Recently a friend complained on Facebook that she is bothered by insomnia. So I made a couple of suggestions and one of her friends said that she would try them too. So I thought to share them here.
The conventional wisdom is that you reserve the bed for sleeping and sex, and that is a good start. Reading and watching TV in bed gives your body conflicting signals. Will we be going to bed to stay up and watch TV? Read an exciting book? So when you see the bed and the bedroom, thinking of sleep will help.
Yes, exercise helps too, as long as it isn't too close to bedtime so do that as well.
A couple of weeks ago I was reminded that taking calcium is crucial for me regarding sleep. For a week, I left my calcium pills in the car after a trip, and I noticed that I couldn't fall asleep. If I did sleep, I would wake up in the night and not be able to fall asleep again. This was getting worrisome until I remembered my calcium pills. Started taking them again and the insomnia went away.
I have been taking Tri-boron Plus by Twin Lab for many years now. Ever since they were recommended to me by a clerk at at health food store in Everett, WA where we used to live. I have strayed to other brands, and then I come back to this one. I won't leave again!
In addition, sleep can be affected by a lack of B-12 (maybe this is why all the vegetarians i know need more sleep?) and since all the B vitamins work together a lack of one can also indicate a lack of others, I take a B-complex. My favorite is Trader Joe's B-50. I started out with the B-100 and was peeing dark yellow all the time, indicating that some of the vitamin was going out in my urine. So I switched to the lower dose of the B-50 and only pee dark yellow some of the time. Nutritional yeast is also a good source of B vitamins and I love in on popcorn, beware that it is an acquired taste! The first time I had it was at a leadership camp in California when I was a teen, I HATED it. By the end of the week, I was gobbling it up with the rest of the campers. Then I introduced it to my family, who ate it in small amounts (hey I was making pop corn for them, not an easy feat with the old aluminum pot we used on the stove top!) until I put so much on they couldn't stand it!
So now that I have been reminded to take my calcium, including boron, magnesium, and Vitamin D among others. I am sleeping better again. Hope you will too.
