Carrie Louise Daenell, ND

1. Address the psychological factors contributing to this sleep disorder. It has been found that counseling and/or stress reduction techniques may be very effective (i.e. biofeedback and hypnosis).

2. Eliminate factors known to disrupt normal sleep patterns such as coffee, chocolate, tea, alcohol, marijuana (and other drugs), over the counter medications, prescription drugs and hypoglycemia.

3. An exercise program should be implemented with the help of your physician. The program should consist of a minimum of 20 minutes of exercise per day.

4. Relaxation techniques done before bedtime are helpful. These may include stretching, deep breathing, meditation, etc. If all of the above produce little or no response, more aggressive measures can be employed with the use of certain supplements and botanical medicines. These supplements and botanicals should be prescribed by your physician and a sample protocol taken before bedtime.

5. Hormone imbalances may contribute to insomnia. An over active thyroid or overstimulated adrenal glands may disrupt sleep patterns. As women age, a decrease in production of progesterone may be responsible for their inability to retain normal sleep patterns. (Note: Progestins, such as Provera, will not substitute for progesterone in this case.)

Supplements

· Niacin in the form of inositol hexaniacinate (do not use if liver damage is present)

· Vitamin B6

· Magnesium

· Tryptophan (currently not available on the market)

Botanical Medicines:

· Valerian

· Passiflora incarnata

· Kava Kava

· Natural Progesterone Creams

Dietary Considerations

· Protein source just before bed

· Avoid high sugar/starch foods at dinner

· Avoid caffeine and alcohol

Once a normal sleep pattern has been established most supplements can be slowly decreased. Hormonal causes may be more complicated, and require the support of natural medical professional.