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What has helped more your sleep?

sleep quality

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#31 Ubiyca

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Posted 24 January 2014 - 07:51 PM

What happens when you try to go to sleep?


Often times in this period of 30 - 60 minutes of tossing and turning I will be with an erection because being in the bed awake is very boring and depressing so my brain goes on and on about girls.



How old are you?

How often do you masturbate?


Can you put on the TV, watch something on netflix until you feel sleepy enough to close your eyes and sleep?

I am 22. I masturbate like 2-3 times per week, some months more, some months less, but I want to lower it even more.
I just don´t feel sleepy... the TV keeps me more awake, but yeah I know masturbation is not an alternative. It´s been a while since I just get aroused without actually masturbating.


Are you active during the day? Do you have a rigorous training routine, or are you relatively sedentary on most days?

#32 tintinet

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Posted 29 January 2014 - 01:59 AM

C60 EVOO
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#33 boythatssomebreath

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Posted 29 January 2014 - 04:35 PM

I am 41 years old, and have suffered from insomnia for at least 20 years. I have tried MANY different supplements etc., and have had a major breakthrough recently - I cut out my early afternoon cup of coffee, and replaced it with a capped at home caffeine pill (~40mg). I am tired now in the evening, and really crash when I hit the bed. For the past 10+ years I've tried wine, Valerian Root, homeopathic pills, Lemon Balm, Melatonin, Hops, Magnesium, and countless herbal sleep formulas. Simply cutting back on coffee has been very effective for me.
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#34 HoldingTheFaith

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Posted 29 January 2014 - 04:59 PM

Great, congratulations, 20 years are many. I cannot even drink coffee because of the agitation and agressive thoughts/impulses it gives me. If anything, I would only drink coffee before a fight or war lol

Edited by HoldingTheFaith, 29 January 2014 - 04:59 PM.


#35 timar

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Posted 29 January 2014 - 05:33 PM

Duh! You suffered from insomnia for 20+ years and never tried to cut out your afternoon caffeine before!?

Edited by timar, 29 January 2014 - 05:35 PM.

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#36 boythatssomebreath

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Posted 29 January 2014 - 06:13 PM

Duh! You suffered from insomnia for 20+ years and never tried to cut out your afternoon caffeine before!?


Lol... Yes, I know, it seems very obvious, but in my defense, I already drank a very small amount daily, and had my final cup at 12:30 p.m. - I would have never guessed this would interfere with my sleep over ten hours later. I know people who drink coffee heavily (three pots a day) and have no sleep issues. I even know one who drinks it before bed and sleeps well. I believe there is something specific about coffee - other than the obvious caffeine - that messes with my sleep. Tea, caffeine pills, pop, etc. have no effect.
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#37 geo12the

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Posted 29 January 2014 - 06:14 PM

Insomnia can be a manifestation of Seasonal affective Disorder (SAD). For me SAD lights help me sleep in the autumn and winter. I also noticed I have been sleeping better after taking curcumin in the late afternoon.

#38 Galloway

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Posted 12 February 2014 - 02:45 AM

Insomnia can be a manifestation of Seasonal affective Disorder (SAD). For me SAD lights help me sleep in the autumn and winter. I also noticed I have been sleeping better after taking curcumin in the late afternoon.

I used to live in a Midwestern state where the sunlight disappeared in late October and reappeared in mid April. SAD really affected me and at one point my sleep got so bad that I went from having straight A's in school to nearly flunking out of college. There were nights in high school when I would literally go to school the next day with 0 minutes of sleep, even though I had a full day of school AND athletic practice after. I had been staying up all night since in the womb and as an infant so it wasn't like this was a conscious choice I was making. Finally a sleep disorder doc diagnosed me with DSPS and after some rigorous regimenting of sleep, also put me on melatonin. That is a miracle for me because it finally allowed me to sleep like a normal person. In terms of supplements, my routine is this: Evening - 1) Schiff Melatonin (includes theanine) 2) Now Foods TestoJack 100 3) Now Foods L-Orinthine Morning - 1) Serious Nutrition Solution Focus XT 2) Cognitive Nutrition Piracetam (2 pills) 3) Drs. Best L-Theanine 4) At least 15 minutes using blue light therapy (Syrcadian Blue best product ever)

#39 MiddleAged49

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Posted 13 February 2014 - 07:56 PM

I sleep better than I used to, due to one or more of these working on their own, or synergistically:

Magnesium Glycinate (Magnesium good for sleep apparently, but also so is Glycine)
Valerian (does work for me most of the time, but I don't take it every night)
'Seditol' (a mixture of Zizyphus/Jujube and Magnolia)
L-Glutamine (is converted first to Glutamic Acid and then on to GABA)
L-Theanine (helps you to sleep deeper and helps to eliminate brain 'chatter' and calm the mind; this definitely works in my experience)

None of these really help me to get to sleep any quicker, but now once I'm asleep I usually stay asleep; if I do wake up, I usually go straight back to sleep again. Previously if I woke in the middle of the night I would have serious problems drifting back off again.

More recently I've had the same effect with Zizyphus powdered extract (from a Chinese herbal supplier), Theanine and Glutamine, without anything else. I've also played about with Taurine and I'm pretty sure that worked as well, but there's only so many things you can tip down your throat.

Also, I've been taking Reishi for a couple of months now, that's supposed to help with sleep once you've been on it for a while - it's allegedly sedative in larger doses but in the smaller doses I take I think it just helps to relax you. It might help, but the effect is not as obvious as Valerian or Theanine.
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#40 MiddleAged49

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Posted 19 March 2014 - 10:53 PM

One other thing I've added into the mix - Cissus Quadrangularis. I seem to be sleeping very heavily since staring on this two weeks ago. From reading around, it may increase levels of 5-HT and serotonin, and that may cause the heavier sleep. Things that used to wake me up at night, like the noises of traffic and drunken violence on the street etc, don't seem wake me up any more. It does make me feel groggy some mornings, I can live with that for a bit though.

I started a three month course of Cissus in order to help with laying down new collagen in my achilles tendons to complement some physiotherapy/exercises, so the better sleep is an added bonus. It may not be a viable long term sleep solution though as it's not cheap (been buying USP Labs 'SuperCissus'), and also it elevates the level of IGF-1 in the body, which, from reading around these forums, doesn't sound like a great idea in the long term.

As I mentioned in an Ashwagandha thread elsewhere, I've also been taking Ashwagandha (KSM-66) over the last month or so, which I believe has helped sleep, but the Cissus has more of an effect. So at the moment every night it's been Cissus, Ashwagandha, and Magnesium Glycinate (I've cut my sleep stack to just these) (with Reishi during the day too) and I'm finding I've never slept so well, no restless nights any more.
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#41 chemicalambrosia

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Posted 20 March 2014 - 01:38 AM

I did a search on cissus and sleep and apparently quite a few people report better sleep on it. I ordered a bottle of the same brand that you have and I'll report back after trying it.

#42 Strelok

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Posted 20 March 2014 - 01:42 AM

Resistant Starch in the form of unrefined potato starch. Profoundly deep restful sleep with many vivid dreams.


I've been using this lately and have to agree, it's definitely helped my sleep when I take 4 tablespoons of it before bed.

#43 dudmuck

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Posted 21 March 2014 - 02:31 PM

Resistance Starch causes butyrate production.

Good gut flora is important for butyrate production.

GABA is Gamma Amino Butyric Acid, could be the gut-brain connection?

#44 HoldingTheFaith

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Posted 23 March 2014 - 02:05 PM

I have yet to try Cissus and Resistant Starch (it was out of stock when I last ordered supplements!!).

My latest discovery is Ginkgo Biloba which enhances dreams and makes sleep slightly more refreshing. I especially love the erectile effects and that is the real cause I take the stuff ;)

Ashwagandha made my sleep worse and also made my sperm out increase. I had high expectations for that stuff. I no longer seek significant or lasting improvemnt of my insomnia from herbs as they have never helped me anyway (tried too much of them) and futhermore they do not address the underlying causes of poor sleep like impaired digestion, inflammation or even autoimmunity.

Resistant Starch makes more sense than herbs because helps the GI tract and that is actually fuelling dah machine directly.

Edited by HoldingTheFaith, 23 March 2014 - 02:26 PM.


#45 brainstorm11

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Posted 23 March 2014 - 02:16 PM

Resistant Starch in the form of unrefined potato starch. Profoundly deep restful sleep with many vivid dreams.

For real? :|o


Yes, resistant starch can be really effective. I believe it has to do with improving GABA. Whenever I eat sweet potatoes with dinner, I sleep a lot better.

For enhanced GABA I also like lemon balm as well: http://www.purenootr...-individuality/

Edited by brainstorm11, 23 March 2014 - 02:17 PM.


#46 HoldingTheFaith

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Posted 23 March 2014 - 02:21 PM

No offense but what a load of crap... whenever I eat sweet potatoes with dinner, my sleep is awful like every other single day.

Those of us with real sleep problems won´t respond to what healthy people "think" they respond to. Although waking up early I have to admit helps a lot with sleep onset insomnia and sure using the computer at night is not helpful. But dealing with unrefreshing and fragmented sleep is entirely inside another league than the usual insomnia.

Edited by HoldingTheFaith, 23 March 2014 - 02:26 PM.

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#47 cvjcvj

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Posted 23 March 2014 - 04:31 PM

hydrolyzed collagen (500 mg) + l-trypthofan (100 mg) + l-methionine (200 mg), dark room and good sleep

l-theanine helps too

Edited by cvjcvj, 23 March 2014 - 04:31 PM.


#48 chemicalambrosia

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Posted 23 March 2014 - 05:11 PM

No offense but what a load of crap... whenever I eat sweet potatoes with dinner, my sleep is awful like every other single day.

Those of us with real sleep problems won´t respond to what healthy people "think" they respond to. Although waking up early I have to admit helps a lot with sleep onset insomnia and sure using the computer at night is not helpful. But dealing with unrefreshing and fragmented sleep is entirely inside another league than the usual insomnia.


I agree, most normal OTC sleep aids won't help in your situation. I think treating depression might be a better idea than treating sleep in your instance. I found my ability to sleep improved dramatically when taking st johns wort perika as my overall sense of well being and mood went up. I'm currently using tianeptine, meriva curcumin, and bright light therapy and sleeping fairly well when I take proper care of sleep hygiene. When your overall sense of mental health has gotten better, you might find sleep supplements that you laughed at earlier being somewhat effective.
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#49 HoldingTheFaith

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Posted 23 March 2014 - 05:50 PM

That makes sense chemicalambrosia. I am clearly depressed. However neither Paradise Herbs or Eclectic Institute St Johns Wort did anything for me when recently tried them for a month or so. I am leaning to the conclusion that those brands deliver fakes or something because is not the first time they fail me.

Perika has clinical studies if I am not mistaken. Maybe I should have tried something solid as this but the higher numbers of these other two brands tricked me.

Curcumin, a CFS person posted that in huge doses fixes her severe sleep problems. Which would mean sometimes they are tied to inflammation. Or maybe it is because of the MAO-A inhibition-capabilities of curcumin. I find these things interesting, but I wish I was the healthy scientist and not the sick person who has problems studying to become one.

I tend to think that I am depressed because I sleep bad, have heat urticaria (makes living miserable), and digest very poorly but perhaps there is some going on the other way around. Psychotherapy is and will always be for me a great failure and most of the time an humiliating experience. I have been to "shrinks" since I was a kid, even the one at the school who "was glad I had friends, maybe they would normalize me a bit". You can imagine, I have had and have an easy and wonderfully pleasant life. Hah-ha. Shit.

Edited by HoldingTheFaith, 23 March 2014 - 06:02 PM.


#50 adamh

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Posted 23 March 2014 - 09:10 PM

St John's works for me for depression but I have to take 4 caps a day for a few days to notice the effect. It also gives energy. Ketamine works wonders for depression, 15 to 20 mg snorted and you will be good for a week or longer. If you use it too much it loses its punch.

#51 dudmuck

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Posted 23 March 2014 - 09:41 PM

I have yet to try Cissus and Resistant Starch (it was out of stock when I last ordered supplements!!).


The starch is simply available at supermarket in baking section next to flour.
Its usually "red mill potato starch". There are other interesting sources which must be ordered online, such as banana flour.

If you really have depression, you should be reading the uridine+DHA thread.

#52 Strelok

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Posted 24 March 2014 - 04:04 AM

Yes, resistant starch can be really effective. I believe it has to do with improving GABA. Whenever I eat sweet potatoes with dinner, I sleep a lot better.


Actually, sweet potatos are not a significant source of resistant starch. Even eating potatoes, which potato starch/resistant starch is source from is a fairly poor source. It's best to consume 30 grams of the powder itself before bed. Plantain powder is another decent source for resistant starch, as well as green banana flour.

More info: http://freetheanimal...er-newbies.html

#53 HoldingTheFaith

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Posted 24 March 2014 - 09:46 AM

Especially bearing in mind that cooking makes the resistant starch content way lower.

#54 mrvontar

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Posted 27 March 2014 - 05:10 AM

http://examine.com/s...sis/#summary3-7


"Intracerebral injections of baicalein have shown sedative properties in augmenting sleep time (108-120% of control), while benzodiazepine antagonists failed to abolish the effects in one study[81] yet were successful in preventing the increase in sleep time in the other study.[82] Both slow-wave sleep and REM sleep appear to be increased with baicalin administration prior to dark phase sleep (nighttime sleeping).[82] (seems intersting but I haven't personally tried it)
Sleep induced in light phases (equivalent of daytime) seems to actually be hindered by baicalin, thought to be from interfering with an IL-1β induced slow wave sleep enhancement.[82]"


#55 HoldingTheFaith

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Posted 27 March 2014 - 08:13 AM

I have yet to try Scullcap tea. Baicalin and other actives from this herb are also antinflammatory,

#56 DbCooper

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Posted 04 April 2014 - 02:13 AM

Resistant Starch in the form of unrefined potato starch. Profoundly deep restful sleep with many vivid dreams.

For real? :|o


Yes, resistant starch can be really effective. I believe it has to do with improving GABA. Whenever I eat sweet potatoes with dinner, I sleep a lot better.

For enhanced GABA I also like lemon balm as well: http://www.purenootr...-individuality/



Surprisingly, sweet potatoes have little to no resistant starch in them. Though I love them anyway :wub:

#57 HoldingTheFaith

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Posted 05 April 2014 - 09:59 PM

Yeah, it was an stupid comment.

#58 Dan1976

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Posted 04 May 2014 - 11:51 PM

Use something to fall asleep, and something else to stay asleep.

 

To stay asleep I use time-released melatonin or time-released valerian. I use one of them for 2-3 weeks and then switch to the other, in order to avoid tolerance.

 

Dosage is very important. Time released melatonin feels a lot stronger than the same dose of instant release melatonin. Taking too much can make you feel drowsy and brainfogged the next day. It's very important to experiment with the dosage and find what works best for you.

 

I take time released melatonin from Source Naturals and time released valerian from Nature's Plus.

 

To fall asleep I use a combination of:

 

- magnesium threonate

- bacopa

- tryptophan

- taurine

- potassium taurate

- gaba

- theanine

- glycine

- phenibut

- ornithine

- zma

- vitamin d3

- phosphatidyl-serine

 

I consider falling asleep to be a good time to take some important nutrients such as magnesium, which also help me sleep. Choose what you take according to the other goals you have. For example, if you want to improve your memory, use magnesium threonate and bacopa to fall asleep. If you want to feel less brain fog caused by ammonia buildup due to liver problems, use ornithine to fall asleep.

 

I never take all of the above together - just 2 or 3 things, and rotate them in order to avoid tolerance. I have carefully experimented with the dosage and I know how much and which combination to take. If you take too many things or in dosages that are too high you will get drowsiness the next day.

 

In addition to using combinations (something to fall asleep + something to stay asleep) I have the following tips:

 

- Eat an apple or something else containing carbs before going to bed. If the blood sugar level drops while you are sleeping adrenaline gets released in order to increase the blood sugar level. That wave of adrenaline can wake you up and keep you wide awake.

 

- Limit your day time consumption of caffeine and other stimulants.

 

- Set an alarm on your phone every day one hour before the time you go to sleep. When the alarm sounds, take your sleeping combination described above, stop working on the computer and watching TV. Try to do non-stimulating stuff.

 

- Stop planning the next day in the evening! This can fill you with eagerness, tension or anticipation. Pick another time to make plans for tomorrow.

 

- If all else fails, see a doctor and get a prescription for a drug. If the drug doesn't work, change it. For me, zolpidem (stilnox) works almost perfectly - however, I avoid it because it seems to be linked to cancer. There are other drugs which may work - for example, trittico is an acute antidepressant which restores the natural sleep architecture.


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#59 chemicalambrosia

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Posted 05 May 2014 - 12:22 AM

I did a search on cissus and sleep and apparently quite a few people report better sleep on it. I ordered a bottle of the same brand that you have and I'll report back after trying it.

 

I've since tried cissus for sleep. It may have helped me stay asleep and sleep deeper, but it is very hard to tell. My ability to sleep isn't very consistent, so it has been tough to tell. Any effects it had on sleep definitely weren't dramatic though.



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#60 FLPsychGuy

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Posted 05 May 2014 - 02:06 PM

I started taking NAC 600mg once in the morning and once in afternoon and have noticed an improvement in sleep quality. That wasn't the purpose of taking it mind you but a pleasant side effect. I've also noticed that I tend to dream more though it is on schedule so to speak. I generally go to bed around 10pm and my dreams start around 4am (I know because I usually briefly wake up at about the same time each night but easily go back to sleep). Not sure why this has happened but it's definitely a pleasant surprise.







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