[dB Cooper]

I'm semi-vegan and don't do dairy apart from butter. Calcium, green leafies are a great source. Will do someresearch into magnesium too.

One of my biggest challenges is schedule. One common piece of advice is to go to bed at the same time every night. This is impossible if you work in retail as I do. Trying to figure out a workaround, a rouine of some sort. One habit I have gotten into is eating just before bed. Although supposedly a common practice in Europe, I wonder if it is worth experimenting with alternatives.

[Wind Chaser]

I don't think a little snack before bed is a big deal, ideally you shouldn't eat anything before bed. A full blown meal is bad for sleep but even more important try to keep a regular pattern. I was trying to sleep by day during the week so I could work night shift and then sleep at night on weekends so I could be up by day. Because I worked only 4 days had had three days off my body and brain just gave up. The older you get more your body needs regularity.

[2bigears]

  shiftwork ?  Most peeps can kiss good sleep away after that BS .  As we age sleep gets tricky.  No coffee after 2 or 3 in the afternoon.  No booze before bed.  I just take it as it comes.  If I wake up in the middle of the night I just eat a shit load of watermelon,   Ha.   Love the Mellon season,,,,  on # 10 now,,,,

[Folsom]

Bananas and milk are both good sources of magnesium. Most natural foods have a good balance Ca:Mg. But supplements aren't natural food, so I like to understand how they work, risks and benefits.

Don't eat bananas before bed. Don't eat them if you're not blood type O or B for that matter. They're just good for heartburn for everyone else. There are a lot of sources of magnesium. Black beans are very good for it. Blackstrap molasses, greens, on and on... Real food has it.

Try eating a bowl or two of cereal like corn flakes, Rice Krispies, any of that ilk.
That stuff puts me out like a light.

I need background noise so use an air purifier or window fan/air conditioner during the two warm days a year we have here.

You're giving your body a sugar rush since corn modulates insulin in weird ways and rice is high glycemic. I wouldn't do this either. But some people do sleep better with a little more carbs at night (mainly BT O). I do better light on them.

Alcohol always helps you get to sleep, but it's been shown the second half of sleep is always worse for people whom drink much of it.







Your adrenals need to be in good shape. At least a half hour or more before going to bed set all your electronic devices to blue light filter/night filter. TV isn't so bad, but computers, tablets, and phones are horrible. You can also get "computer glasses" that filter some of the blue light. For some people they wear them all day because they work on a computer, and it makes them feel better overall and sleep better. Also coffee may be a problem for you even if you consume it in the morning. The caffeine is taxing on adrenals.

Exercise obviously helps.

If you're BT O then Valerian will put you out (but they need exercise too). Meditation will do a lot for everyone else.

db Cooper, what blood type are you? Eating hardly any dairy is probably very wise, but meat choices may be hurting you.

[Wind Chaser]

Alcohol always helps you get to sleep...

Best to avoid it after dinner, especially if you have sleep apnea.

[stlrman]

I take Benadryl. Seems to work for me.

[FullRangeMan]

No more mention on drugs or medical related similars in this thread.
Thanks

This Circle rules dont allow drugs comments.
Gracias

[Early B.]

FRM is right.

Plus, some of y'all are giving bad advice. You can't solve a problem by creating another problem. Taking drugs (legal or illegal), eating late at night, etc., aren't healthy in the run.

Insomnia can be caused by a million different things and can occur at any age and without warning, and can be chronic. Since the cause is variable, the cure will also vary. The first step is to identify the cause. Of course, that's often easier said than done. If the cause is unknown, then go back to the fundamentals of good health. Start by eliminating poor lifestyle habits (smoking, drinking, etc.), adopt good dietary habits, and ascertain your nutritional deficiencies. Then look at your exercise regime if you have one (for instance, don't work out at night!!!).

Someone mentioned getting into a routine and going to bed at the same time every night. Those are good suggestions.  Immediately prior to going to bed, you should wind down -- no TV, computer, etc. Just take a few moments to relax, do some light stretching, or meditate.

It sounds super simple, but regardless of the cause, insomnia occurs because your body and mind are not in a relaxed state.

Getting good sleep is the most important aspect of your health, so take it seriously.   

[dB Cooper]

What I'm starting out with:
-Don't eat right before bed. If getting home late, eat on my last break
-Don't check Audiocircle when I get home late (I mean, don't get on the computer late)
-Chamomile tea before bed
-Continue meditation

More thoughts to come

[FullRangeMan]

There is a softer tea than Chamomilla, its Melissa I used it some years ago.

[FullRangeMan]

Sorry guys I have to quarentine this thread due various posts on drugs and personal offenses.

[OzarkTom]

Are you taking a statin? Do you take magnesium?  What is your fasting blood sugar and insulin?  What is your hemoglobin A1c?  Has your wife been checked for polycystic ovary syndrome?  Has your wife tried removing all grains from her diet?

Never a statin here. I have diabetes, but I eat the low carb diet so my A1C is fairly low since I take no drugs. No diabetes drugs the last 10 years since I was diagnosed. The DHEA I have been taking the last month has improved my muscles tremendously. The greedy drug companies are trying to re-label DHEA so they can make a profit on it. You have to have a prescription for DHEA in Canada.

Wife is getting on the Bio-identiclal hormone pellet treatment this month to see if that takes care of her sleeping problem. With bad hormones, this can effect women greatly in their sleeping habits.

The drug company's hormone treatments causes breast cancer, blood clots, and other issues. A neighbor's wife got breast cancer from these treatments.

After a lot of research, I have found that low testosterone can have an effect on men and women's sleeping habits. Pellet therapy can be applied to men also.

[rif]

Definitely see a doctor, you'll get a sleep test to see if you have sleep apnea and need a cpap machine.

They also sell "heavy blankets" that tout lots of cures.  While I don't have insomnia, I ordered one to see what it does do.

[Bendingwave]

Not sure if this was mentioned but ANXIETY is common with Insomnia. Fix the anxiety problem first and then its easier to fix insomnia related problems. A lot of people have sleep apnea. By the time they actually do the testing and get there cpap machine they already have what I would call sleep apnea ANXIETY.....Sleep apnea occurs when one stops breathing so your body will jolt you into waking up so you can breath again as a last defense to save you from suffocating. The longer this goes on without help the greater the anxiety becomes even to the point of nightmares of you not be able to breath. These anxiety effects even continue after one gets there cpap machine. Afraid (anxiety) to fall asleep is one of the main factors of insomnia.

[jhm731]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5xAjwGt4Os

[Rx8man]

ELF emmit or the blonde? 

[Mike-48]

I take Benadryl. Seems to work for me.

You should know, it has been reported (by legitimate medical workers) that taking Benadryl or similar products frequently can increase one's risk for dementia.
Be careful!

[FullRangeMan]

A few years a go I took half a tablet of dimenhydrinate to help sleep, but I stopped taking it because the leaflet warned about glaucoma.

[Johnny2Bad]

All my life, but it hasn't harmed me. In essence, it's not a problem because I don't see it as a problem, or in other words I don't make it a problem, so it isn't.

I think it's important to understand that Average never equals Individual.

So if you don't fall in the "average" or "recommended" range, the first step shouldn't be to see it as an issue. Maybe, for you, it isn't, and maybe it is, but it's not a given. Some people are more prone to worry than others, and they won't be able to get past it, but then again, that's not a sleep issue, that's a worry issue.

5 hours, tops, and I have to be tired to fall asleep; I can't just "go to bed" and expect to be dozing in half an hour. I'll be up in 30 minutes looking for a book to read or some work to do. I've never gone to bed before 1AM in my adult life. When I was a teen, I could do the 12 hour nap, but once I turned about 19 it became seven, then six, and by about my late 20's five hours a night. That's with no pressures, or when working, no difference.

But I have no problem getting up a 5 or 6AM if need be, (and I often wake up before 6~8 AM regardless) and am not tired during the day. I don't think I've yawned during working hours once in my life.

I gave my alarm clock to my boss at one job, when I was in my 30's. Never bought another one, never been late for work since, and there have been plenty of pre-8AM start times in there. Retired now.

My dietary habits have changed variously over the years, never made a difference as far as I can tell. I eventually contracted Type II Diabetes, but it's a hereditary issue that I knew from day 1 was coming sometime (both parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts ... you get the picture). I was 185 lbs (6'1) at the time; my doctor stated categorically "your diet and lifestyle had nothing to do with this".

In a perfect world, everything would be open 24/7 because I could be doing a lot of things when most people are asleep and it won't affect my daytime hours or my energy level. Sometimes I feel like everyone else are from another species that need different sleep than I do Stay tuned for the Movie.

[jhm731]

ELF emmit or the blonde?