Natural Ways to Treat and Cure Insomnia
Though sleeping pills can bring some relief initially, the dangers associated with it far outweigh it’s benefits. A holistic approach involving analyzing the state of mind, dietary habits and lifestyle can give permanent relief. The following natural remedies have helped me a lot in overcoming my insomnia and I believe will help you too in getting a deep, peaceful sleep day after day.
- Meditate for 15 minutes or so before going to bed. Majority of the sleep problems is due to the inability of our mind to be able to relax and be in the present moment. In one study conducted, the researchers found that our mental state during bedtime determined the levels of cortisol (stress hormone) in the blood the following morning. So those who were stressed during bedtime had high levels of cortisol compared to those with a blissful state of mind prior to sleep. So if you spend your bedtime planning and worrying about the next day, your mind dutifully obliges by staying busy throughout your sleep! Meditation is only way you can keep your mind under control. Therefore the more you meditate, the less busier your mind will be and the more restful your sleep will be. It’s that simple.
- As far as possible, go to bed by 10 p.m. According to Ayurveda and research, it is easiest to fall asleep and the quality of rest is deeper if we go to bed before 10 p.m. You must have experienced it yourself. If you take up any stimulating activity like talking to a friend or watching an interesting movie after 10 p.m you may find your sleep disappear and also unrefreshing.
- An exception to above rule, go to bed only when you feel drowsy. Going to bed before feeling sleepy can create anxiety regarding arrival of sleep, the major cause of sleeplessness. If you don’t fall asleep within half an hour of going to sleep, wake up and meditate or read a book. The same is suggested for those who find themselves awake in the middle of the night. Don’t fret or fight to get sleep. Any effort to get sleep will only make it worse. Remember that a calm, relaxed and peaceful mind is the best facilitator for a deep, restful sleep.
- Follow the time tested rule of having a king-size breakfast, a medium-sized lunch, and a small dinner. Having heavy meals prior to bedtime puts stress on the digestive system and prevents you from having deep sleep. A light diet rich in carbohydrates like bread or cereals is the most recommended. Unless milk products causes distress to you, the age old remedy of having a glass of milk prior to bed-time does indeed facilitates better sleep. Fatty and oily foods, sweets, ice-creams are stimulating and difficult to digest, so avoid them.
- If you find yourself worrying over the onset of sleep, listen to calm soothing music or some audio books to distract yourself. One of the main reasons Insomniacs find it hard to fall asleep is because they think too much about sleep.
- Drink lots of water. According to Chinese medicine waking up many times during the night can be due to weakness of the Jing which is stored in the kidneys. Drinking plenty of water flushes out toxins and help support the kidneys. However, minimize your intake of water after 6 pm to prevent sleep disturbance due to need for urinating.
- Massage your body with oil 1-2 times a week prior to having a bath. Oil massage is an effective way to de-stress. Apart from de-stressing and relaxing, it offers host of benefits like elimination of toxins from the body, lubricate joints, improve complexion and relieve fatigue and increase energy levels.
For most people, sesame oil will do. However, some may find it a bit hot. They can use coconut oil instead. One can even add few drops of aromatherapy oils to enhance the experience. An herbalist can specify the right blend depending on your constitution.
Warm the oil a bit. Not on direct flame! Heat little water in a wide bottom dish and then place the oil container over this water to heat the oil. Massage the oil all over your body with circular motion over flat areas like abdomen and chest and straight strokes for arms and legs. Let the oil stand for at least half and hour and then have a warm shower.
- Limit your intake on chocolates, colas or foods containing caffeine prior to bedtime. Caffeine stimulates your brain and makes it difficult for you to fall asleep. Same is the case with smoking.
- Exercise regularly. As exercising increases alertness and raises body temperature, doing it around 4 hours before time makes the body temperature fall down during sleep, facilitating faster sleep. However, exercising close to bedtime can stimulate you and disrupt your sleep patterns.
Too vigorous (to exhaustion) exercises must also be avoided. Our body recharges and repairs itself during sleep and the more vigorous and demanding your exercise, the better sleep you need for your body to recharge to its optimum. But as sleep is poor in insomniacs, their body cannot recharge itself and if the routine is continued, fatigue can result in.
Update:
Here are some more natural remedies collected from various sources that will help you sleep better:
- Ensure that the room you sleep in has adequate ventilation and is peaceful.
- Do a small prayer before retiring to reduce stress.
- Reading good, inspiring books will help you sleep better.
- Two drops of sesame/castor oil applied to foot and eyelids will make you sleepy.
- A blue colored bed lamp will calm the brain and induce peaceful sleep.
- Certain classical music ragas like Bhairavi can work wonders on hard core insomniacs.
- Soak your feet in warm water for ten minutes before retiring.
- Take deep breaths. With each breath you inhale, smile and imagine you breathe in happiness and positive energy, and with each outgoing breath imagine you are exhaling stress, worries and tension.
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Comments
abel — March 20, 2007 @ 1:46 pm
hey thanx for the advise i am 15 years old and i dont want to take pills or anything like that cause it could be harmfull to me and thanx i will try these escersizes for better sleep and i need it
Milly — July 31, 2007 @ 12:48 am
Thank you so much im only 12 and i have real trouble getting to sleep i may be up till 4 am still trying to get to sleep and i think all theses tips will help!!
Uzo — September 9, 2007 @ 7:37 am
I find it hard to sleep and when i finally get to bed at 12.30, i wake up at 2am. i will try these alternative remedies as i have heard they work better.
Jiayi — September 25, 2007 @ 8:56 pm
I’m only 16 years old and I’m currently suffering from insomnia. Thank you for sharing these tips (: Hope that it will help me in getting me to sleep, especially when I took sleeping pills that doesn’t help at all.
Nicole — October 5, 2007 @ 8:46 pm
I can’t believe how many young people suffer from insomnia!! it makes you realise what stress they must be going through at school. anyway i’m 35 and don’t get to sleep until about 4am and then have to get up at 6.30 for my kids. think too much, worry too much, am used to getting up all night for babies in the past. will try the castor oil & meditation and see what happens!
Catherine — November 27, 2007 @ 9:57 pm
Meditation helps me falling asleep, and the basic steps to meditation are
1- Let go of your thoughts, emotions, mind activities
2- Concentrate on the breath closely as it comes and leaves your body
3- Forget who you are, your history, when and where you come from. Note any thoughts that come up and watch it goes.
Vishal — November 28, 2007 @ 8:58 am
Thanks for stopping Catherine. Meditation is indeed one of the most effective ways in dealing with insomnia. The reason it doesn’t appeal to the masses is because the results are not instant. We are used to quick fixes now and hence sleeping pills are so popular.
Marv — January 6, 2008 @ 11:54 am
I am but 14 years of age and have insomnia..I guess I’ve had it for a while, probably since I was 6 or 7. However, and those times, it wasn’t to bad, I’d stay up for about an hour tops, but then again, for a little 7 year old, an hour trying to sleep feels like a lifetime! Anyways, I will try these cures, what troubles me however, how do people meditate? How can you think of nothing? I know what it is to meditate, but to do it, it’s hard? To not think of nothing, when ever I try, I just picture a pitch black endless hole but somehow, that will remind me of something and eventually I will be thinking of that!, its to much! If anyone, ANYONE can give me tips to meditate or something else, thank you. The nights I go through are too much, torture. Before I use to be able to sleep at least 4-5 hours a night, but now its 2-3 hours, and then there are the sleepless nights that occur every now and then. And the nights I am able to sleep for 7-8 hours, when I wake up, it’s as if I slept nothing, I don’t feel recuperated at all, I have no energy. I will try these tips and hope they work, and again, please someone tell me some tips on how to meditate. Thank you my fellow insomniacs.
Vishal — January 6, 2008 @ 2:49 pm
Hi Marv,
One of the easiest ways to meditate it to be aware of your breath. Sit in a comfortable position and for first 5-10 minutes, take deep breaths. Take in deep breaths and exhale slowly, about the same time (or more) as inhaling. Imagine you are inhaling positive energy and happiness and exhaling stress and negative energy. With each breath, you are becoming more and more calm and relaxed.
After 5-10 minutes, when your mind is fully relaxed, just let go and watch your breath around the rim of your nostrils. Don’t try to do anything. Don’t concentrate or struggle. Just watch - incoming, outgoing, incoming, outgoing.
Thoughts will arrive, but be watchful. Don’t identify with them. Just make a note that you were thinking. The moment you watch your thoughts, they’ll disappear. And then again bring your awareness back to your breath.
You have to sit as long as you can without much discomfort. Preferably half an hour both in the mornings and in the evening.
Meditation before bedtime is also excellent but it should not be a substitute to your regular practice. The reason is you can’t sit for long to meditate when you are drowsy. You will fall asleep pretty soon.
Another important point to keep in mind is that your meditation practice is not just limited to these sitting practices. They are just preparatory exercises to make you more and more aware in your day to day activities. The goal of meditation is to be aware and to be conscious of whatever you do, each and every moment. Walking, bathing, brushing, eating. Just watch and be aware. Whatever you do, do it consciously and with complete awareness.
The moment you get up to the time you sleep, you have to make a persistent effort to be aware and conscious. And don’t expect anything out of it. The moment you expect, it’s not meditation. Meditation is just being what you are, how you are.
I suggest you read the book “Awareness - The Key to Living in Balance” by Osho to help deepen your thirst for meditation.
Also check out these videos, especially Awarefulness. Please register at the site, login and then watch the videos. Else, you’ll be provided with only excerpts and not full version.
Peace and happiness,
Vishal
Belinda — February 5, 2008 @ 5:22 am
I think you can never be sure whether there are actually more young people visiting the site, more young people leaving a message or actually lots of young people suffering from insomnia!
A lot of you teenagers out there need not to worry about insomnia too much! Because some scientific research shows teenagers have a different sleep cycle to mature adults. Teenagers are more alert at night than adults. This could mean it is perfectly natural for many of you to find it hard to ‘have an early night’. And it is also hard to wake up in the early morning. (I’m 23 and I still can’t wake up.) This could be part of your biology. Now you have an excuse to be late for morning class! Anyone wants more information about the different ‘Circadian Rhythm’ in teenagers read this article in the new scientist: http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/mg19125672.000-teenagers-lost-in-time.html.
And if you can’t sleep at night and you wake early in the morning and your weight fluctuates, or you feel tire all the time and you not really interested in any activities, then you may have depression.
Also for anyone who has a disturbed circadian rhythm (or internal body clock), due to irregular lifestyle, and find it hard to go to sleep and wake up when you should; I recommend exposing yourself to bright sun light in the morning. That helps reset your body clock.
Vishal — February 5, 2008 @ 10:03 am
Scientific researches keep on changing! You have to use your wisdom. Teenagers are more alert not only during night time but also during day time as their brain is more active than the adults. We must understand that we are not night animals. Our biological clock and circadian rhythm is programmed according to the sun. If you observe your body, it automatically gives you a signal of drowsiness between 9-10 pm, letting you know it’s time to wind up. But the present generation lifestyle (late night parties, discos, television) simply ignores the call and goes on. The result is heightened activity after the drowsiness wears off. Prolonged abuse eventually puts the circadian rhythm out of rhythm. So how can you expect to wake up early when you can’t sleep early at night?
So it’s not just exposing to sunlight in the morning but also listening to your body and winding down early at night.
sasha — February 28, 2008 @ 6:15 am
i read all these things and they seem to be very posotive. ive had sleeping problems on and off agian my whole life and im only 15. I feel when i go to sleep im thinking about sleep and getting distressed when i cant fall asleep. I will try this tonight and i hope it will work because exhuastion is not a great thing to deal with. I also dont want to take medication because i think it will be harmful to my body and i dont want to become dependent on it.. i want sleep to come natural.
thank you agian
Janice — March 3, 2008 @ 11:47 am
I am 12 years old and I suffer from severe insomnia. I usually get 2-3 hours a sleep a night. I’ll try these tips and hopefully they’ll help.
Evelyn — March 27, 2008 @ 1:52 pm
My daughter is 13 y/o and is suffering from insomnia for the past month or so. She’s barely been able to assist school because she’s so tired. Doctors ran lab tests thinking it was hyperthyroid, but they came back normal. I’ll definitely try some of these remedies. I’ve also heard that eating bananas before bedtime is good because the potassium levels help in clearing the mind and making you sleepy.
Vishal — March 27, 2008 @ 2:19 pm
Bananas may help, but if your daughter’s digestive system is weak, then it may cause heaviness and disrupt sleep. Our body stores all the minerals and vitamins it requires, so having a balanced and nutritious meals throughout the day helps more than eating a very nutritious meal only at night. Meditation is the best way to get peaceful sleep and health.
Jaclyn — June 9, 2008 @ 11:24 am
HI, I’m 13 and I think I might have insomnia. It’s 1:02am as I write this and even though I know what my problem is, I still can’t get to sleep. For the past three days I have had maybe 4hours of sleep. I have to babysit every night for my autistic brother and he wakes up at the oddest of times. When school is in session, I have to get up at 5:30 every morning to get dressed then wake my lil sister and brother up. After getting them fed, dressed and on the bus. I have about 10minutes before I have to wake my older sister. After I try and get her to wake up after about 20minutes, my mom comes home and I leave the job to her. During that time, I brush my hair, teeth and shower. I am usually up until about midnight each night dealing with my brother and sometimes sister. I am awake until about 5am now and sleep until about 10am, if that.
If anyone has any tips on how to deal with my brother, this stress, and my nonsleepiness. I would greatly appreciate it.
Vishal — June 9, 2008 @ 3:14 pm
I don’t know what to say Jaclyn. I’m amazed at the responsibilities you are shouldering at this age! I’m sure it’s the anxiety and stress that’s taking a toll on you. Please practice meditation and do some breathing exercises like Kapalbhati to clear the backlog of stress.
Jaclyn — June 10, 2008 @ 6:00 am
Thank you Vishal. I will be sure to try these. I am going to be babysitting once again today but will have help from my sister, which is good because my younger sister is back from my dads. Maybe the breathing exercises will help me from yelling at them. THnak you once again
Ashleigh — July 9, 2008 @ 9:10 am
Hi. I’m 13. I have been under a great deal of stress and ive been sad alot. This has been resulting in me not sleeping.. These tips work. Because i cant take sleeping pills because im too young, But i definately use these tips all the time.
THANK-YOU.
Vishal — July 9, 2008 @ 9:53 am
Ashleigh, I’m glad these tips are working for you. No matter what age you are, it’s never advisable to take sleeping pills, unless it’s absolutely necessary, for a short duration of time. The dangers of sleeping pills far outweigh their benefits (if any at all).
Kristin — July 10, 2008 @ 11:29 am
thank you so much for these tips. i am going to try all of them. i am an insomniac. the latest i have stayed up is 12:00PM in the afternoon. i kno, pretty bad. i an going to try EVERY SINGLE TIP till i fall asleep ^.^
cameron — August 13, 2008 @ 3:17 pm
I’m 17 years old and i suffer massively from depression and insomnia. I seem to sit in bed and just do nothing for 2-4 hours. I wake up, and i usually sit in bed for another 2-3 hours because my body aches. I don’t work out extremely hard, or really at all but i do feel pain and exhaustion anyways. any comments would help
Vishal — August 13, 2008 @ 3:49 pm
Hi Cameron,
I’ll tell you about a simple but profound technique. It’s called 61 points relaxation technique. It’ll take 20-30 minutes. Doing it prior to sleep will guarantee you deep, restful sleep. Here’s the link:
http://www.swamij.com/yoga-nidra-method4.htm
Sarah — October 9, 2008 @ 11:16 am
I cannot tell you how much mono sucks. It’s twelve at night right now and i have the energy that i should be feeling at twelve in the afternoon. . . i practically feel nocturnal lol. thanks for the tips. i’ll be sure to try them.
Ryan — October 14, 2008 @ 10:37 am
Man, I’m 15 and I’ve tried it all. None of it works for me, Earliest I go to bed is around 3am, and even then im awake for half an hour to two hours before i sleep. Pills don’t work on me either.
Ryan — October 14, 2008 @ 10:39 am
Also important fact, I have clinical depression (have pills for) acid reflex, post traumatic stress, really bad seperation anxiety, and social anxiety. Any tips would help
Vishal — October 14, 2008 @ 4:18 pm
Have you tried meditation Ryan?
sara — October 26, 2008 @ 9:00 am
hey so anyway im 18, and i think ive tried some of these tips but nothings working! i cant even get and hour or 2 of sleep a night. my only help is to take pills but even those kick in maybe 4 hours after i take them and the second the time-span it says it will work for is up, im awake again! sometimes i’ve gone even 52 hours without sleep and i think its starting to get bad for my health if i refuse to take pills… any ideas?
Ryan — October 26, 2008 @ 9:53 am
oh well i think ill be fine, im on 5 new prescriptions that are suposed to cure it all
Aaron — November 4, 2008 @ 1:41 pm
I’ve been suffering insomnia for as long as I can remember, and I’m only 16 :/
I can’t go to sleep witout music, but even with music it takes me until about 5 am to fall asleep. Then I wake up (myself, no alarmclock) at 8-9am. I wake up fine, but am totally spent by the end of the day.
It does have advantages though, I get most of my homework done at night, and other things I have to do.
But- I notice my quality of work steadily decline along with my amount of sleep. Like right now it’s 12:22, I’ve been up since 6, and I’m dead tired. But I can’t go to sleep :/
I tried meditation and while it did help me relax, it didn’t help me sleep!
My internal clock’s forever broken..
Vishal — November 4, 2008 @ 4:29 pm
Aaron, the goal of meditation is indeed to relax. And the quality of sleep improves once you are relaxed. However, using meditation with a desire, like need to fall asleep, defeats the entire purpose. Here’s my sincere suggestion:
* Forget about sleep. Yes forget about it. Don’t think about sleep at all.
* Don’t do any mental work after 8 pm. Just relax. If you feel energetic, go for a short walk. Let the pace be relaxed and not brisk.
* Have dinner by 8 pm. Walking after that is double beneficial.
* Sit for meditation when you feel little drowsy. But don’t think about sleep.
It’ll take some time to reprogram your internal clock (as it’s been a long time) but it’ll definitely happen. Trust me.
The key here is to RELAX and slow down your mind.
god — November 12, 2008 @ 4:51 am
I am 43years old and i am suffering from insomnia since age of 10 and still cant sleep at all.I gets headach,tired,look older than my age.I have tried everything but no success.Living without any energy and motivation.Could not found any permanant cure for my chronic insomnia.
Jayanth — November 21, 2008 @ 7:01 pm
Dear,
Sir,
Inititally i had depression i could not control my thoughts so i went to a physciatrist his therapy is like he induces energy .But once after going to him i lost my natural ability to sleep.It is now 1year since i am facing this problem.
I tried homeopathy medicnices and allopathy medicines but they were of no use .As homepathy being the best way to cure the problems am still using them .
My idea is to take homeopathy medicines so that i dont worry about sleep .Because i know i will get sleep.once i start sleeping i will parallely start meditation will that really help.
As far as my knowledge is concerned its only because of anxiousness about sleep i am unable to sleep .Will meditation solve my problem i have great will to meditate come out of this problem .
How much time does it take to restore normal sleeping pattern ?
please suggest me.
Will meditation help me?
Vishal — November 22, 2008 @ 11:37 am
> As far as my knowledge is concerned its only because
> of anxiousness about sleep i am unable to sleep .Will
> meditation solve my problem i have great will to
> meditate come out of this problem .
You are absolutely right Jayanth. Anxiousness is the root cause of sleeplesness in majority of cases. Just forget that you have sleep problems. Read books or listen to music (no televsion, computers, talking on telephone or chatting) before retiring till you feel drowsy.
Once you are drowsy, just lie down and relax. Relax and feel different parts of your body. Your legs, arms, stomach and so on… Be at total peace. Then just think about all the things that you are grateful for in your life. Express heart-felt gratitude to god for them. Practice this exercise every time you go to sleep.
On how much time does it take to restore your sleeping patterns, it depends on how conditioned you have become to your present problem. The more conditioned you have become, the more time it’ll take. Or in other words, the more easily you can stop thinking about your sleep problems, the faster your recovery.
Meditation will definitely help you a lot. But don’t use it as a tool to cure your problem. Instead, appreciate and enjoy meditation for the bliss and peace it brings to you. Your problems will only dissolve when you stop thinking about them. As long as you think about them and resist them, they’ll continue to exist.
Jess — November 23, 2008 @ 10:08 am
Meditation is definately the key. I’ve suffered insomnia (or bursts of it) rather chronically for many years. I began using meditation (creative visualisation) to assist me and others in sleeping and it does work. For the most part. You will find if you are overly anxious, you need to try the meditative breathing technique.
The first thing you need to do before trying anything meditative is ensuring your environment is suited to your sleeping needs.
For example, I require all of this:
- As little outside noise as possible, unless it is music or a fan (I use a fan as music keeps my brain too active) to drown out other noises such as the dog moving around in his basket or the wind moving a door.
- No light in the room. Pitch black. Thick curtains, lights off, led lights covered, or something to cover your eyes.
- Water by my bed. I’m OCD about this.
- Use the toilet before bed or you’ll wake up needing to pee.
- Clean bedding. Sheets, pillow case etc.
- Make sure your mattress is turned over regularly so you don’t suffer a sore back. I suffer back pain quite a bit.
- Make sure your room temperature suits you. Not too hot or cold.
- Shower or a bath before bed can work.
- Eating no more or less than an hour before bed. Perhaps a cup of chamomile tea before bed, banana or warm milk (but 30 min before bed. Not just before).
The list goes on I’m afraid. I’m dreadfully OCD about this stuff.
Once you’ve got all that down, you can use hypnagogia to get to sleep with your meditation. Close your eyes and either make up stories in your head…fantasy tales or whatever you like, but I don’t recommend anything scary or erotic or you won’t be able to sleep.
To see visions, make out the black space in your eyes when you close them. A black void. You may see swirls, colours, patterns etc, sometimes the odd fleeting image. Try and focus on these images as they transform into others. Form landscapes in your mind, make it as fantastical as you like. Trying too hard to make them will keep your brain too active however, so make an attempt to just follow the images’ natural courses. Eventually you may be flying through landscapes and such.
Eventually you may slip into a fragmented REM phase…but it should get you to sleep providing you are comfortable and nothing outside is going to jerk you out of your sleep. This sort of meditation is very fun for the most part as long as the images are not scary.
If they become scary, open your eyes and get out of bed. There may be other issues in your life causing you to see frightening things.
——-
This does work for me on some occasions. Not all, but it is certainly a method I encourage people to try, even if it is just making stories up in your mind’s eye.
You do need to sort out your sleeping patterns (circadian rhythm) and waking problems that cause your anxieties however or you will forever be struggling with sleep. I’ve found that occasionally using these techniques I can get a few nights’ good sleep, even if it is just 5 hours.
I could go on for hours about my experiences and hope they help everyone here, but I think this will do for now. Good luck and sweet dreams!
morgan — November 29, 2008 @ 9:22 am
i am 16 years old and i suffer from insomnia. i have cross country practice every day until about six, and then i come home and do homework until about 11 at night. then, when i lay down to go to bed, i lay there for at least 3 hours. i go through breathing techniques, meditation, music, and reading, but nothing helps. and, once i fall asleep, i usually wake up at least twice a night. then it is school again at 5:30. i dont have time to get a full night sleep, but the little time i do have between 11 and 5:30 is wasted laying awake in bed. i cannot take sleeping pills, so i need a natural solution. please help me. i cannot even function anymore, im too tired.
Jess — November 29, 2008 @ 12:10 pm
Morgan - exercising and doing homework just before bed is likely a cause. Stimulating your mind like that is going to keep it extremely active. Try having a bath with some aromatherapy (something nice smelling in the bath, or just a warm bubbly bath) after the homework - it’ll take 30 minutes of the time you’d spend lying awake anyway (since you obviously can’t quit cross country or homework). See if that helps! Better to get 4-5 hours sleep than none, even though at your age you need a lot more.
Vishal — November 29, 2008 @ 2:57 pm
I agree with Jess. Try to refrain from any mental activity at least 1 hour before bed time. Just relax.
haseeb pasha — December 21, 2008 @ 10:23 pm
my good heaven best thing is to meditate or read any holy chants before goin to bed or while rersting it gives soothing effect aswell as induces sound sleep hopefully
Gaz — February 6, 2009 @ 2:50 am
hi, I have a problem with my sleep, it seems no matter how early i go to bed, I wake up unrefreshed in the morning, often I start to fall asleep around 10 am at my desk in work and also later in the afternoon, I often sleep for a good 8 - 10 hours but am always tired, i do wake several times in the night but not always and not usually for long. I am feeling more and more depressed as it is very hard work just to get through the day at the moment, Do you have any suggestions?
Francheska — March 16, 2009 @ 6:10 pm
Hi,
I am 20 yrs old and I am suffering from insomnia I been through some of these tips but not are working… Its 8:50am and still no sleep…drinking sleeping pills and nothing been through 4 diff sleeping medications already, its been happening for a month already…. its also runs in my family….ima have to keep trying different meds till I find the right one for me…
Rina — April 16, 2009 @ 9:56 pm
hey I’m kara and I’m 14 years old i have problems with sleeping but when i tried medittating it worked thanks
Vishal — April 17, 2009 @ 10:08 am
Don’t stop meditating Kara. It’s not a cure. It’s a way of life.
sleep — April 20, 2009 @ 5:05 am
vishal.. need your help.. how can I contact you?
Brooke — April 21, 2009 @ 7:26 am
I am 13 years old and ahve been having a hard time with sleep for the past year or so, i thank you for the tips i will try them. yes i took pills but when i stopped it got worse… Sleeping has become a scary thing to me i sleep so little
raymund sarm — May 2, 2009 @ 1:26 pm
great advice
Stella — May 5, 2009 @ 8:02 pm
I am 15 years old, and i have been suffering from insomnia, on and off, for about a year now. thanks for
the tips, i hope they help.
Ethan — May 8, 2009 @ 9:55 am
Okay so I really haven’t slept well this entire year. I think it may be the stress of the semester because I am a College student. I just bought ear plugs, and a face mask to cover the light. I can get through seven hours, but I always allow myself 8 and always end up wasting an hour of sleep. What do I do?
Vishal — May 8, 2009 @ 10:11 am
Ethan: Who told you need 8 hours of sleep? The amount of sleep one needs varies from person to person. Don’t count the hours. Evaluate your sleep by the degree of freshness and energetic you feel when you wake up. If you fell energetic and lively in the morning, then you have had a good sleep. On other hand, if you regularly feel tired and groggy in the morning, then you need to evaluate your sleep patterns.
Just relax and sleep! You are just fine!
Mary — June 20, 2009 @ 7:29 am
Hi - I wonder what is wrong with me? Ever since Sept 2008, I have very interruptive sleep. I fall asleep very quickly but then awake 2 hours later, and from then on, I fall back asleep and then wake again every 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Some nights, I wake up every hour. I don’t know what it is like anymore to sleep for 4 or 5 hours straight. Melatonin and seriphos don’t seem to help me. Actually, nothing so far seems to help me. Any ideas? Has anyone ever experienced this?
law — July 6, 2009 @ 12:17 am
hey,im 20 years old.thanx for the sharing.i cant sleep very well lately.its been 2 weeks i cant sleep before 4 a.m.i will try my best.thank you. . .
scientist — July 10, 2009 @ 7:04 am
Hi all…i am a medical doctor cum scientist..
from my personal experience with my patients, there is no way meditation can cure insomnia..
so please don’t waste your precious time, energy, hope and money (books) doing yoga or meditation.
What i suggest is to sleep by 10.30pm everyday, dont drink coffee/tea, make sure your room is not too cold or too warm, room is properly ventilated, quiet environment and proper clothes (for sleeping).
Another important thing is also that your room should be dark, so that that your body will produce melatonin hormone which enable you to sleep better.
P.S..Our body system is the best system in the universe..please understand its value by not smoking, consuming alcohols, drugs (including paracetamol a.k.a panadol).
hope my advice helps.
Vishal — July 10, 2009 @ 9:39 am
so please don’t waste your precious time, energy, hope and money (books) doing yoga or meditation.
scientist: From which planet are you?
Mia — July 15, 2009 @ 12:37 am
Im 15 and i have had insomnia for 7 years. It wasnt that bad when i was little. but now i cant sleep at all. i get about 3 hours of sleep in total the entire week. I will try these and hopefully they will help
Aly — July 25, 2009 @ 1:29 pm
I am 15 years old and i really barely sleep at all. At night, I seem to never be tired, but I get really tired during the day time, but when night comes again, I’m not tired. Its not so bad now because its summer and I don’t do much, but when its during school I have trouble staying awake during school plus I have soccer practice until 8:00pm which takes a lot of energy. My grandma says to drink warm milk before bed, but I have digestive problems so I can’t really do that. So, I will try meditating and hopefully I can sleep.
Jewels — August 10, 2009 @ 7:34 am
I’m a little shocked by the age of most of the kids that have replied. I am 45 and I have horrible insomnia. When I was a teenager I slept like a baby. Now I’m completely addicted to sleeping medications. Ambien, prosom, alternating every month or so from one to the other due to the fact that I build up tolerance. Before any of you start medications, please read what they do to your body. Ambien can cause pain in your joints, muscles, not to mention all the other side effects. I am on this page because I am hoping to be able to come off the medications somehow. I am going to try the suggestions from this page and I hope some of the younger ones searching will really give some of these ideas a try and never go to the medication. It may not seem like it now, but you will regret it when you are my age and can barely walk! Sincerely….Jewels
myranda — August 10, 2009 @ 12:30 pm
i have been suffering from insomnia all summer and i don’t know how much longer but i am 12 and i am really excited to use these tips and more!!!!! my mom thinks it is all in my head but she bought me pills but i ran out a long time a go and things just went back to bad thanks for hearing my comment!!!
Taylor — September 9, 2009 @ 12:11 pm
Hi. I’m taylor. I’m 15, and since about 5 years ago, my sleeping patterns have been changing drastically. Some nights I can sleep for 10 or more hours and feel even more tired than before. But then there’s nghts like these when it takes hours to go to sleep. Then I’ll go to sleep for a good forty five minutes. Now I’ve been up for two and a half hours. I’ve tried so many different things to help, and none work. Some things to know: I go to physical therapy for my knee injury twice a week, I can’t play soccer anymore, which used to be the thing that calmed me down. Could that possibly be why I can’t sleep? Thanks so much.
Vishal — September 9, 2009 @ 2:59 pm
Taylor:
It could be possible that since you have stopped playing soccer, your body is not getting sufficient exercise that it used to get earlier. Try going for long walks instead and see if you can notice any difference.
Cheyenne — September 25, 2009 @ 11:18 am
hey thanks so much! i’m 15, but i’ve been dealing with insomnia basically my hole life, my mom said even as a baby shed hear me tosing and turning and wide awake in my crib even at 4am…my sleep patern is always way off, like i wont sleep till 5am, and then i sleep till 2pm..so i’m hopeing this advise will work.i’ve tried pills, and they just make me really drowsy and then i over sleep and end up feeling more tired than to begin with.and of corse, i’ve reserched other adise, but most stuff doesnt work..i hope this does.
Alex — December 2, 2009 @ 6:38 am
Hello i am 11 years of age i i have both sleep anxiety and insomnia disorder. it’s sucks to have this i have tried everything that doesn’t cost or having to go to a psychiatrist or what ever thir called anyways plz help me.
Kier Mitchel E. Pitogo — December 5, 2009 @ 11:12 pm
Thank you for this advice, I’m getting hard to sleep early, so the outcome is, i always wake up noon in weekends and late in school days, i am only 14..and i suffer this kind of illnes..
the average time i sleep is about 1:30 a.m.
it is that normal for me?
Danny — December 14, 2009 @ 4:06 pm
Well I am 16 and Currently Suffering Insomnia…It is my fault for taking a psychoactive drug called “Ecstacy”..Maybe this will teach me a lesson,but It would be nice to talk to someone unlike mom’s who dont understand…farewell insomniacs!
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