Insomnia - any remedies that WORK??

[Gaining Strength]

Here's one site with some info.  I also Googled Insomnia +magnesium +epsom and got lots of concurrance.

http://www.sleepremedy.com/herbal-remedies/sleepremedy/insomnia-remedies
Magnesium is a mineral that affects every organ in the body. Among its most important functions, is the activation of enzymes that contribute to the production of energy. Magnesium’s main role. however, is as a constituent of bone. It assists in the transmission of nerve impulses and is also important for muscle contraction. It is also an important regulator of other nutrients in the body. It is an essential co-factor for about 90 enzymes which will function properly only when magnesium is present. Most people in the Western world do not get enough of this important mineral in their every day diet. Excess amounts of coffee, salt, alcohol and sugar can also deplete one’s levels of magnesium. Insomnia is a sign of magnesium deficiency.

[SilverLining]

I'm glad to find some new ideas about this form of insomnia, which I have been dealing with for years.   It started about 15 years ago, when I would wake up automatically after about 4 hours of poor sleep and not be able to fall back to sleep until maybe an hour before I had to get up.  FWIW my physician concluded it was a symptom of depression and prescribed Prozac plus a sedative, which seemed to work for the short term but was a failure long term. 

Some of things I have done which seem to have helped quite a bit:

Avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, sugar.
Vitamin/ mineral supplements
Daily exercise and stretching
Exploration of psychological issues related to my FOO.  Realization of these problems seems to have calmed me down quite a bit.  Maybe I'm not so stressed by the search for my "real family" the way I was during my early adulthood.

It now seems to be a more seasonal short term thing.  The change of seasons seems to throw me "out of whack" for awhile.  I often have a bout of insomnia going into late Fall.  Maybe it's intensified by realizing the holidays are coming and I probably have to endure the FOO again

   

[JanetLG]

tjr100,

Thanks for your list - I have found that most of those work for me too (only I am very averse to drugs for ANYTHING, and wouldn't ever touch something like Prozac).

I have just bought a SAD lightbox to help with regulating my circadian rhythms, as I tend to get that 'depressing' kind of feeling in the Autumn, and this seems to be working to relieve it. I can set it up next to my computer, and carry on working just the same, with this bright light shining on me for 45 minutes per day. Very easy to 'fit in' to my routine, and has very good reviews, so I think it's going to help.

Janet