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Ashwagandwa and sleep

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Posted 1/13/2017 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hello All,

After yet another totally sleepless night of many, many years I finally got up at 4:00 this morning and just laid on the couch wondering again how I was going to get through the day on zero sleep. I had tried Ashwagandwa once or twice before bedtime with no effects at all but I thought it would maybe allow me to nap. At 7:00, I took 25 drops and here it is 2 hours later - no sleep and my heart has been pounding the whole time.

Can anyone offer and suggestions on Ashwagandwa....dosage, etc. I've heard that it does work for some people.

As always, thanks so much for your time and help. I just don't know how much longer I can - or even want to - go on like this. This is no life.

Joanie
Posted 1/13/2017 2:38 PM (GMT 0)
Have you tried passionflower? Many people like this one for sleep issues.
Posted 1/13/2017 3:51 PM (GMT 0)
Krimpet, no I haven't but I find I am resistant to all herbals, probably a dozen Rx, anything that is supposed to aid with sleep.

Thanks though....
Posted 1/13/2017 4:22 PM (GMT 0)
I wasn't able to take ashwagandha just before bed and still sleep - I thought it was because my adrenals were really struggling, so the ashwagandha 'bumped up' my adrenals and they were then producing too much cortisol for me to be able to sleep - that was my theory anyway.

Do you have significant adrenal issues? Sounds like you might???

Anyway, I solve this by taking my ashwagandha first thing in the am and then no later than 2 pm. This gives the adrenals the boost they need, and yet allows the cortisol to fall gradually through the rest of the afternoon and evening so I can sleep at night - and my sleep has improved doing it this way. That's why I'm not on until just now. LOL. I actually was able to not only sleep, but sleep in some.

There are other things that can help with sleep that I take an hour before bedtime - I use magnesium, valerian, tryptophan and melatonin.

You can also look into Medical Marijuana for sleep if it's legal in your state. I know many people find that helps them.
Posted 1/13/2017 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
So sorry for your sleepless nights! They for me were the worse and I still have trouble with sleep, but of late it is more PTSD related.

What is your sleep hygiene like?

What helped for me, to add to the list:

No large meals after 5 pm
marijuana 1 hour before bed
at bedtime, liquid melatonin under the tongue along with any of the following - I mix it up.
Theanine (the stuff in tea)
tryptophan
valerian

The ashwaganda I didn't feel helped with my sleep much, but I think because I didn't give it long enough and wasn't CONSISTENT.

Think I'll integrate Travs advice myself!

Also - a bit of stretching in the evenings and there are some wonderful YouTube sleep support videos free online.

Wishing you ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
a really great crop of ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Posted 1/14/2017 2:08 AM (GMT 0)
Multofacetmen, I've pretty much tried all of those, and then some. Nothing helped. My stupid smile sleep hygiene (so sick of all this) is excellent.
There is something that helped for 6 months but then stopped. I'm going to start a new post on it this weekend as it might be useful to some.

Traveller, so you use Ashwagandwa more as an adrenal adaptocrine more than anything else? Did you sort of discover that on your own or is that one of its intended uses?

You guys are the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 1/14/2017 5:03 AM (GMT 0)
You can download this app Insight timer. Its a meditation app and they have lots of guided meditations that help you relax. Works well for me.
Posted 1/14/2017 1:31 PM (GMT 0)
cr3ativegirl, Thanks, I'll try it. I'll try anything smile

Joanie
Posted 1/14/2017 3:41 PM (GMT 0)

JoanJet said...

Traveller, so you use Ashwagandwa more as an adrenal adaptocrine more than anything else? Did you sort of discover that on your own or is that one of its intended uses?

You guys are the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I knew ashwagandha to be an adrenals and thyroid adaptogen before I knew it was supposed to help with sleep!! That was because I was looking up herbs online before I started reading Buhner's books. LOL!

I started it, following the advice of others here, but when after 2 nights, I didn't hardly sleep at all, I reverted back to following the same schedule the doc I was seeing for adrenal meds schedule, and it's worked really well for me - although I do have to admit that the 'why' is only something I guess at. I'm assuming that it's because my adrenals are in a touchier state.

The one thing that I have discovered about sleep - because it originates with the brain chemicals, we all need a different combination of things to help get those brain chemicals all in order for sleep. Some can't tolerate melatonin, yet I can't sleep without it - and so on.
Posted 1/14/2017 11:35 PM (GMT 0)
JoanJet,

I'm exactly like you. Most things that work on others do not work on me.

Thanks to Trav, I take Ash. the way she suggests.

I also have Yogi Bedtime tea with 10 drops of Valerian root two hours before bed. I take Kavinace by Neuroscience and on full out insomnia nights I take 2 mg. valium. Bad I know, but I can't function without sleep.

Hugs to you. No sleep is the worst to me.
Posted 1/15/2017 2:03 AM (GMT 0)
Huddie, i keep hearing about Kavince so guess I'll try it.

Thanks !!
Posted 1/15/2017 2:19 AM (GMT 0)
No problem. Sweet dreams! They have a Kavinace Ultra PM but that makes me have crazy dreams. It's potent. I can't take it.
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