I am looking for a great sleep specialist in SF, SD, or LA. I've already been through a Sleep testing center and I do not have any of the sleep apnea conditions. I've read tons of information on the subject and do all the right things before bed. Mostly I have a lot on my plate and I'm always thinking about something. I feel very tired at night, but I'm unable to sleep or sleep well. Need to consult someone who knows their stuff. Prefer homeopathic/ holistic help. Know a professional?

Have you tried exercise? Exercise is a great stress reducer. Try jogging, swimming laps or weight lifting, etc. If you have a YMCA where you live or work, it offers a great value.

I sure can relate. I do know the harder you try to sleep and the longer you will stay awake. When I have trouble sleeping I drink sleepy time tea or milk. Or watch some TV or get on the computer etc.Just do something you enjoy doing while you are awake. If none of that works mabie talk to your doctor. Maybe there something on your mind or something else going on. Hang in there when your body gets tired enough you will be able to sleep! Hope this helps!

I have this issue, too. My doctor prescribed Ambien. I take one every third night. If you take it every night, it will become ineffective. At least I get one good night's sleep every third night.

Have you tried hypnosis, California has them by the 1000's. What herbal teas have you tried before bed ?

Homeopathy offers certain herbal remedies. Pills containing dilutions in a 30x potency (which do not require a prescription) of Passiflora incarnata, Avena sativa and Valerian would be ideal for you, I think.

(which do not require a prescription)

Because it's water..

because it's water..?

No Sir!
Homeopathic dilutions do indeed give predictable biological effects of the herbs they contain.
Although it is difficult to find the actual herb in the progressive dilutions, it's effects are there.
The dilutions do not work merely as placebos.
As they say, "the proof of the pudding is in the eating"...

It would be my pleasure to demonstrate this, if there happens to be anyone you know, who needs such therapy and wishes to try it.

Incidentally, today I am using more than two thousand herbal dilutions, and they all give predictable results, even though I use them in combinations, not as single remedies (I am not a Homeopath, so I use them only for their biological actions, as described in Herbal medicine).

Depression can make sleeping difficult. Difficulty sleeping can make you depressed.

Once you have tried herbs and other natural means, and you should explore that route thoroghly, see if your doctor is willing to prescribe an anti-depressant.

The newer drugs, SSRIs (Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors)can help to relieve anxiety. The older tri-cyclics can be powerful sleep inducers. The same tricyclic has been putting me to sleep for years. It's not addictive and it doesn't quit working.

No Sir!
Homeopathic dilutions do indeed give predictable biological effects of the herbs they contain.

But they don't contain any herbs... right..

But they don't contain any herbs... right..?

Uptil dilution 30x (15C) they do.
Beyond dilution 200, they are difficult to detect.

I am a chronic insomniac as well and have gone through the battery of tests,to no avail.

I have found some relief with a few nighttime routines.

Reading before sleep can help to ease the daily worries and turn off the internal dialogue.

When trying to actually fall asleep,I make up stories or play some sort of alphabet game in my head. Vegetables staring with A or names with more than 8 letters,staring with A.It is a distraction and is so boring as to put one to sleep.

Sleeping alone is a must for me.The slightest movement or noise wakes me.

I also sleep with a fan in my room ,on high to block out any distracting background noise.

A cool room is also helpful for me.It was also recommended by a sleep specialist.

If you have been through this you know about no eating two hours before bed,no alcohol. No caffeine after noon if you have an 11:00 bedtime.

I used Ambien for a time and found it effective but was concerned about dependency.

I hope some of these are things you have not tried and will be successful for you.I understand the frustration and how the cycle of frustration compounds the problem.

Good Luck!

Uptil dilution 30x (15C) they do.
Beyond dilution 200, they are difficult to detect.

By my calculations, the concentration in a 30x solution is 6.02*10^{23}/1*10^{30} = 0.000000602 molecules/litre.

i.e. you would have to drink 1.66 million litres of the solution to statistically have ingested 1 molecule of active ingredient.

Is my maths wrong? What methods are used to detect such concentrations?

I'm sorry for taking over this thread - I'll look into creating a homeopathy discussion elsewhere.

hoightoider agrees: Art lady, all good points. Have you considered adding exercise to your daily routine?
Yes I do thank-you.
I walk daily for other medical reasons,hypertension and arthritis and I also do yoga and stretching.
I have bulging disks in my back that prevent me from any vigorous exercise. Thank-you for asking.

For stopping the brain chatter, I use mantras, Simple poems that I repeat over and over. Mantras in a language you do not understand can be especially effective.

I am a firm believer in using Melatonin tablets under the tongue at night. I have had chronic insomnia for 25+ years before I stumbled onto Melatonin. It is basically a hormone the body manufactures itself but as we get older this decreases. I take 3mg at night about an hour before I want to go to sleep. I get to sleep but I still wake up several times a night (same as I have done for 25+ years) but I am able to get back to sleep much easier. When your body starts getting used to the Melatonin you can get to sleep and stay asleep much easier. I've taken this hormone for over 2+ years now with no adverse reactions or addictions.

There is a book written about this called The Melatonin Miracle - Nature's Age-Reversing, Disease Fighting, Sex-Enhancing Hormone by Walter Pierpaoli, MD, PhD and William Regelson, MD. It was written by the men who researched and studied melatonin for years. This is beneficial to take the older you get. On the book's back cover it says - guarantees a good night's sleep as a natural, nonaddictive sleeping agent, boost the immune system, lowers cholesterol, prolong sexual vitality, ease stress and more. It was on the New York Times bestseller list for quite a while when it first was written back in 1995.

Read the book and then decide for yourself. I highly recommend reading it.

By my calculations, the concentration in a 30x solution is 6.02*10^{23}/1*10^{30} = 0.000000602 molecules/litre.

i.e. you would have to drink 1.66 million litres of the solution to statistically have ingested 1 molecule of active ingredient.

Is my maths wrong? What methods are used to detect such concentrations?

I'm sorry for taking over this thread - i'll look into creating a homeopathy discussion elsewhere.

This is not how dilutions work, as the number of molecules of an ingredient is not related to its actions.
The presence or absence of any detectable ingredient (even a single molecule of the substance) is not relevant, as the action of the ingredient gets transferred (so to say) to the diluent used, which usually is alcohol.

And no..... the effects seen are not due to alcohol, either.:)

A separate thread would be better, however, for further discussing this issue (which for me is a non-issue :rolleyes:)

Try and whined down an hour or so before bed... watch maybe a comedy which requires no concentration.

Don't drink or take anything which contains caffeine in before bed.

Make sure the air in your room is fresh, be sure and leave a window open.

You could also try VALERIAN ROOT... be sure and check with your doctor first though.

If all else fails... you could count sheep jumping over a fence or do what I do... bless everybody starting with each member of my family, followed by friends and so on... most of the time this works.

Sufferer for many years of insomnia

Goodluck

Thanks for the help everyone.

You may want to try doing yoga because it is so calming and relaxing. Sometimes our bodies are just so out of balance and yoga helps to restore the balance. For more information go to: http://myhealthessentials.blogspot.com/2008/12/yoga-pilates-for-good-health-and.html

Also you may want to cut out all the caffeine in your diet such as coffe, soda pop, chocolate, etc. Drink plenty of water instead.

Melatonin, Serotonin, and Tryptophan... Check out the info on line. Tryptophan is easy enough to get in turkey and milk. Melatonin is created by your brain when sitting in the dark (this is why people. Who get snowed in on a regular basis deal w/ depression. They feel tired and worn down after spending a great deal of time indoors away from sunlight.)

The human body creates Serotonin in reaction to tryptophan. As I said before, it CAN cause depression. Melatonin is not known so much for causing depression, as it is know for having a calming effect. I recommend Melatonin, if you're going to "self diagnose." If you're working w/ a doctor, they might be able to help you get on the right dosage of either one.

Hope this helped.

There's a great relaxation technique I use to relax and fall asleep at night, it might work for you, this was introduced to me by a counselor I used to see for anxiety.

Start with your feet and tighten/flex the muscles until they start to shake slightly (2-5 seconds usually), and then release. Do the same with your calves, thighs, butt, abs, arms, back, and finally your face (scrunch up tightly for a few seconds and then relase).
You can repeat this whole process a few times, but usually one or two will get me to the point of sleep.
This always does wonders for me and gets me really sleepy after only a few rounds of it!

Good luck! :)

I had this problem myself not too long ago...

I have found that the root cause of my problem was probably not getting enough sunlight. Try to get 2 hours of sunlight, preferably early when you wake up. Go outside, or put full-spectrum light bulbs in your room. Try to shine as much of this healthy light or sunlight on you in the morning --- it will emit serotonin; which is needed so that at night time it gets converted to melatonin, which is the powerful antioxidant emitted by the pituitary gland that helps you fall asleep.

Stores/online sell melatonin supplements. Natural source is best. You could try one of these to help, but it is not good for long-term use. Try to correct the problem instead of taking supplements or pills.

ElectroMagnetic Fields are a big factor too. I've heard of people turning off their circuit breaker in the house, and their bodies are less stressed and can go to sleep. EMF is an overlooked issue, I would try it. Also, move alarm clock or other appliances like cell phones away from you. Cell Phone use within the last 2 hrs before sleep can cause insomnia because the electromagnetic frequencies will disrupt the pituitary and you won't make any melatonin. --- I have a website educating people about EMF and its effects and how to be proactive - EMF411.com :: Informing the public about the dangers of EMF Radiation (http://LearnMore.EMF411.com)

Other factors - hormone imbalance - which you could correct the mineral deficiency in your body so you'll produce correct hormones.

Also, resolve emotional issues. I use the Emotion Code healing method by Dr Bradley Nelson (http://www.DrBradleyNelson.com), and/or Emotional Freedom Techniques by Dr Gary Craig - You can Download a free manual here (http://www.emofree.com/a/?1360/1)

Also consider: Bad food/evaluate diet, or toxins in your body, toxic overload - parasites, poisons emitted more at night and can keep you up, also check for structural imbalances.

It's can be a combination of things, but also can be more one thing being the largest factor.

Correct hormone imbalances with minerals; www.gratitudehealing.info (http://www.gratitudehealing.info)

I agree with gritsonadmission, holisticdr and 'winding down'

Homoeopathy can indeed cure insomnia. I'm not going to start debating about how a substance diluted beyond avagadros constant can be effective since that's not what this thread is about and that's an old chestnut.

I would point out that homoepathy and herbalism are two completely different disciplines for anyone who is confused. Homoeopathic remedies can be potentised from many substances not just those from the plant kingdom.

I would strongly advise you not to just try any homoeopathic remedies that are supposedly good for insomnia. You need to see a practitioner who will prescribe for you to match your symptoms and possibly constitution exactly.

Sorry I can't recommend a specific practitioner to you as I live in the UK. The RSH provides details of homoepaths throughout the country here. The best I know of in the USA is NASH but I'm not sure the coverage is as good there.
Here's the link in case they can help.

North American Society of Homeopaths (http://www.homeopathy.org/directory.html)

In terms of herbalism not homoepathy:
Herbs such as wild lettuce, valerian, passiflora, and hops can help in the short term.

I would also endorse the reccomendation for EFT or indeed acupuncture. EFT is basically acupuncture without the needles.

I would note though that it is not recommended that you use EFT or acupunture at the same time as homoeopathy.

Reflexolgy or massage are other options. Also indian head massage.

Finally, osteopathy or sacro-cranial therapy can also be very beneficial to sleep problems.

Gaba or γ-Aminobutyric acid, it is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. So what it does is slow down you thinking. You can get it at health food stores and sometimes at body building stores. Look it up on Google or read about it in wikipedia. I take it and it really helps me get to sleep, especially when I can't quit thinking.

There are many causes of insomnia however stress, anxiety and depression are the main ones. If you are not taking anything for it at the moment then I would suggest a herbal formula for sleep, there are many different brands but most of them help calm the nerves and relax the mind and body making it ready for sleep. I suggest you go for herbs such as passionflower, hops, lemonbalm, ziziphus, but I don't often recommend valerian as it works for some but not for others and can give undesired effects such as nightmares. Try for at least a week each night and if you don't get results then you could try taking a suppliment of calcium and magnesium before bed as these minerals also help with sleep and stress. Avoid any stimulants in the evening such as the obvious coffee, tea, chocolate, but also any refined sugars. Hope this helps:)

Take a few drops of oil (sesame/mustard) & massage your soles just before u go to bed. Heat the oil (lukewarm) for even better results. It works wonders! Have a GOOD SLEEP!!

If your really tried it all, you ever have Mercola's Sleep suport? I think it is what you exactly need.