The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
5 HTP and GABA
Posted by Juliette (Reston, Va) on 11/08/2012
★★★★★
5htp and GABA supplements were sooo helpful for my insomnia. Taken in the late afternoon and right before bed. The GABA especially just knocks you out feels like a xanax and 5htp really helps quiet the worrisome thoughts.
Theanine, Taurine
Posted by Steven (Jersey City, Nj, USA) on 09/26/2012
★★★★★
After three years of crippling insomina and trying every remedy under the sun (supplements and drugs) I finally found relief with a combination of taurine and theanine. I'm still not a champion sleeper with actual energy, but I don't feel like I'm dying everyday. I am able to fall asleep fairly promptly, and now when I wake up in the middle of the night I actually return to solid sleep and not fragmented. I still could use more sleep in the morning if if it weren't for having to go to work, but I can actually catch successful naps at lunchtime now too, just from the one dose at night time. The one catch is after about a month I was having insomnia again for a week and I had to increase the theanine dose from 100mg at night to 200mg, and it did work. Which is the recommended dose anyway, but I hope I don't have to keep increasing. But at least I know for a fact the theanine is helping. I've never taken the taurine on its own (500mg), so I'm not being a good scientist, can't say for certainty that helps, but other have recommeded this combo, and it's working for me.
Xiao Feng San
Posted by Sophie (Sydney, Australia) on 08/21/2012
★★★★★
I have been suffering from insomnia for a few weeks, mainly caused by hypnic twitches. My problems involve trouble falling asleep and waking up and having trouble falling asleep again. I tried magnesium citrate and magnisium oil on the skin which I think helped a bit. I saw my TCM acupunturist who gave me Xiao Feng San for inflammation and sleeplessness. I could fall asleep as soon as I went to bed, but I was still having trouble with waking up in the middle of the night and taking a bit to get back to sleep (caused by stress). It worked the day I started taking it, and when I ran out of it I couldn't sleep again. If you suffer from this please see a TCM specialist, just give it a try. Oh and it also worked for the inflammation.
Melatonin
Posted by Sharon (Wesley Chapel, Fl) on 07/26/2011
★★★★★
l have taken melatonin for years for insomnia that came on during menopause. The first time l took it l took a large dose (5 tabs of 5 mg each). It took 3 days before l got a full nights sleep but it worked mostly. I was able to cut back to 10 mg a night after 3 days. The only times it didn't work were because l had drunk some kind of caffeinated beverage after 6 pm at night.
Magnesium
Posted by Mike (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) on 01/17/2011
Maria, your post is exactly what this site is all about!!! I to have suffered from insomnia for many years and would have never guessed that it was magnesium related. That is why this site is so valuable for curing illnesses because it tends to promote the idea that "NATURAL PRODUCTS ARE THE BEST WAY TO CURE ALL MINOR ILLNESS THAT POTENTIALLY CAN LEAD TO IRREPARABLE SERIOUS ILLNESSES IN THE LONG RUN".
Thanks Earth Clinic since this is not the first illness I was able to treat just by reading from the experience of others. Perfect example how Prescription and Over The Counter Drugs once again has no place in the human body! You might Google to find out which food has the highest magnesium content and change your eating habit accordingly. Mike
Chrysanthemum
Posted by Cindar (Vancouver, Wa) on 10/18/2010
★★★★★
My husband has suffered with insomnia his entire life. As anyone who has or has lived with someone who has insomnia, it is life impacting. Through some research I found that Chrysanthemums can reduce anxiety and help you to relax. I initially got the idea to help his anxiety, however, it has proven to be a huge aid in helping him sleep. Put 2 or more flower heads from a living Chrysanthemum (Mum)plant per large coffee cup of boiling/steaming water. Cover and steep for 5-8 mins. I also have been adding 1-2 bruised Mum plant leaves. He is yawning by the time he finishes the tea. This in place of the WIDE variety of medications he has taken is such a relief. He had been taking chemical medications like: seroquel, lunesta, ambient, restoril along with many others to work in conjunction. This has been heaven sent with NO SIDE EFFECTS.
Magnesium Citrate
Posted by Stephanie (Chicago, Il) on 07/14/2010
★★★★★
For two years now, I've been taking 400mg of Magnesium Citrate every night before bed and I sleep like a baby! My boyfriend takes it too, completely relaxes you and makes it easier to fall and stay asleep. I read somewhere it is the most 'relaxing mineral' and people need higher amounts of it as we age as it becomes depleted with stress. Major side benefit--it also just happens to eliminate PMS symptoms, fyi. Oh, and migraines! Also, make sure you are drinking at least 4-6 glasses of water per day if you suffer from any ailments whatsoever as most people are chronically dehydrated and have no idea why their body is deteriorating with age. Aging is a process of dehydration!
5 HTP
Posted by Tina (Houston, Usa) on 11/07/2012
Hello Judy from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada - Please google Rutavala Essential Oil. Rub it liberally on your back neck, temples, wrists (and bottom of feet) about 1/2 hr before bedtime, and you will find that it miraculously lulls you into sleep.
I generally do a sea salt bath with lavender oil for about 20 mins. Then rinse off with soap/water, and do the rutavala oil routine before turning off the lights.
I also know folks who put 2-3 drops of rutavala oil in empty 00 size capsules and drink with water (however I have not needed to try this) since liberally applying oil takes care of my 20 yrs of insomnia.
Good luck, T
5 HTP
Posted by Baldev (Mumbai, Maharashtra, India) on 11/09/2012 180 posts
Hi Judy, Some times we miss the things available in our own kitchen. Try a pinch of ground Nutmeg in a cup of milk before going to sleep. It works. Good Luck, Baldev
Iodine
Posted by Jenny (Uk) on 09/06/2018
I live in the UK but get my melatonin from the USA from Iherb. It's very cheap and if you choose the slower shipping, very cheap to ship or even free depending on the spend.
Elderberry Extract
Posted by Samuel (Seattle, Wa) on 09/22/2009
★★★★★
I have discovered that elderberry extract is great for insomnia-2 tablespoons. Plus it really does get rid of flu or cold fast.
Borax
Posted by Leelannee (Sussex, Nj) on 09/08/2009
★★★★★
I read about using 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon of borax in water for various health issues, although not insomnia specifically. I decided to try it, and right away noticed that I was able to fall asleep easily and sleep through the night better. I've had insomnia & nightmares for years & have tried many natural supplements & remedies. I'm often tired but don't feel sleepy...after so many years of insomnia, I LOVE that delicious sleepy feeling! Magnesium has worked ok for me but gets expensive & sometimes I'd be awake for an hour or more after sleeping for just a few minutes. Perhaps the borax is detoxifying flouride or something from my body, or killing off a fungus that was affecting my health. However, I've skipped the borax twice in the last few weeks and had a horrible time that same night. I've read that boron helps you absorb calcium better, and calcium helps you relax and sleep, so maybe that's why it's helping me. In the morning I prepare a liter bottle with 1/4 teaspoon borax and sip it throughout the day. Even if I finish it in the early afternoon or drink the whole bottle an hour before bed, it seems to work.
EC: More about borax here.
Borax
Posted by Quixote (Las Vegas, NV) on 03/11/2012
maybe you need some vitamin B-1-it helps with nightmares but you should also take a balanced Vitamin B complex so you dont cause an imbalance-usually about 20 miligrams handles it for me.
Borax
Posted by Lucinda (London, On, Canada) on 09/06/2012
Re: Nightmares, sleeplessness. In the book, FOOD AND THE GUT REACTION, page 11 tells us that milk/dairy products can cause terrible nightmares or night terrors. This was the case with our son, as a teenager. A chance conversation alerted us to this information, and his nightmares stopped immediately. Good luck.
Borax
Posted by Leelannee (Sussex, Nj) on 09/08/2009
★★★★★
I read about using 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon of borax in water for various health issues, although not insomnia specifically. I decided to try it, and right away noticed that I was able to fall asleep easily and sleep through the night better. I've had insomnia & nightmares for years & have tried many natural supplements & remedies. I'm often tired but don't feel sleepy...after so many years of insomnia, I LOVE that delicious sleepy feeling! Magnesium has worked ok for me but gets expensive & sometimes I'd be awake for an hour or more after sleeping for just a few minutes. Perhaps the borax is detoxifying flouride or something from my body, or killing off a fungus that was affecting my health. However, I've skipped the borax twice in the last few weeks and had a horrible time that same night. I've read that boron helps you absorb calcium better, and calcium helps you relax and sleep, so maybe that's why it's helping me. In the morning I prepare a liter bottle with 1/4 teaspoon borax and sip it throughout the day. Even if I finish it in the early afternoon or drink the whole bottle an hour before bed, it seems to work
Catnip
Posted by Peacepasstethallunderstanding (Usa ) on 05/04/2018
★★★★★
For those searching for insomnia helps I like to try tinctures. Catnip has helped along with skullcap. If I wake middle of night tincture of catnip and the 4-7-8 breathing has helped. I got a Saliva hormone level test that verified my need for help.
D3
Posted by Kathi (New Brunswick, NJ) on 02/07/2009
★★★★★
I developed severe insomnia last winter (nov 07) and went through quite a trial for months, with none of the many things I tried helping much except some tips on how to improve sleep habits through cognitive behavioral therapy. I was doing better May-Oct 08 then all of a sudden the same severe insomnia symptom was back in full force. Last month I decided to try vitamin D3 2000 IU/day, after reading so many recent articles about the importance of this sunshine vitamin. I chose tablets with D3 source from lanolin, since I am allergic to fish. Within a week I was sleeping soundly at night, and I am continuing to sleep well. In retrospect, it is likely that I became more susceptible to vit. D deficiency after I became lactose intolerant and stopped drinking milk.
Eliminate EMFs
Posted by Kaz (Boston, Ma) on 02/29/2012
I had same issue.. Really troubled sleep, trouble getting to sleep, waking up and trouble getting back to sleep, waking before dawn and just giving up. I actually bought myself an EMF reader like the ones the ghost hunters use in order to find EMF free place in bedroom. The ONLY high EMFs were from my clock radio that I had for years. I first moved it the length of the cord away from the head of my bed and for the first time in years slept all through the night. I got rid of it and bought battery alarm clock and have in past two months only had two bad nights sleep.. Both I believe from drinking sugary and chocolately martinis!
Valerian Root
Posted by Saskia (TKPK, MD, USA) on 10/15/2008
★★★★★
I just started taking Valerian Capsules (500 mg) right before going to bed for my insomnia, and it works GREAT!! I used to not be able to fall asleep until 4 am, and was always sleepy and groggy when I woke up no matter how many hours of sleep I got. The first night I took one capsule at 11:30, and although I did fall asleep, I woke up around 2:30, and was unable to fall back asleep until I took another capsule an hour later. However, last night I took two capsules before going to sleep, at around midnight, and I fell asleep, slept through the night, and woke up at 7:30 (my alarm was set for 8:30!!) feeling awake and refreshed. I wasn't groggy and when I woke up I was ready to get out of bed- which is usually never the case!
So from now on I will be taking 1000 mg of Valerian Root every night for about a month, and then I'll see if I can sleep on a regular schedule without it. Now I'm not sleepy in my morning classes anymore! I highly recommend it- and I'm so happy I found a natural remedy for insomnia, I love this website! (I found Vegetarian Valerian Root capsules in the GNC section of my RiteAid, so it shouldn't be too difficult to find for anyone else) Good luck!
5 HTP
Posted by Marcella (Moscow, Idaho) on 02/02/2009
I would like to know at what time did you take the 5HTP and how many mg?
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!
Honey and Cinnamon
Posted by Bonnie (Long Beach, US) on 12/13/2007
★★★★★
I was looking on your site a couple days ago and saw a remedy with honey to help lose weight. I tried it and found that i had more energy during the day, had less of an appetite, and fell asleep faster at night!! i love it! the remedy i found was every morning, a half hour before breakfast, as well as right before bed at night, drink a tablespoon of honey in one cup of boiling water with a teaspoon of cinnamon. It has only been four days, but man, what a difference!!!
Honey and Cinnamon
Posted by T.Srikantharajah (Wimbledon, England) on 12/04/2007
★★★★★
Daily in the morning, 1/2 hour before breakfast on an empty stomach and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup water. If taken regularly it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also drinking of this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.
ACV, Baking Soda and Cayenne
Posted by Myra (Oc, CA) on 08/11/2014
Dear butterfly, I think you are experiencing candida kill. Look up candida in earthclinic. Fortify your system by taking the supplements recommended to help during the candida kill process. I too have candida and am reading and following the recommended process. God bless you and keep you!
Cumin Seeds
Posted by T.Srikantharajah (London, United Kingdom) on 11/27/2007
★★★★★
Cumin seeds: Cumin seeds, when boiled in plenty of water and drunk as a herbal tea before bedtime, can help counteract insomnia. It also contains anti-cancer agents carevol and limonene.
Potassium Iodine, Magnetic Pillow
Posted by Laurin (KC, MO) on 09/18/2007
★★★★★
I am writing to say thanks to Ted who wrote me saying that my problem was probably a calcified pineal gland. I have searched for answers to my insomnia for years spent thousands of dollars for both traditional medical and alternative help and only Ted helped me!!!! I know God allowed me to find this answer through him and I want to say thanks to God, earthclinic and many many blessings to TED! After Ted posted the probable cause, I eliminated ALL fluoride from my life (water, toothpaste, mouthwash, etc.). It is shocking how much of this poison has been put into our products as it is present even in health food store brands. I was already applying Potassium Iodine externally (since I developed an iodine allergy, this is only way I have been able to take it.) I also got a magnetic pillow pad which helps sleep but is also said to help the body detox. Now months later I went out into the bright light and did not enter that hyper alert state. Although I also tried the lime juice and ACV drink, I was not faithful but fortunately what I did was enough. To Ted and earthclinic, you are helping many people and offer a great service to mankind. Thanks again and blessings.
