MemphisVol
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Working out does help, but sometimes trying it just before trying to sleep has the opposite effect. Definitely add this as part of the strategy, because- beside the fact that its just good for you- it cuts into the stress and tension & makes you feel better eventually.
On the "drug" side, there are some really good 'naturals' available that I've used together as a sort of cocktail.
Melatonin- hits some of the key chemical systems involved in insomnia
Dandelion Root- the reason the sap is milky like, say, poppies, is because it's in the same family. In the Civil War, supplies to opiates pretty quickly ran out, and field doctors turned to super-concentrated dandelion root tea as a substitute- for amputations.
California Poppy- see Dandelion Root
Skull Cap- A plant with a flower that looks like ye olde sleeping caps. Its been used for decades in Eurpopean and Asian addictive disorders programs. Like the above, you can use it as much as you want, but where they are sedatives, skullcap has an anti-anxiety effect (which is which they use it for the jonesing & I use it for sleep problems based at least in part on stress- even just the stress of "f***! I can't sleep!"
also:
Valerian- False folklore says this is what valium was made from, but, no... It's been a European favorite for hundreds of years as a sleeping draught (see "Murder on the Orient Express", and is stronger, dose for dose, than the others. That said, it has a nasty taste and repeats on you like a Gator cheerleader's STDs. Use with the rest in cases of real problems, but, frankly, I'd just up the amounts of dandelion root and california poppy.
Motherwort, Hops, and to a much lesser extent Chamomile are also good anti-anxiety drugs.
St. John's Wort was originally used in the middle ages as a cure for supposed witches' curses because it promotes nerve regeneration, which seemed miraculous at the time. While that's been confirmed, I don't know if they've also confirmed the chemical reasons it has anti-depressant effects too. Regardless, insomnia has a lot in common with the types of nervous system problems St. John's Wort seems to be good for.
General Note: All of the above except melatonin (I think) come not only in capsule but "drops" form. Obviously, the drops get soaked up by your stomach faster than capsules, plus you can do bigger concentrations as needed quicker.
I don't suggest smoking the powder in any of the capsules, though that's the quickest way for your body to uptake the active ingredients. They all are really harsh, and no studies have been done on what chemicals/ damage they produce when burned.
For immediate-acting alternatives which can be smoked, google "legal marijuana" or something similar. There are some sedatives and anti-anxiety plants out there for sale over the net, but only a handful have been tested (as well as passed with the flying colors of the above). So, while I don't like Euro-centric bigotry, the above are all enormously effective & safe, so...
On the "drug" side, there are some really good 'naturals' available that I've used together as a sort of cocktail.
Melatonin- hits some of the key chemical systems involved in insomnia
Dandelion Root- the reason the sap is milky like, say, poppies, is because it's in the same family. In the Civil War, supplies to opiates pretty quickly ran out, and field doctors turned to super-concentrated dandelion root tea as a substitute- for amputations.
California Poppy- see Dandelion Root
Skull Cap- A plant with a flower that looks like ye olde sleeping caps. Its been used for decades in Eurpopean and Asian addictive disorders programs. Like the above, you can use it as much as you want, but where they are sedatives, skullcap has an anti-anxiety effect (which is which they use it for the jonesing & I use it for sleep problems based at least in part on stress- even just the stress of "f***! I can't sleep!"
also:
Valerian- False folklore says this is what valium was made from, but, no... It's been a European favorite for hundreds of years as a sleeping draught (see "Murder on the Orient Express", and is stronger, dose for dose, than the others. That said, it has a nasty taste and repeats on you like a Gator cheerleader's STDs. Use with the rest in cases of real problems, but, frankly, I'd just up the amounts of dandelion root and california poppy.
Motherwort, Hops, and to a much lesser extent Chamomile are also good anti-anxiety drugs.
St. John's Wort was originally used in the middle ages as a cure for supposed witches' curses because it promotes nerve regeneration, which seemed miraculous at the time. While that's been confirmed, I don't know if they've also confirmed the chemical reasons it has anti-depressant effects too. Regardless, insomnia has a lot in common with the types of nervous system problems St. John's Wort seems to be good for.
General Note: All of the above except melatonin (I think) come not only in capsule but "drops" form. Obviously, the drops get soaked up by your stomach faster than capsules, plus you can do bigger concentrations as needed quicker.
I don't suggest smoking the powder in any of the capsules, though that's the quickest way for your body to uptake the active ingredients. They all are really harsh, and no studies have been done on what chemicals/ damage they produce when burned.
For immediate-acting alternatives which can be smoked, google "legal marijuana" or something similar. There are some sedatives and anti-anxiety plants out there for sale over the net, but only a handful have been tested (as well as passed with the flying colors of the above). So, while I don't like Euro-centric bigotry, the above are all enormously effective & safe, so...
