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Hi,
I have a sleep disorder, which I have been prescribed medicine for. I have no trouble falling or staying asleep, but I get nonrestorative sleep--no matter how long I sleep--and my muscles never truly relax when I am sleeping (especially my jaws from clenching/grinding). Does anyone know of natural remedies to promote quality sleep so that I don't have to rely on meds? By the way, I do practice SR, but I haven't seen it affect my sleep yet.
Thank you!
In Reply to: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by Kelly [53.74] on February 21, 2004 at 20:21:14:
Are you worried about something when trying to sleep? Also, I found 2 conditions that help me have a good nights sleep where I feel refreshed.
1) Sleeping in a cool room always helps me.
2) Days when I exercise and am very sore help me get better sleep as well.
In Reply to: Re: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by Steven [280.62] on February 21, 2004 at 20:29:48:
Steven,
Thanks for the advice. I do exercise regularly and am never hot when I'm sleeping. My mind won't seem to let go at night.
In Reply to: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by Kelly [53.74] on February 21, 2004 at 20:21:14:
Try a warm cup of milk or a small amount of turkey..Both release L-tryptopham an amino acid promoting sleep..Drink a cup of herbal chamonmile tea..Remove all electrical appliances from your bedroom..Make sure there is no light in the room..Silver Fox!
In Reply to: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by Kelly [53.74] on February 21, 2004 at 20:21:14:
Hi Kelly,
I haven't completely kicked my insomnia problem --- yet. ButI'm almost there, and my sleep is so much better now than it was before!
However, I used to wake up exhausted!!! Now I get a lot more rest and feel really good, even if I do wake up in the middle of the night. Every day is a good day now.
There were two things that made a huge difference in my sleep. One is SR. Make sure you're reaching the alpha and doing it twice a day.
The other thing is full-body stretching. I spend 20 - 30 minutes each day stretching. At first I could only do a few places, but as I became more flexible, eventually I have become able to stretch all the major muscles groups in that amount of time. The stretching just loosened everything up and helps keep my body in a state of relaxation. It really helps. I don't have to stretch every day now -- but if I miss more than about 3 or 4 days in a row, I just don't feel as well and get back on track quickly by stretching.
Stretching and SR are a GREAT combo for loosening up tight muscles! Having a relaxed body makes a big difference in sleeping well.
Best wishes,
Jan (Happygal)
In Reply to: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by Kelly [53.74] on February 21, 2004 at 20:21:14:
I feel for you. I only recently experienced poor sleep for the first time in my life. My normal deep sleep isn't back yet--I had been in the category that couldn't read at night because I would be fast asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow--but I feel restored for work in the morning. These steps might be more for nonsleep rather than nonrestorative sleep, but perhaps some of these elements might help:
These are the steps I've taken.
only one cup of coffee a day, and that is ALWAYS before 9 am; at work during the day I have weak tea.
not having a chilli or oniony or hot curry meal at night
always exercising or doing some physical work during the day, and if I feel as though it's going to be a sleepless night, a long walk in the evening around the streets looking at gardens and things (I don't know how a walk in a city setting would go for relaxation tho')
not watching tv in the evening (seems to jig up my brainwaves?)but listening to music and reading. Avoiding the news bulletins or anything distressing in the evening (take in news during the day)
valerian tea brewed up in a pot in the evening really works, and chamomile tea during the day is mentally and emotionally calmative
Calcium supplements, vitamin Bs and particularly B12, zinc and chromium
If you don't mind being a bit Pollyannaish, a mentally settling prayer, for want of a better term, at night, thanking the universe for such a comfortable bed a full stomach friends and family to talk to, when there are so many homeless and hungry who might swap a deep sleep in a ditch for a lighter sleep in my situation....
An interesting, not a boring, book next to the bed so that if you really can't sleep and decide to read for a bit in the middle of the night, it isn't a frustrating experience but an absorbing one. That's definitely relaxing. Trying 'boring' books frustrates and annoys and is counterproductive I reckon.
Look on the bright side -- ie if you've tossed and turned and wake up at 4 am, don't think "Oh no, I only have three hours sleep left", think "Excellent! I have three whole hours left to sleep! Mmmmmm! Comfy! Cosy!" That destresses and means you're more likely to go back to sleep.
In Reply to: Re: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by Happygal [11.384] on February 21, 2004 at 21:22:53:
Hi Happygal
Can you tell me more about the stretchig exercises you do, or if there is a website?
In Reply to: Re: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by Jane [1475.4] on February 21, 2004 at 21:33:22:
*not having a chilli or oniony or hot curry meal at night*
Hi Jane
How does that affect sleep?
In Reply to: Re: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by Maria bLiss [4.4] on February 21, 2004 at 22:13:45:
Hi Maria Bliss,
I started by combining my favorite yoga stretches, t'ai chi stretches, and regular stretches into a combination that pleased me. (After all, if we don't like the exercise, we won't do it!!) As I became more flexible, I added new ones or made up new stretches and changed my routine as necessary. The important thing is to make it fun enough to be faithful with stretching every day.
Later, I learned Active Isolated Stretching. It's very specific and loosens up places unavailable with other stretching methods. So I added some of that to my stretching program.
I've added a link for you below and am interested to know what you think of the information in it, if it is useful, etc.
Let me know if you have any questions. :o) Personally, I think stretching is wonderful.
Best wishes,
Jan (Happygal)
In Reply to: Re: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by Happygal [11.384] on February 21, 2004 at 22:21:54:
This link should work. :o)
In Reply to: Re: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by M.B. [4.4] on February 21, 2004 at 22:14:57:
I'm not sure and it may be specific to me. I just find that hot foods stimulate me, my nervous system I guess. It may be cultural or psychological, but someone else might find the same. Certainly in some eastern religions pepper chilli and even onions aren't seen as 'sentient'and aren't seen as conducive to meditation, so same might apply to some doing SR...
J
In Reply to: Re: A Better Night's Sleep? - whoops! Here's the link posted by Happygal [11.384] on February 21, 2004 at 22:23:49:
Thanks, Happygal~!
will start reading up on that link.
I am also going to start yoga classes for stretching, but it would be nice to just do it here at home everyday. That would just be easier all round.
In Reply to: Re: A Better Night's Sleep? - whoops! Here's the link posted by Maria Bliss [4.4] on February 21, 2004 at 22:45:15:
Getting to sleep most of the time is not a problem for me.
What I have been noticing is if I can sleep throughout the night, before morning comes, without being disturbed, I feel okay in the morning when I wake up.
BUT if I am disturbed for any reason; the dog barking, the neighbours making a noise early in the morning, whatever it is, then when I try and go back to sleep, when I wake up, I feel totally heavy and not so good.
In Reply to: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by Kelly [53.74] on February 21, 2004 at 20:21:14:
I always spritz a little lavender room spray in my bedroom before I go to sleep. Lavender is known to relax you and it always helps me. Good luck!
In Reply to: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by Kelly [53.74] on February 21, 2004 at 20:21:14:
Wearing out the large muscle groups on a daily basis, with only one day off
per week, is key in improving sleep quality. If you aren't conditioned, then
start gently, but persist until you've worked your way up to continuous
activity that gets your heart rate up & makes you sweat. Too intense a
workout can disrupt sleep, especially for the deconditioned, but too easy
won't give you the same benefits. Working with a heart rate monitor is
helpful. Movement is the most essential element in a good sleep program,
along with avoiding stimulants, developing a good relaxation practice, &
following a healthy, whole foods diet. Stretching is a wonderful part of the
movement component, don't forget to give those hard-worked muscles some
care afterwards, with gentle, easy stretching. Hydration is important, too.
Anything you can do to get yourself back into your body & out of your head
will help you get grounded & better manage any anxieties you're feeling.
When you find your thoughts running wild, redirect them to your body, by
focusing on, say, the way your feet feel on the ground, or your back against a
chair, or how your belly moves with each breath, etc. Stay focused on bodily
sensations, gradually shifting out of cerebral chaos into the calm, reliable
place inside your body. Focusing on the breath is always wise, but sometimes
that's a hard transition to make initially, which is why awareness of the
feeling of your body is so effective. We can easily connect with how it feels to
be sitting, or how the air feels on our skin, any sort of touch against our
body,just doing that much is restorative, & reroutes thinking in the right
direction.
For people whose sleep has become habitually disrupted, you have to
approach the restoring of good sleep like you would the breaking of any
other bad habit & replacing it with a good one. Because bad sleep is learned
behavior, and must be un-learned, or replaced. Be patient, committed, and
gentle in your efforts, and don't expect change to occur overnight. Be aware
of the things you say to yourself, watching for any sorts of negative
reinforcers, such as "I have a sleep disorder", which is a label that sends a
negative message to your body. Instead, acknowledge to yourself that you are
moving towards healthy, normal sleep once again, and always note to
yourself the positive changes you are making. When you catch yourself
defining yourself as disordered in any way, immediately re-state in a positive
way, and repeat that thought as often as you'd like. If you think of yourself as
a person with a sleep disorder, your body will be only too happy to follow that
train of thought.
In Reply to: Exercise not optional for best sleep posted by mary [516.888] on February 22, 2004 at 11:51:53:
Another reason exercise is so good for restoring healthy sleep patterns is that
it connects you with your body, even if you're working on problems in your
head while you're exercising. Try not to do that, if possible; spend that time
focusing on your body, devoting your entire being to the physical activity
that's underway. There's plenty of time for those other thoughts later.
Anything you can do to stay in touch with your body is good. I might add, this
is also valuable when you aren't exercising.
In Reply to: Exercise not optional for best sleep posted by mary [516.888] on February 22, 2004 at 11:51:53:
Thanks, Mary.
Walt
In Reply to: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by Kelly [53.74] on February 21, 2004 at 20:21:14:
Hi Kelly,
I've had similar sleep problems for many years (frequent waking as well) and have tried many different types of natural remedies. I never feel rested, but some nights are better than others. If your muscles and connective tissues aren't relaxing, you are working very hard all night long! SR will eventually help, if you're doing it successfully, but in the meantime, here are a few things that might help. Sometimes I go to bed and do an hour of SR with Centerpointe or other music, especially if I have trouble tuning out my thoughts...not the recommended way to so SR, but it usually gives me at least an hour of sound sleep, and when I wake up afterwards I can usually drift off again.
I agree with Mary's post that labels we give ourselves work as negative self-talk. Louise Hay's books (any many other authors) talk alot about this. Try some positive affirmations before bed..."I am sleeping deeply and soundly tonight and every night, and my body is completely relaxed and comfortable." Louise Hay has this one for general insomnia in her book "Heal Your Body"..."I lovingly release the day and slip into peaceful sleep, knowing tomorrow will take care of itself."
One healer I worked with gave me a good suggestion for helping nonrestorative sleep. He said to say a little prayer to God, the angels, beings of light, whatever fits your beliefs asking them to watch over you and keep you safe. Surrender your spirit over to them for safekeeping for the night, and set your intent to leave the worries and tension of the day behind. When I remember to do it, it works quite well.
I believe part of the reason I don't sleep restfully is unconscious fear from past traumas. Dealing with the sources of the fear through various means for the last couple of years has been very helpful. I've had several nights when I slept as much as 4-6 hours without waking, or with waking only once. Sometimes I even wake up in the same position I went to sleep in, and after one of those nights, I have energy, less pain and stiffness, and better brain function! I've also had quite a few dreams lately, which have been rare in recent years. That's a major breakthrough for me. If there is any fear, worry, concerns, thoughts racing, etc. going on when you hit the sack, that may be keeping you in a light sleep stage and keeping your body tensed for fight or flight. Find a way to sort out and deal with those issues so they have less effect on your sleep.
I've never taken a sleep Rx, but you may not want to add any herbal or other sleep aids to that. I don't know. I tried quite a few sleep aids (a dozen or more--herbs, melatonin, 5-htp, tryptophan, various amino acids, and lots of combos), and only a few helped even a little.
Have you tried a light herbal tea such as Sleepytime or Sandman in the evening? Also, relaxing evening routines might help, such as a warm bath, light reading, etc. I'm guessing you've probably tried all the sleep hygiene tips that are in every book or article about sleep problems/insomnia. One thing that helps me sometimes is to do a 20-min. tai chi video routine before bed. We like P.M. Chi by Carol McPhee. Light stretching also helps.
Julia Ross' book "The Mood Cure" has a lot of information on diet and promoting sleep with supplements (5-HTP, l-tryptophan, St. John's Wort, etc.). It's worth a look if you want to try something.
You're getting a lot of good suggestions. I hope you can find some that work for you!
Wishing you the best,
Nutmeg
In Reply to: Re: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by Nutmeg [86.58] on February 22, 2004 at 14:03:28:
Hi Kelly - I have had excellent results with Unisom - an over-the-counter sleep-aid,which is an antihistamine (very mild). I take the original Unisom, not the extra-strength, and take it only twice a week, if needed. That way, your body won't get used to it. It is not habit-forming,but if you would take it every night it would lose it's sedative effect. Please let me know if you try it and it works.
Good luck!
In Reply to: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by Kelly [53.74] on February 21, 2004 at 20:21:14:
Thank you for all the great advice! You gave me a lot of suggestions that I will be trying.
Kelly
In Reply to: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by Kelly [53.74] on February 21, 2004 at 20:21:14:
I believe the drop in melatonin as we age is the most common reason for sleep deprivation. By the time we reach our 40s, the decline is becoming significant. I started taking it about 4yrs ago, and it's made a great difference. I sometimes add a 50% kavalactone or higher Kava cap at bedtime, which acts as a muscle relaxer. I've also tried 5HTP, which seems to work bit more gently. Hope this helps.
In Reply to: Re: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by peterb [17.14] on February 24, 2004 at 07:27:27:
Besides supplements, do you think doing the contract and relax of muscles before sleep, would enable deeper sleep??? Hmmm, I think I am going to try that tonight, although my problem is not about getting to sleep, it's how I feel in the morning. Not very rested.
In Reply to: Re: A Better Night's Sleep? posted by Maria bliss [4.4] on February 24, 2004 at 09:07:02:
Yes, for someone losing sleep from stress effect. But for those with declining levels of melatonin and dhea, only supplements can help with uninterrupted sleep in my opinion.
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[ Sleep apnea and other disturbances Archive ] [ Main Archives Page ] [ Glossary/Index ] [ FAQ ] [ Recommended Books ] [ Bulletin Board ] |
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