why you are having problems sleeping ? ie are you having stress in particular areas of your life ? You may not want to discuss that here of course ! But I had a period when I was stressed out with my very ill Dad and the constant emotial rollercoaster of would he live or die, I tok some homeopathic remidies specifically aimed at that ans not sleeping was one of the issues I had. It really helped, on all counts and balanced me out.. I think it is important to address the why rather than drug , naturally or otherwise, yourself to sleep. acepuncture might also help

[Cariad66]

Rescue Remedy is a good one..you can spray it in the room or straight onto the tongue. Not to be used by recovering alcoholics but being as i'm not recovering its fine!

Nia xxx

[Tuco]

Do you know why you are having problems sleeping ? ie are you having stress in particular areas of your life ? You may not want to discuss that here of course ! But I had a period when I was stressed out with my very ill Dad and the constant emotial rollercoaster of would he live or die, I tok some homeopathic remidies specifically aimed at that ans not sleeping was one of the issues I had. It really helped, on all counts and balanced me out.. I think it is important to address the why rather than drug , naturally or otherwise, yourself to sleep. acepuncture might also help

I'm not sure, I've been a bad sleeper since I was born, I've always kept odd hours, usually I lie down and my mind just bounces from thought to thought to thought, I've got to be falling down tired before I can sleep

Thanks for the advice guys, The tea or Rescue Remedy sound good, I'll give them a try

[wisp]

You know, I tried lots of different things for years, then I spoke to my doctor. He tried me with lots of things, at my request, that did not involve 'sleeping tablets'. I had to go into hospital, to shake my 3 litres of vodka a day habit, and they gave me a drug. I have since been into hospital for a serious operation and they gave me the same drug to help me sleep.

Although I'm really interested in using alternate routes to achieve the results I need, I learned a long time ago that St. John's Wort is not going to help me with my chronic clinical depression.

I adopted the same attitude to sleep. I have dreadful problems sleeping. Lack of sleep is horrific. One doesn't think straight, if one happens to fall asleep at 5 am, no bugger is going to be able to wake you; even for work.

I used my head. How come I slept so well in hospital? It couldn't all be down to trauma. Then I heard George Carlin, sadly missed, who said "you know, all these alternate remedies .... the medical profession have messed with them and they have produced medicine!"

Self help remedies are great for mild cases. Now don't get me wrong, I believe nature provides a lot of the answers; there's something else I would like to add, but I won't - after all, that would be illegal.

I spoke to my doctor, and the drug that I had encountered, and now use, was zopiclone. I am allowed to take it on alternate nights; to take it nightly would reduce it's affect. I take 7.5 mg when I take it. I'm a big lad, 3.75 mg may well be enough for you.

It sounds as though you would qualify for such a prescription as you've had difficulty sleeping from young [when I am sleeping without help, my doctor beomes concerned as it is against my normal practise]. You GP may well try you on different meds first, zopiclone is quite strong, some of which may be anti histamines. Be honest, and see if they work for you.

I am somewhat afraid of sleeping tablets, you don't really need to know why, but I trust these and I trust my GP. So, first step is to get a doc whom you trust. Next, follow his or her advice.

My wan't was to be able to function correctly [as society would have it] and my sleepers have helped.

Well, for what it's worth, that's my input on this sensative issue. I wish you well old chap. I really do - I know what it's like.

BTW. Keeping to alternate nights means that you may have sleepless nights, but if you can halve them? Take care Ace.