Sleep - Castle Rock,CO

Try taking herbs. There is an herb store in Layton next to Albertson's and Arby's, just off Main Street and Antelope. There is another herb store in Roy just off Main St. called Down to Earth. Perhaps you could try webmd.com or even Google. There are also some sprays that may help that you could find at most any store, like Wal-Mart. My Mother-In-Law bought some spray from Bath and Body Works that smells wonderful: Lavendar and Vanilla and is very relaxing.
Good Luck.

I used to suffer from extreme insomnia and then I started seeing a Holistic Chiropracter. Within 2 weeks I was sleeping through the night, no drugs. I'm so happy now with my Doctor. It has been expensive but it's so worth it. I am feeling much better because I sleep but also because I can exercise without fatigue and I have more energy to do things I haven't done in nearly 13 years. I'm also a happier person.

I've had great luck with Tylenol PM, I get a good night sleep and wake refreshed, not groggy. I've also had a spray recommended to me for when I wake up at night but can't get back to sleep, Rescue Sleep, that I got at the health food store but haven't tried yet. Good luck!

Hello S.,

I am sorry to hear that you are not sleeping. It isn't easy,

Shaklee makes a product called Gentle Sleep Complex, it contains a blend of herbs. It is natural. If you are interested in this, send me a message and I can help you out.

Below is what the bottle says.

For a Good Night's Rest
There's a wonderfully restful alternative that falls between counting sheep and prescribed medication. It's called Gentle Sleep Complex. It contains a complementary blend of herbs - valerian, chamomile, and passion flower - that promotes calm and restful sleep. For centuries these herbs have been used safely for occasional sleeplessness.

Hope this helps

I've had great success with Tylenol Simply Sleep. what you might want to try too is a good nighttime routine, just like for your kids. Your body needs to know what the cues are for sleep. Be sure you limit exercise and TV in the evening. That will also help. TV can be very stimulating. Exercising can amp you up for hours - so keep it to the AM or early afternoon. If you're not exercising, I would start. Get rid of caffeine if you drink it. Its weird. It really helps.

J.

S.
There is an over the counter herbal medication called melatonin. It comes in several different strengths and is the chemical naturally released by the brain to induce sleep. Some people have a natural deficiency in this hormone and have difficulty falling OR staying asleep. The ambien is great on a once in a while basis but as you mentioned is very expensive and habit forming. Melatonin can be found in the grocery store but is cheaper at sams club or walmart. Costco carries it as well. Melatonin is the reason that we feel like we could go to bed at 5 PM in the winter because it is released from the brain with the light and dark cycle of the sun. Try it! We have used it successfully with several patients and I have even tried it myself. Good luck and sweet dreams.

Hi S.,
My name is D. and a gal in Michigan for 18 yrs she was just dead dog tired when she went to bed, but she slept for 2 hrs., she woke up wide awake couldn't get back to sleep before the alarm went off. For her when she tried Sleep Now, she went to bed and slept like a baby, yes she got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night but she went right back to sleep again and said that, that is the best sleep she's had in 18 yrs., it made a big difference for her.

S.
Have you had your Thyriod levels checked? I had sleep issues for years, and even though I knew I had a thyriod problem, I didn't know that low thyroid can interrupt your sleep. One very good doctor was able to pin it down, and after going on thyroid med, I can now sleep through the night.
I hope this helps.
C.

Hi S.,
I used to not be able to sleep well either. I found that it was most likely an unbalance in my hormones. I am an independent consultant with Arbonne international which makes pure, safe, and beneficial products. They have an all natural hormone balancing cream that I love. It has worked for me and others that I know. I put it on every night before I go to sleep. It is incredible. I definitely recommend it. Let me know if you want any other info. L. O.

There is a Homoepathic product by Hyland's (they make the teething tablets and colic tablets) called Calms Forte. It has really helped me get to sleep, especially when my brain won't turn off.

ME

I had this problem. I started to listening to books on CD with headphones. I've repeated the books a few times (good thing I liked the books), and it got to where I just put on the headphones and I'm out in 2 seconds. I don't really pay attention to the book, I just like the noise. Other people say they need the TV to go to sleep, it's all the same concept: a routine you get your body to do to fall asleep.

I used to worry about getting tangled in the headphones, but they just fall out at some point, and I naturally push them away during my sleep.

S., I also have problems staying asleep at night. I take a calcium suppliment and Kava Kava before going to bed. I sleep longer and feel rested in the morning. I also take a B complex every morning to give me energy so I can accomplish a lot during the day. I would examine your diet, if you drink soda, now is a good time to give it up. It takes calcium from your bones to regulate your blood. Your blood always has to have a balance at all times, and if its not there it finds it. Good Luck, and rest well

Hi S.. I take something called Nortryptiline (I think that's how it's spelled). It is a generic prescription sleep aid so it is cheaper than Ambien. It really works with all the advantages you need - no morning grogginess, ability to wake up if needed and then go back to sleep, non-habit forming, etc.

R.

ask your doctor about Melatonin. Also consider seeing a naturopath for some herbal remedies.

S., I have dealt with periodic insomnia too. It started affecting my health in other ways. My doctor put me on ambien. There is a generic available and my copay was only $5 or $10. When I first got it I was supposed to take it for about 2 weeks straight - to reprogram my body back into good sleep patterns. Now I take it just when I need it (if I lay in bed for more than 15 minutes without startin to fall asleep - pretty much if I feel like I'm not getting to sleep on my own).
Surprisingly, 5 or 6 hours of uninterupted sleep is actually more refreshing than 8 or 9 with interuptions. It's hard with kids, but if your husband can take some nights where getting up with kids is his job, it might help.

I would talk to your doctor. Let him know you still aren't sleeping well and that you're nervous about becoming dependent on the ambien. It may be wise to do some other tests (someone mentioned thyroid) to rule out other issues.

I suffered for 10 years only sleeping 2 or 4 hours a night. It was hormone imbalance. Once I started on Natural Progesterone Cream I started sleeping through the night. Been sleeping since 2001 thanks to Arbonne's Prolief. My husband swears by the cream and he can use to help him sleep as well. Amazing how much better you feel when you get a good nights sleep.

Feel free to contact me for more information.
www.upwithwellness.myarbonne.com

I don't sleep well either, though my problem is anxiety. I have too much on my mind. I have been trying relaxation techniques, and they seem to help a bit. Good luck. Not sleeping is the pits.

I have had insomnia all my life. I now have nine children and I feel like I never sleep. UNLESS I am exercising daily. When I eat right, drink water and exercise enough to break a sweat (even just walking with kids in a stroller!) for at least 30 minutes a day, I can sleep. Another non habit forming idea is vitamin B12. Good Luck

Try simply sleep it is an OTC sleep medicine. It works for me, and I get up with my little one every night. It has no pain reliver in it like some on the market, and it is not supposed to be habit forming.

When my kids were little I had trouble sleeping too, I was just too aware. Taking drugs isn't a good idea if you can avoid it. Try getting a good work out early in the day, avoid caffine and foods with dyes and in the evening sip some chamomile tea. Two things I found very helpful were to write in a diary every night just to help clear my mind and practicing yoga relaxation techniques. The breathing associated with this is the way you breathe when sleeping an it relaxes you immediately.

Don't wait until you are so exhausted as being too tired causese insomnia as well. I had that issue when going through the divorce, I could fall asleep but would wake about 1am and not be able to settle back in. I would say talk to your Dr, you can bandaid it with meds herbal, OTC or even prescription but talking to your Dr about the causes and getting to the bottom of that may be your solution. Meditation, excersise during the day helps me a ton, I obviously don't do the meditate part often, but I find if I go to bed right when I am tired instead of pushing it, I sleep a lot better. Try and just clear your mind. I took Ambien before too, you shouldn't need it for more then a week then every other day, then once a week. It isn't habit forming as much as it is masking a problem that is deeper. If it is anxiety, maybe treating that would help.
There are things like melatonin that can help, but not proven to help everyone. I also would try herbal tea, that Sleepytime tea helps me relax before bedtime. Good luck and hugs, no sleep equals immunity being low, then depression can set it, it is just not good! Hugs!

Hi S.!

I have the same problem so I know how you feel. Ambien seems to work best for me too. I am not sure if you are aware or not, but they do make a generic brand for it now, and it seems to be just as effective and is much cheaper! Good Luck!

Have you tried other alternatives before going straight to the meds? Think about it, do you want to depend on this the rest of your life? Have you eaxamined your diet, like foods with caffeine and sugar etc. Also, are you exersizing? Exersize helps, my sister had sleeping issues and she started to run every day and it really helped her. Also, it sounds like you are getting nine hours of sleep, maybe you don't need that much sleep, maybe get up a little earlier, have you noticed your kids go to sleep easier when they get up earlier? I really encourage you to explore other ideas besides medication, like you said it is expensive! Good luck!

Hi S.!

I am so sorry to hear about your not being able to sleep! I also have trouble sleeping, so I use a tincture from Wishgarden Herbs called Sleepy Nights. It helps me get to sleep, I feel so much better rested when I use it, and never groggy in the morning. It was important for me to find something that didn't sedate me as I wanted to be able to be awake to tend to my daughter when need be. I have been so happy with this- I keep a bottle by my bed and take it whenever I need it. To read more about this, you can go to http://www.naturalchoices4baby.com/catalog.php?item=212 They also have a formula for pregnancy as well as for children.

I hope you find relief soon! Please let me know if you have any other questions!
H. Gaitten
www.naturalchoices4baby.com

Yuck!!! I used to wake up constantly...........

Try MON A VIE. It is a super antioxident juice made with 19 fruits, one being the acai berry that is so often talked about now. I am not sure the actual reason for it's ablility to help sleep, I do know that it has something to do with plant food being the only source of oxygen our cells can get. You don't get that from meat or anything else. Overall, it is just AWESOME for you, and I have been taking it for about 5 months now, and I feel pretty darn great. I can sleep a solid six hours not moving or waking up. And that was such a bonus for me. I have never slept well after having kids. Now I do! Check out the website, or if you know someone who is on it, go to them. www.monavie.com. It is a well worth investment.
LisaT

Hi S., I have this problem too. I generally fall asleep within about 20 mintues of going to bed, but if I get woken up, then that's it, I am up for hours tossing and turning. I recently spoke with my doctor about this and she recommended taking Benadryl. She said it sounds strange, but it isn't habit forming, and won't leave you groggy in the morning. I tried it last night and it seems to work (slept through the night just fine.) Another thing you can take is Unisom, but I have heard that that can leave you feeling a bit groggy the next day. Sometimes when I have woken up in the night, I will leave the room, and go and read a book for 15-20 minutes then go back to bed and that has worked really well too. Good luck.

Try taking benedryl. You can get it over the counter and it is not habit forming. Costco carries a genetic brand.

Definitely get into herbs. I googled herbal sleep and got a lot of ideas. Here is one site that outlines a few different herbs, there are many more.

There is a tea by Traditional Medicinals (look with the other teas at the grocery store) called Nighty-Night tea. Try taking that for a start.

The healthier you are the better you should sleep, and herbs are the best way I know of to get healthy. They are miraculous, but you should use your brain when you are using them.

http://www.sleep-deprivation.com/articles/sleep-disorder-...