Natural sleep aids?

I use valerian root, bitter orange and melatonin.
I like the combination of valerian root, L-theanine and bitter orange.

Works pretty good for me and it doesn't make me feel groggy in the morning like over the counter sleep aids.

I also like L-theanine which is a non essential amino acid that has a calming effect. Notice on this link that it is thought to have a counter effect to caffiene.

Felt_Rider said:

I use valerian root, bitter orange and melatonin.
I like the combination of valerian root, L-theanine and bitter orange.

Works pretty good for me and it doesn't make me feel groggy in the morning like over the counter sleep aids.

I also like L-theanine which is a non essential amino acid that has a calming effect. Notice on this link that it is thought to have a counter effect to caffiene.

Urgent!! correction to my post.

I meant Lemon Balm instead of bitter orange.
Bitter orange is a natural synephrine that I use as a bronchial dialator and is not a relaxant.

I just woke up and realized this mistake and I apologize.

By the way L-theanine is in green tea and lemon balm is sometimes put in herbal tea.

donrhummy said:

Has anyone used non-drug, natural sleep aids? Did they work?

Serotin-FX! Look at www.health-fx.net. The stuff is awesome and you sleep so deep. You recover so much faster.

edan359 said:

Serotin-FX! Look at www.health-fx.net. The stuff is awesome and you sleep so deep. You recover so much faster.

Hey edan, thanks for your info, and I would like to share some wich might help people. I have tried SLEEP TEA relxant and it is really worth it..the taste is good, not sour and it is tea, something which people wont normally hesitate to take. Hope it helps some of you folks. And take care!!

donrhummy said:

Has anyone used non-drug, natural sleep aids? Did they work?

L-tryptophan works.

Unfortunately, mostly as a concession to big-pharma, it is no longer available in the United States (oh, yes -- there was a "problem" associated with a bad batch where I think some fatalities supposedly occurred ... but, more people should have died if it was really the problem, IMO). Suprisingly, a rash of pharmaceutical sleep aids came onto the market shortly after the FDA banned the sale of L-tryptophan. Coincidence? I think not!

L-tryptophan is in turkey meat ... I don't know how much you would have to eat (a sandwich?) to equal a tablet.

AFAIK, L-tryptophan is available everywhere else in the World.

Valerian works fine all by itself but you have to take a slightly larger than suggested dose. I don't recall offhand how much is safe to take.

I don't trust melatonin supplements. There is some info out there suggesting that taking melatonin in supplement form may down-regulate your body's own production.

Some of the products made from fermented grain work pretty good too, but you feel crappy the next day and there is supposed to be a risk of dependence.

garage sale GT said:

Some of the products made from fermented grain work pretty good too, but you feel crappy the next day and there is supposed to be a risk of dependence.

Products made from fermented fruit work just as well, but depending on the country of origin and how they wre handled between fermentation and drinking, usually cost considerably more.

donrhummy said:

Has anyone used non-drug, natural sleep aids? Did they work?

Melatonin 3 mg - 30 minutes
before bed should do the trick
unless you are obese and then
you might wanna try 6 mg.

I speak from experience.

I take it as a regular
supplement for sleep
and get desirable results.

Melatonin is available in
any drug store. In my
experience, Valerian root
and all that other [censored] will
possibly lead to drug
interactions with prescription
drugs and even death.

Valerian root is basicly a
poison as I understand it.
And yes, I have taken
maximum doses of that
[censored] in the 60s when it
was rumoured to get you
high, and the result was
sickness. Be warned.

Please tell us your basis for saying valerian is poisonous. This causes me some concern as I use it all the time.

garage sale GT said:

Please tell us your basis for saying valerian is poisonous. This causes me some concern as I use it all the time.

I have not seen this type of report before and I study/research everything before trying it.

I have been using it for about a year now with no ill effect to this point.

Here is some additional information about Valerian Root.

Link 1

Link 2

Felt_Rider said:

I have not seen this type of report before and I study/research everything before trying it.

I have been using it for about a year now with no ill effect to this point.

It may not be a problem in low doses,
but even this HERBALIST website suggests
symptoms of poisoning if you use it all the
time and in increased doses.

http://www.herbalmagika.com/herbals/f-valerian.html

I personally don't believe in using Herbal remedies
since I take several different medications. I fully
realize that HERBS are the source of medicine, but
I would rather deal with pills that have been subject
to testing for dosage, effect and side effects than
to experiment with Herbals of UNKNOWN strength
and potency. This is the result of experimentation
in early years of my life with a range of 'herbs' and
many pharaceuticals over the years.

Ned Goudy said:

I personally don't believe in using Herbal remedies
since I take several different medications.

You are correct that herbs can be deadly or cause serious harm in certain cases.

Everyone should use caution when condsidering herbs and other supplements.

One of the more common examples is ephedra.