# So, what is the real alternative to the Sleeping pills?



## Boris (Nov 18, 2010)

The resent &#8220;*Study Shows Risk With Sleeping Pills*&#8221;
By Danielle DellortoCNN

&#8220;CNN) -- Common sleep medications may be linked to a shorter lifespan, according to a study released Monday in the British Medical Journal.
Researchers compared 10,500 adults who took prescription strength sleep aids with people who did not. *Those who popped just one to 18 sleeping pills during the course of a year, had a 3.5 times increase risk of early death than those prescribed none. The increased jumped fivefold for people who took three sleeping pills or more per week.*
"After controlling for several factors, we saw the risk rose in tandem with the more doses people consumed," says Dr. Daniel Kripke, study author and psychiatrist at Viterbi Family Sleep Center in San Diego. "The mortality hazard was very high, it even surprised us."
But one sleep expert not affiliated with the study immediately sought to debunk the conclusions, saying it leads to unnecessary confusion to consumers.
"It is inadequate to try to associate someone who took as few as 5 pills a year at an increased risk of early death," says Dr. Russell Rosenberg, chairman of National Sleep Foundation and director of the Northside Hospital Sleep Medicine Institute in Atlanta.
The control group participants did not suffer from sleep problems, and the study did not control for psychiatric disorders. "Their methodology was flawed and their control groups compare apples and oranges," says Rosenberg.
Despite the limitations, researchers analyzed data several different ways--taking into account age, sex, weight and lifestyle--and the outcome remained the same. "More research is need to know exactly why sleeping pills are causing early death, but we believe the risks of taking sleeping pills outweigh the benefits," says Kripke.
In addition to risk of early death, participants taking sleeping pills had higher rates of asthma, cardiovascular disease, obesity and high blood pressure. Researchers weren't able to conclude if the sleeping pills specifically contributed to the increase.
"This study, while flawed because it has a relatively small sample size and does not fully address confounding variables, reminds us of that sleeping pills are not without risks and should be used cautiously," says Dr. Bryan Bruno, acting chairman from the Department of Psychiatry at Lenox Hill Hospital, who is not affiliated with the study. "Sleep hygiene education should be emphasized more so that sleeping pills could be used less often and usually avoided on a chronic basis."
If you sleep less than 7 hours a night on a regular basis, you are building up a sleep debt that could affect your health. Cognitive behavior therapy is more successful than medications to aid in sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
It's best to unwind for at least 45 minutes before going to bed. If your mind is racing, it's harder to fall asleep. This includes avoiding stimulants like watching television, surfing the web, talking on the phone, or even cleaning your house. Try reading a book or magazine until you feel drowsy.
"If you can't fall asleep in 20 to 30 minutes, get out of bed and do something boring in dim light until you feel sleepy," suggests Kripke.
Also, sleep in a dark space. This is particularly important for people who work shifts that force them to sleep during daytime hours. The contrast between light during the day and dark at night helps keep your body's natural rhythms in check and will help you sleep longer. Purchasing 'black out' blinds or even using dark garbage bags over the windows can help.
"There are no perfect solutions that can be applied for everyone who has trouble sleeping," says Rosenberg. "But treatment can be personalized to suit a person's work schedule and lifestyle."
Consult a sleep physician if you have three or more sleepless nights a week that persists more than one month, or have excessive daytime sleepiness or snore loudly&#8221; From: http://www.wptz.com/health/30557680/detail.html

*So, what is the real alternative to the Sleeping pills?*
In my opinion - Natural Honey! 
For centuries people know that Honey might work wonders on you insomnia with a glass of warm milk or with some varieties of herbal warm tea.
*NOTE: It is not too easy to find uncontaminated raw honey!*
Here you can see why: States expand efforts to combat 'funny honey&#8217; from 
http://www.beebehavior.com/honey_corn_syrup.php

*Useful link: Honey Helps Promote Restorative Sleep*
http://apitherapy.blogspot.com/2008/01/honeys-helps-promote-restorative-sleep.html

Boris Romanov


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## bajiay (Apr 8, 2008)

That is really interesting! My daughter has Sleep Phase Disorder and is on sleeping pills and melatonin right now. Honey, huh?


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Actually melatonin is safe, and some people use it for cancer as well as other diseases not just sleep. Alteril (sp) is an OTC supplement that carries melatonin, tryptophan, and Valerian all in one dose, and works really well.
Prescription anything, especially barbiturates, are not the best choice for sleep disorders.


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## Boris (Nov 18, 2010)

bajiay said:


> That is really interesting! My daughter has Sleep Phase Disorder and is on sleeping pills and melatonin right now. Honey, huh?


You can get excellent results from Honey in combination with these basic tips: &#8220;20 Tips for Better Sleep&#8221;
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-benefits-10/slideshow-sleep-tips

The picture below shows my favorites:








*Chamomile Tea for Sleep*
"For thousands of years, people have used chamomile tea medicinally. The tea and essential oil have been used for their calming effects and for insomnia relief.
One Japanese study of sleep-disturbed rats found that chamomile extract helped the rats drift off to sleep more quickly -- just as quickly as rats that got a dose of benzodiazepine (a tranquilizing medication). Better research of chamomile is needed, experts agree. *The FDA considers chamomile to be safe with usually no side effects.*
"Chamomile is safe as a tea," Plank says. "But the trick is to make sure you are brewing it properly. Use two or three teabags. Then put a lid on the pot to keep oils in the water -- so you get the medicinal effects of the tea."
A few cautions: If you have an allergy to ragweed, don't use chamomile. Also, don't take chamomile tea if you are pregnant as chamomile may act as a uterine stimulant. Plank also suggests you avoid chamomile when breastfeeding because its effect on nursing babies hasn't been well studied. And, obviously, you shouldn't use chamomile when driving as it may cause drowsiness.&#8221;
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-s...natural-good-sleep-tips-on-melatonin-valerian

Boris


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## bajiay (Apr 8, 2008)

She has had this problem for years and we have tried many, many OTC things. She was so sleep deprived and we were desperate, as to us trying the prescription med. What she is on is actually working, for now anyway. I still don't like her being on it though.


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## Boris (Nov 18, 2010)

bajiay said:


> I hope this info will be useful to you:
> 
> &#8220;These things do work in the short term, but *once people start using them as long-term social crutches, they do no good at all.*
> Our best decision was to take everyone off repeat prescriptions for them, so they had to be renewed fortnightly. That gave us the chance to explain to patients that there are lots of practical steps they can take to improve the quality of their sleep without medication.&#8221;
> ...


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## my3boys (Jan 18, 2011)

I have a cup of chamomile tea with a heaping teaspoon of raw honey every night before I go to bed. Works like a charm.

Chamomile tea also helps my dh with his acid relfux/sinus problems, although it took several days before he started to see results.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

I love chamomile. It's my favorite tea.
No body mentioned Bachs rescue remedy either. I love the floral essences, and they do work well. You can make up a mother from the bottle, and it would last for a long time. Sevent flower would be another possibility, but Bachs is a lot cheaper and doesn't come from China.


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## bajiay (Apr 8, 2008)

Daughter's meds have quit working again. So irritating! Anyone know what it's like to have a 15 year old with estrogen problems AND she doesn't sleep?!? 
some days I just want to run away...
But I can't imagine how she feels.

I hadn't thought of the Bach remedies to help her sleep. She doesn't like Chamomile.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Fifteen year old girls have estrogen dominance issues near the start of their periods. They need progesterone, not estrogen.


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## bajiay (Apr 8, 2008)

Hi mekasmom!
My daughter has a major estrogen issue. She has a genetic disorder where she creates wayyyyyyyyy too much estrogen. 

Talked to her sleep doc today and they are sending her to another sleep doc that takes the harder cases because they don't know what else to do with her. Hopefully he can help.


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## Lynx (Feb 25, 2012)

Exercise, get rid of sweets, caffine and all natural. Raw vegs. Alkaline diet. and a good detox to get rid of all those chemicals in the body. Try a lot of probiotics to help the gut.

James AKA Lynx.


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## Bookwyrm76 (Mar 11, 2012)

Boris said:


> If you sleep less than 7 hours a night on a regular basis, you are building up a sleep debt that could affect your health.
> 
> It's best to unwind for at least 45 minutes before going to bed.
> 
> ...


This is me. I have so much trouble falling asleep, I can't sleep well when I finally get there. Pretty much tried it all. Short walk, meditation, yoga, warm milk, honey, "sleeptime tea". relaxation therapy, quiet dark room, everything.

None of it worked. (Books especially don't work, sicne I can get into a story so easily, and stay up all night reading.)

So I saw my Dr.; who directed me to a sleep Dr. and they finally gave me a Rx for sleeping pills. 



bajiay said:


> She has had this problem for years and we have tried many, many OTC things. She was so sleep deprived and we were desperate, as to us trying the prescription med. What she is on is actually working, for now anyway. I still don't like her being on it though.


Your DD sounds like me. I delt with this stuff for YEARS (more like 13 or 14) before I broke down and saw a Dr. over it. If I don't take the meds, I am up and can't go to sleep.

It sucks I know, and I don't really like taking pills; but it works and I can finally sleep like a normal person.


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## Haven (Aug 16, 2010)

Take this for what it's worth as I have zero sleep issues, anyways, I recently read an article that said not being able to sleep is actually a symptom of another underlying health condition. It also mentioned a recent study that showed a reduced lifespan of those who regularly take sleeping pills; wether this is a result of the pills themselves, or the "underlying conditions" I don't know. Sorry I do not have a link to the article but if I remember where I read it, I will post it.


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## Judy in IN (Nov 28, 2003)

Peter Rabbit's mother gave him chamomile tea and sent him to bed. 

She was one smart bunny. 

Why are we not as smart as a rabbit? Oh, I know.....chamomile doesn't make any money for big pharma. You can grow your own.


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## Maverick_mg (Mar 11, 2010)

Another idea that I have used is hops flowers. If you sew a little pillow filled with hops flowers you can put next to your head on your pillow and breath in the hops pollen and it helps you fall asleep. You can even make it into a tea but I like the pillow better.


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

Lavender helps, too.

Bai, as your daughter is 15, does she have a cell phone? Kids tend to sleep with the darn thing under their pillow, and text half the night away. They never get into the deep sleep rhythms, because they're 1/2 awake waiting for that next text.


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## Boris (Nov 18, 2010)

Chixarecute said:


> ...Bai, as your daughter is 15, does she have a cell phone? Kids tend to sleep with the darn thing under their pillow, and text half the night away. ....


"Teenagers are a special breed, having to face all the challenges of being in an in-between stage of life; not quite a child anymore and not yet an adult. Along with an acceleration of social interests and activities, they also sustain accelerated physical growth and increased nutritional needs. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 90% of teen girls and 70% of teen boys aren&#8217;t getting enough calcium. Their bones are growing the fastest during the teen years and they need more calcium than at any other time of life. The calcium deficiency can translate into irritability, nervous tension, hyperactivity, and insomnia.

Adelle Davis was the first nutritionist to base her recommendations on scientific research studies. She says: &#8220;If these hyperactive kids were recognized as victims of malnutrition and given, instead of drugs, a completely adequate diet, especially high in calcium, magnesium, and vitamins B6 and D; the majority might soon be as relaxed as sacks of cotton, their minds far more alert, their energies restored to normal. I have seen it happen many, many times.&#8221;

To shed some light on teenage sleeping habits, a study was published in the April 2010 issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health. Researchers found that two-thirds of teenage high school students are sleeping less than they need to, when they actually need 9.5 hours of sleep. Danice Eaton, author of the study and a research scientist in Atlanta said, "&#8230;.Research (on teens) has shown that a lack of sleep can increase depression, negative physical health, headaches, poor school performance, school absenteeism and drowsy driving.&#8221;

*There is a correlation between electronics use and insomnia in teens. A study from the Journal of Pediatrics published a survey of Philadelphia-area teens. It was found that two-thirds had a television in their bedroom, one third had a computer, 90% had their own cell phone and 79% had a personal music device. "These technological devices activate the mind. It's like having a stressful work conversation just before getting into bed," said Dr. Jonathan Pletcher, at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. *

Dr. Pletcher *doesn&#8217;t recommend sleep medication for teens, saying that, "The risks for this age group far outweigh the benefits.&#8221;* He recommends shutting down the computer, TV, and cell phone well before bedtime and doing some relaxing and calming activities before bed. 

Due to a deficiency of crucial minerals at the teenage time of life, calcium and magnesium supplements can be an effective sleep remedy. One natural insomnia remedy that&#8217;s gaining in popularity for all ages is Sleep Minerals II from Nutrition Breakthroughs. It contains six forms of calcium, three forms of magnesium, boron, Vitamin D and Vitamin K, all combined in a rapidly absorbed softgel. 

One mother of a teenage son who was suffering with insomnia, was grateful to find Sleep Minerals II. She says: &#8220;Our son began to have trouble sleeping about a year and a half ago. He was up until 2:00 a.m., and then he got up at 5:00. This continued for quite a while. He was miserable and so were we. He&#8217;s an athlete and a student and we just couldn&#8217;t live like this.&#8221;

&#8220;We had spent hundreds of dollars on testing and supplements with a naturopath and it just didn&#8217;t work. I searched on the Internet and found Sleep Minerals II. I thought to myself, &#8216;I&#8217;ll give it a try, there&#8217;s nothing harmful in it&#8217;. Well, from the get-go it helped Mitchell sleep better. He&#8217;s been using it as a sleep remedy for some time now. He is sleeping well and is so happy and healthy. He&#8217;s a normal teenager again. I just can&#8217;t say enough about what this product has done for us.&#8221;

Besides supplementing with key minerals, there are additional tips to help teens sleep better. Here is a summary from the Mayo Clinic and National Sleep Foundation:

Consuming caffeine close to bedtime can interfere with one&#8217;s sleep, so avoid coffee, tea, soda pop and chocolate late in the afternoon. Nicotine and alcohol will also interfere with sleep.
Limit stimulating activities and the use of electronics right before bedtime.
Reduce extracurricular activities. Sometimes teens are overextended and participate in too many after-school activities, too late into the evening.
Practice relaxing and calming activities before going to bed. For example, do gentle stretches, take a warm bath, or read a pleasant book.
Make the bedroom a sleep haven. Keep it cool, quiet and dark. If needed, get eyeshades, earplugs, and blackout curtains. Let in the bright light in the morning to signal the body to wake up.
Get regular exercise during the day, but not closer than 3 hours before bedtime.
Establish a regular bedtime and wake-time schedule and stick to it, coming as close to it as possible on the weekends. A consistent sleep schedule makes it easier to fall asleep.
Let&#8217;s help our teens get the sleep and nutrition they need!"
From: Insomnia in Teenagers, Studies and Sleep Remedies

-------------------------
www.borisromanov.com


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## Boris (Nov 18, 2010)

Judy in IN said:


> Peter Rabbit's mother gave him chamomile tea and sent him to bed.
> She was one smart bunny.
> Why are we not as smart as a rabbit? Oh, I know.....chamomile doesn't make any money for big pharma. *You can grow your own*.


I support such approach. And I like Wild Chamomiles too. My property located in a watershed zone, controlled by DEP (Department of Environmental Protection). Therefore, there are many restrictions not only for the farmers, but also for all homeowners. 











In addition, thousands of acres of forest/fields have been preserved as state land.











In my area now is the time to collect some herbs












Unfortunately, we do not know what we are buying in stores. To sell herbs you don't need a FDA approval...

I will post more pictures here soon:
https://sites.google.com/site/insomniaalternativetreatments/

Boris Romanov


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

One thing you can do is no artificial lights after dark, especially TV and computer. Or at least wear blue blocker glasses and use "flux" on your computer. Get rid of all blue lights in bedroom and use blackout curtains.


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## davidj (Nov 2, 2005)

A real alternative to sleeping pills...

I'm not familiar with using honey; I use it for healing cuts and abrasions. I am familiar with chamomile, valerian, and hops. I'd also throw in scullcap, lemon balm, catnip, and passionflower. Depending upon what the root is, none of these may be effective though.


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## bajiay (Apr 8, 2008)

We finally found out that my daughter's sleeping issues have to do with her having a genetic hormone disorder. She creates way too much estrogen. Took her off of the sleeping pills, that had stopped working anyway, and put her on a herbal product to balance her hormones, and guess what?!?!!? Yeah, after two months, she sleeps like a normal person! Stupid hormones!!

We do not allow a tv in her room and we do not even have satellite or cable on our regular tv, so it is hardly ever watched. She does not have a cell phone or Ipod. She is limited to screen time on her laptop.

Hope you find a solution to your problem!


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## Boris (Nov 18, 2010)

bajiay said:


> ... Yeah, after two months, she sleeps like a normal person! ...


Good news...


My next favorite herb is Mint and I have different varieties of Mint/Melissa. 









My mint plantation

More pictures posted here:https://sites.google.com/site/insomniaalternativetreatments/

In ancient times people used mint tea to calm and to relax. 
I use mint tea for relaxation. Mint tea helps me to fall asleep very quickly.

&#8220;*Peppermint is used for*:
Brain and Nervous System Conditions
Â·eases anxiety and related conditions
Â·hysteria and nervous disorders, especially when combined with Wood Betony
Â·headache and vomiting due to nervous causes
Â·*insomnia*
Â·migraine
Â·nervousness&#8221; 
You can find more details here: Peppermint (Mentha piperita)

*Note:* Mint tea works oppositely to Viagra!

Boris Romanov
www.borisromanov.com


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## bajiay (Apr 8, 2008)

I grow mint too! Yours are prettier though!


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## mcsleg (Feb 24, 2013)

this is a very interesting thread but no one has brought up maintenance insomnia, which is what I live with. I can go to sleep anywhere but I wake up during the night or don't sleep deep enough to feel rested. I've tried valarian, melatonin, teas, have good sleep hygiene drink warm drinks with honey, exercise-no help. now I'm on sleeping pills which I'm not overjoyed about but I sleep. I still don't feel well rested in the am,actually I feel hungover for the most part. any one have any suggestions? thank you 


_Posted from Homesteadingtoday.com App for Android_


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## Boris (Nov 18, 2010)

mcsleg said:


> ... now I'm on sleeping pills which I'm not overjoyed about but I sleep. I still don't feel well rested in the am,actually I feel hungover for the most part. any one have any suggestions? thank you
> 
> _Posted from Homesteadingtoday.com App for Android_



Please remember this statement: "*Common sleep medications may be linked to a shorter lifespan.*.."
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/27/study-shows-risk-with-sleeping-pills-conclusion-criticized/

and therefore try to review these basic recommendations:
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-benefits-10/slideshow-sleep-tips

You also mentioned warm drink with honey. But unfortunately, "Tests Show *Most Store Honey Isn&#8217;t Honey*"
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/11/tests-show-most-store-honey-isnt-honey/#.UfUfUOc-bVF

Boris Romanov


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## Ceilismom (Jul 16, 2011)

mcsleg said:


> this is a very interesting thread but no one has brought up maintenance insomnia, which is what I live with. I can go to sleep anywhere but I wake up during the night or don't sleep deep enough to feel rested. I've tried valarian, melatonin, teas, have good sleep hygiene drink warm drinks with honey, exercise-no help. now I'm on sleeping pills which I'm not overjoyed about but I sleep. I still don't feel well rested in the am,actually I feel hungover for the most part. any one have any suggestions? thank you
> 
> 
> _Posted from Homesteadingtoday.com App for Android_


Have you had your thyroid and vitamin levels checked?


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## mcsleg (Feb 24, 2013)

it's frustrating because the doctor keeps saying everything is normal. my question is always normal for who? if I lived somewhere else where my choice was not so limited for drs I'd try another one. time to start searching for holistic drs in the area 


_Posted from Homesteadingtoday.com App for Android_


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## Nyxchik (Aug 14, 2012)

I have the same trouble sometimes... I keep a bottle of passionflower tincture by the bed and take a couple squirts if I wake up during the night. It's strong enough to work pretty quickly but doesn't give me a 'hangover' the next morning. It also works wonders on 'monkey-mind' when I can't relax.
~nyx


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## Dahc (Feb 14, 2006)

Years back I had to use sleep meds a lot but I wanted something natural. I've never encountered anything more effective than passionflower tea. I used enough to make my tea a bright green and would add a tbsp of sugar or honey. It tasted great and it was very, very effective.

I don't have sleep issues any more but I still keep a ton of passionflower growing out here.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

As someone that can wake up at 3AM or 4AM for _many_ different reasons, I can tell you that sleeping pills and even night-time pain relievers only make things worse. And I am talking about over the counter, not even prescription.

For me, first of all I need a comfortable bed. I like a bed as soft as a marshmallow, since otherwise my shoulders get sore. Add 1 or more pads that have memory foam and regular foam, as needed. I can not have any odd sounds, so I run a fan, year round. Snoring or birds at 4AM will wake me every time. I can not have any sudden light, so the curtains are closed with a blind to block out the rising sun. I need controlled temperature and humidity. Cold is OK and actually preferred provided I have enough blankets. I will even open our window in January (N. WI) a few hours before going to bed to cool things sometimes. I need a well-beaten up goose down pillow (not a new one), and a store bought poly pillow is equivalent to a block of cement for me. My feet need to be cool, but not frozen. My head needs a cool pillow, but a cold draft will give me a headache. If I am warm, take a cold shower enough to cool - as I warm up in bed I will be out like a light. Ibuprofen for an ache is OK, sparingly. Stress can and will wake me up - having my morning devotions and prayer at 3AM when I wake up is helpful. 

As you can see, sleep is tricky for me!


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## FarmChix (Mar 3, 2013)

Lavender is supposed to help you rest. That being said, I have taken herbal melatonin once or twice. I don't have a problem falling asleep--I just can't stay asleep. I wake up tired and stay tired. I have Epstein Barr syndrome, though, so I usually blame my tiredness on it all of the time.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I found a wonderful concoction that works for me. I'm a person whose nerves have been freyed over the years; so I've made many attempts to calm myself during the day, fall asleep at night, sleep thru the night, etc. Being up in years I also sleep for shorter periods of times, waking up often early, early mornings.

What I had been using to help was Xanax, then a variety of Rx sleeping meds and even some over-the-counter meds. I had difficulty with Xanax because of its habit-forming characteristics; thus, had to taper down, then increase, then taper down periodically all the time.

David started encouraging the growth of Passion Flowers in our garden, drying the flower parts to make extracts and drying the leaves for me to create tinctures. Last year I started using the tinctures weakened down throughout the day as a tea. I used it full strength at night about half an hour before retiring. When I started preparing an electrolyte tea (raw honey, ACV with mother, dash of Sea Salt with bit of Baking Soda) during the summer to ward off dehydration, I began mixing the two drinks off and on. 

Now I'm not taking any type of nerve pill or sleeping pill at all. I'm only using this Passion Flower and electrolyte; and I feel great most of the time. (Also, Passion Flower is not habit forming.)


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