SLEEP DISORDERS or problems

Creatine may reduce the negative effect of sleep deprivation.  8/2006 www.lef.org
DHEA (and/or DHEAS, a DHEA precursor) taken at bedtime (especially by postmenopausal women/men) may help REM sleep and memory. Wise-Budoff, Dr Penny  No More Hot Flashes www.bonneforme.com
Glycine, an amino acid, can contribute to good REM sleep when taken at bedtime. (This is NOT related to glycemia, an excess of blood glucose/sugar from excess consumption of white root vegetables such as white potatoes, grains stripped of their bran such as white rice, and highly processed starches such as white bread.) 3/2009 www.lef.org
Honey (for adults only) stimulates serotonin to induce relaxation and sleep per Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass, USA. Honey also may reduce pain perception and fight infection.  James E O'Brien's mini magazine The Miracle of Nature's Healing Foods published by Glove Communications Corp.
L-Tryptophan converts into serotonin and then into melatonin.  Tryptophan may be obtained from a vet, by prescription, OTC (over the counter) as of 2/04, or taken as 5HTP.  Tryptophan also converts into vitamin B3 (niacin) per Erdmann in The Amino Revolution. Take at bedtime.
6/2000 American Journal of clinical Nutrition www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/71/6/1669s
B6 (pyridoxine) is needed for the formation of tryptophan per Balch & Balch in Prescription for Nutritional Healing.  Take B6 AM as it contributes to nightmares.
L-tryptophan is best utilized with a low dose vitamin B complex containing B6 (+B3) and with a low dose amino acid complex (containing tyrosine for depression).  Take the B6 at dinner rather than at bedtime to prevent nightmares. 8 or more amino acids need to be present to make protein.  Tryptophan may be found in cottage cheese, milk, brown rice, peanuts, meat, turkey and soy. aminoman@earthlink.net  http://aminoacidbotanicalandsupplementsource.net  
L-tryptophan is a precursor to 5-HTP, and 5-HTP is a precursor to serotonin.  L-tryptophan + coenzyme/vitamin B6 working together are precursors to melatonin, which contributes to sleepwww.sourcenaturals.com
L-tryptophan         http://www.lef.org/newshop/items/item01202.html         Danger. "Serotonin syndrome is characterized by high levels of serotonin and symptoms like confusion, sweating, agitation, nausea, involuntary muscle contractions, and racing heartbeat. Do not take L-tryptophan if you experience these symptoms. Do not take L-tryptophan in combination with other agents that increase serotonin levels in the central nervous system. Agents that increase serotonin levels can include psychiatric medications (e.g. antidepressants, lithium), migraine medications (e.g. sumatriptan), Parkinson's disease medication (e.g. carbidopa), and dextromethorphan, an over-the-counter cough suppressant. Do not use before driving or operating heavy machinery." 
If L-tryptophan is competing with meds for the increase of serotonin, one may want to consider reducing meds rather than L tryptophan.  Do your research and discuss with your medical providers and pharmacists.
L-tryptophan  http://www.lef.org/newshop/items/item01202.html   At bedtime, "for maximum absorption take L-tryptophan with a small amount of carbohydrate, such as diluted juice."
"The amino acid lysine competes with tryptophan in the same oxidative degradation pathway. This means that in the presence (addition) of sufficient lysine (25% of tryptophan dosage), less tryptophan is broken down through oxidation."
"
Tryptophan is a(n immediate) precursor for...serotonin, which is one of the primary neuro-hormones involved with sleep and mood" and "is critical in helping your body produce proteins for muscle, hair, and skin."
L-tryptophan  http://www.lef.org  Tryptophan is best taken at bedtime with lysine and niacin (B3) plus herbs such as hops, ginger and rosemary to slow enzymes and oxidation from breaking down the tryptophan and making more tryptophan available for the body's production of brain serotonin.  
[CAUTION - Excessive serotonin (serotonin syndrome) can cause confusion, sweating, agitation, nausea, involuntary muscle contractions and racing heartbeat.]
L-tryptophan  https://neuronalresearch.com/store/product_detail/2  For those who benefit from tryptophan, an amino acid or protein ingredient, take for supper the tryptophan foods (oats, bananas, dried dates, dairy products, fish, many nuts, and poultry, brown rice, soy) or take at bedtime tryptophan supplements with additional supplements/herbs (ginger root, fish oil, borage oil, curcumin, hops, or rosemary) that suppress/reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines/enzymes that degrade tryptophan before it gets to be utilized by body.
60 mg of tryptophan creates approximately 1 mg of vitamin B3 (niacin), leaving little for other uses when there is a B3 deficiency (so the addition of B3/niacin-amide/niacin will help or approximately 50% of tryptophan dosage). 

Melatonin      The pineal gland synthesizes and secretes melatonin. Light is transmitted from the retina through the hypothalamus and sympathetic nervous system. The two effects of light are, first, to regulate melatonin secretion with daily light-dark cycles and, second, to suppress melatonin if given in brief intense pulses. Melatonin secretion increases abruptly about 2 hours before typical bedtime (dim light melatonin onset), and then continues elevated during the night, to a peak between 2:00 and 4:00 AM. It gradually falls after that and is very low during the day. Taking melatonin helps avoid jet lag and may be useful for phase-shifted sleep and sleep disturbance due to shift work.  www.drpawluk.com/sleep

Melatonin may help if taken PM (after sunset and just before bedtime), especially for the elderly and/or for SAD, per B J Sahley in The Melatonin Report  Always take melatonin in the smallest available dosage as it is a hormone. Titrate up very slowly. 1-800-669-CALM  (Melatonin is especially important for the elderly in institutions such as nursing homes or hospitals.)
Melatonin taken at bedtime may speed sleep, reduce waking up during night, not increase AM fatigue, and not interfere with REM sleep. Melatonin  is a hormone produced   in the brain's pineal  gland.  Sunlight sets the secretion rate of melatonin, which regulated our circadian rhythms (body clock and temperature rhythm).  Melatonin is made from tryptophan (from milk products).  Dairy products such as warm milk at bedtime helps sleep.    Wise-Budoff, Dr Penny  No More Hot Flashes and Even More Good News   www.bonneforme.com
Melatonin is recommended to be taken 30 minutes before bedtime. 5/16/2006 aches@wsj.com
"Melatonin was orignially discovered in animals but has been found in every type of organism...High levels of melatonin were measured in St. John's wort and feverfew. It is also found in several commonly eaten fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes and bananas. Melatonin production follows a diurnal rhythm (as it does in animals) in some, but not all, plants. It is found in all parts of the plant, especially in germ and reproductive tissues (seeds, flowers, and fruits). Since seeds are a sensitive and critical part of the plant in which melatonin has never been examined, this study quantified the amount of melantonin in the seeds of 15 plants.
Edible seeds of the following plants were examined: black mustard (Brassica nigra), white mustard (Sinapis alba), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), milk thistle (Silybum marianum), celery (Apium graveolens), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), coriander (Coriandrum sativum), green cardamon (Elettaria cardamomum), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), anise (Pimpinella anisum), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), flax (Linum usitatissimum), almond (Prunus dulcis), and Lycium (Lycium barbarum)...Melatonin was found in all seed types tested, ranging from 2 - 190 mg/g dry weight of seed. The highest levels were found in white and black mustard seeds and the lowest in milk thistle. However, even the lower levels were high compared to amounts found in vertebrate blood...Risa N. Schulman, PhD...Editor's Note: This is the first paper to identify melatonin in the seeds of these15 edible plants."  http://content.herbalgram.org  #032311-222  12/10/2002
Irina Zhdanova, MIT researcher, says that melatonin promotes sleep in zebrafish and also in children with insomnia due to severe neurological diseases. Take at bedtime. 2004 -2005 Winter Bostonia BU alumni publication www.bu.edu/alumni/bostonia
Beating Alzheimer's by Tom Warren notes that a PM calcium + magnesium supplement contributes to sleep and reduces under arm odor. www.amazon.com 
3 g Glycine at bedtime may relieve insomnia.  www.lef.org  3/05
Hulda Regehr Clark in The Cure for HIV and Aids explains that ornithine taken PM may reduce ammonia in the brain and helps sleep. 
Arginine taken AM may reduce brain ammonia and reduce anxiety.
(Ammonia is a utilizable nitrogen source for bacteria and yeasts.)
Do not take arginine if you have herpes & add L-lysine as a supplement.
Take arginine PM for male impotency. www.amazon.com
Infants may sleep longer nights if they are exposed to sunlight between noon and 4PM.  11/22/04 BBC News www.familypharmacy.com 
Magnesium tub soaks (2 cups Epson salts) + Magnesium phosphate 6x (4 pellets) under tongue at bedtime may help.  For SAD (seasonal affective disorder) take .5-2 mg hormone melatonin at bedtime during winter.  Begin with lowest dose,  Jamison Starbuck ND 2/04 Bottom Line Health mag askjs@boardroom.com
www.bottomlinesecrets.com
Magnesium, ornithine, valerian taken with hot milk (contains calcium) help PM sleep.  Take at bedtime.  http://drclarkia.com/books/the_cure_for_all_diseases.html
Nutrition and Mental Illness - Sampling of the Current Scientific Literature part 2
by Gary Null and Martin Feldman MD
Insomnia may be improved with valerian root, Nigerian Schumanniophyton problematicum root, Melissa officinalis (lemon balm), Panax ginseng, magnesium, potassium, Ocimum sanctum leaf, B12 (methylcobalamin),essential oil of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), and Schisandra incrnata. Also calcium may help.
Take all of above at bedtime.www.thorne.com/townsend/nov/null.html
Pumpkin seeds - Excellent for men.  Take as bedtime snack as high in amino acid L-tryptophane, which may help sleep per Hanna Kroeger's Parasites - The Enemy Within

Supplements can help with pain and sleep. Include:  A good daily multi., Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols only – not the cheaper dl-alpha tocopherol) 400 to 1600 IU daily, Vitamin C 500-1000 mg twice per day, Selenium intake as nuts or supplements: at least 100 mg daily, not to exceed 400 mg daily, Calcium 1.5 g daily, Magnesium 600 to 750 mg daily www.drpawluk.com/sleep

 

Botanical sedatives can promote sleep or treat anxiety: St. John’s wort 300 mg up to 3 times daily, Kava: as dried root, 250-450 mg 1 or 2 capsules up to twice per day., Valerian: 1 tsp. liquid extract or 400-450 mg standardized extract or freeze-dried whole herb, 30 to 45 minutes before bedtime. Dose can be safely increased to 2 tsp. liquid extract or up to 1,350 mg, if necessary, German chamomile: as tea, steep 3 g of dried flower heads in 150 ml boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes and strain; take 1 cup up to 3 times daily.,  5-HTP capsules: 300 mg 30 minutes before bed. (Start with lower dose; increase as needed. Do not mix with SSRI anti-depressants or anti-Parkinson drugs), Melatonin: 1-3 mg at bedtime. The lower dose should be tried first. If necessary, gradually increase the dose. Doses lower than 1 mg may also work (some  suggest taking one dose at about 4 pm and the rest at bedtime, GABA: 500-1,000 mg at bedtime  www.drpawluk.com/sleep

Theanine in Japanese green tea may reduce high blood pressure and induce relaxation. 8/05 www.lef.org

SPIRITUAL

Jolly, Reona Peterson      Tomorrow You Die       Chapter 10 Appointed to Death
"I...began to pray, 'Lord, I believe I need to sleep.  You promise in Your Word that you give Your beloved sleep, and I believe that in this situation I am beloved by You.  Thank You for the gift of sleep.'"
Kelley, Earthquake book #1122 "Bound to Lose, Destined to Win"  http://earthquakekelleyministries.org/books/    Chapter 14 Questions and Answers   "A spirit called pavor nocturnus...will (sometimes) choke people at night, and it also causes sudden infant death syndrome...by using its oversized hands, by using a rope, or by suffocating the person with its wings...Don't go to bed without praying.  Pray over your babies before you put them to bed.  Don't let a night go by without praying for God's protection over your family and home."

HEALINGS

Sleep Apnea - Henry Wright contends that not allowing for failure is the root cause. audio 11/2005 www.sidroth.org/radio  A More Excellent Way  book  www.pleasantvallleychurch.org