Natural Remedies for Insomnia: A Comprehensive Guide

Colon Cleanse

Posted by Ellie (Avon, NY)
★★★★★

Do a thorough colon cleanse.

Onion by the Bedstand

Posted by Rich (Las Vegas, NV)
★★★★★

Cut an onion in half and place it by your nightstand. You will sleep like a baby. My mother did this for years.

Melatonin

Posted by Stephanie (NC) on 10/20/2005
★★★★★

Melatonin is WONDERFUL! My daughter (11 yrs.) has always had terrible problems going to sleep...until I started her on Melatonin. She takes 1 pill (300 mcg.) about 1-1/2 hrs. before bed and has had no trouble falling asleep since the first time she took Melatonin. Also have a 22 yr. old nephew who has had sleep problems for a few years. He takes a larger dose before bedtime - has been falling asleep at bedtime with no problems since his first dose. What a God-send!!!

Melatonin

Posted by Hannah (Vancouver, BC)
★★★★★

Melatonin has also been beneficial to me for sleep. I also use at varying times: -lavender essential oil rubbed into my skin (with a carrier oil) spray lavender water in the bedroom -take a "tea" of honey and apple cider vinegar (adjusting to taste) with water. (1/4 cup does the trick). -another idea, is to turn off the electrical things (like tv, computer etc) an hour before bed to allow the body to slow down and let it's natural melatonin do it's job. Turn off the lights and light a candle and have quiet time an hour before bed. Sweet dreams!

Melatonin

Posted by Rob (Gilbert, Arizona)
★★★★★

Melatonin has been a God-send for me. I'm a terrible insomniac, especially on business trip. I don't like druggy meds, so I tried melatonin several years ago. About 20 minutes after taking one I drifted quite naturally off to sleep. Now, I still take them occassionally, but usually just the thought that they're in the medicine cabinet is enough to relax me to sleep! Melotonin induces the body's 'down time' mechanisms which night owls like me tend to inhibit. Now I know to relax, read a book, watch tv, or just 'chill' about 20 minutes before bed, this behavior allows the body to naturally produce it's own melatonin and drift peacefully to sleep. - sleep tight!

Melatonin

Posted by Lisa (Vero Beach)
★★★★★

I have found melatonin to work well for sleep. Also just heard magnesium prior to sleep works - I will be trying that tonight.

Melatonin

Posted by Cathy (Richmond Hill, Canada) on 02/29/2008
★★★★★

Insomnia: My kids have a hard time sleeping at night. I've struggled for about 10 years trying to put my ADHD girl to bed at night. The older she became, the worse it was, telling me to "get lost" when I came in the room at 11:00 p.m. She would just continue on the computer and ignore me. It was very depressing. I had to sleep so I would just go and leave her alone. Her dad didn't help much. Rescue remedy! melatonin! I bought the chewable kind and used to give it to her when I was totally exasperated at 10 or 11 p.m. Now I give it to her at 8 or 8:30 p.m. and now she jumps into bed by 9 or 9:30 p.m. What a miracle! Why did it take me so long to figure that one out? She was sleep deprived for many years!

Ear Plugs

Posted by Michelle (Penryn, CA) on 09/29/2006
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

I started using earplugs about 5 years ago to drown out the sounds of a snoring husband. This worked great for a while. But now I am DEPENDANT on them in order to sleep. I used to be able to fall asleep with noise, with some lights on, with the television on, but now I am ONLY able to sleep in complete silence and darkness, and with my EAR PLUGS. It would be so nice just to fall asleep whenever I am tired. Now I have insomnia problems I feel because I can't just fall asleep whenever I want to-- only when I have my EAR PLUGS. Not to mension, my ears always ache now and have sores in them, probably due to the ear wax build up. EAR PLUGS do work for a while, but please try them at your own risk!

Ear Plugs

Posted by Todd (San Diego) on 09/16/2006
★★★★★

Earplugs -- LOL. i can't believe i never thought of this. definitely is doing the trick.

Ear Plugs

Posted by Diane (Gulf Shores, AL) on 10/06/2005
★★★★★

20 years ago a DOCTOR told me to try ear plugs when I could not sleep and was waking all hours of the night. Sure enough that was the problem he said I had excellent hearing and that the night noice kept me awake. Now the noice = is muffled enough for me to sleep.

Ear Plugs

Posted by Rose (Newport News, VA) on 11/27/2005
★★★★★

Earplugs, earplugs, earplugs. After attending an airshow, I realized that if earplugs worked to quiet the sound of jetplanes, they must surely work to muffle the sound of a snoring husband! They have allow me to fall sleep more comfortable and wake up much more rested. Highly recommended inexpensive solution to a serious problem.

Ear Plugs

Posted by Becky (Louisville, KY)
★★★★★

I have suffered with chronic insomnia and am a strong believer in using earplugs (plus my husband has a breathing machine for his sleep apnea) but make sure they are a high enough level. I got my sister in law to try sleeping with them but she didn't give it enough time. It can be bothersome at first and you need to know that earplugs won't block out all sound. You can hear the clock radio, you can hear your child cry from their bedroom, you can hear your partner speak to you but you'll probably want to take the earplugs out for a conversation!

Ear Plugs

Posted by Joella (Newport Beach, CA)
★★★★★

I had been suffering for months from restless sleep. Couldn't figure out why I was waking up so often in the middle of the night. And then, even if I slept through the night, I would awaken feeling like I hadn't slept at all. Then I went on vacation and brought some soft foam ear plugs with me in case of a loud hotel neighbor. Even though it was a quiet hotel, I decided to try to sleep with the ear plugs anyway. I noticed a difference in the quality of sleep immediately. It was unbelievable. I awoke feeling deeply rested. What a relief! At any rate, I decided to try this at home in Los Angeles and see if my restful sleep continued. Sure enough, it did. After a few months of this, I went back to sleeping without ear plugs and haven't had a problem since. I highly recommend this simple and inexpensive tool for people suffering from lack of quality sleep. I think the reason this works so well is because all but two sounds are blocked: the sound of your own breath and the thump thump of your heart beat. Doesn't get any more peaceful than that! No dogs barking, airplanes flying overhead, husband snoring beside you... I think that outside sounds wake us up far more than we realize, contributing to a restless night of sleep.

Ear Plugs

Posted by Diane (Magnolia Springs, AL)
★★★★★

20 years ago I had moved from the country to the city in a townhouse. I began waking all hours of the night I tried everything and nothing seem to work. I visited my doctor and thank goodness he did not believe in medications instead he tested my hearing. Well, I have exceptional hearing and all the busy city noises were waking me so he suggested ear plugs and I have been wearing them for 20 years. I change them often and clean my ears with peroxide. Many people ask aren't you afraid someone will break in and I tell them that I can still hear very well with them, it just blocks out the high pitch noices of A/C and cars, etc

Sam-E

Posted by Sharon (Boston, MA) on 02/04/2007
★★★★★

My husband had a habit of waking up at 2:00am in terrible anxiety every night. ' The rest of the night was toss and turn, toss and turn. I started him on SamE and overnight, the pattern ceased. Now he loves it and takes it every night. No more insomnia, no more anxiety, no more depression. Good stuff!