insomnia

sunflower1

Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2015
Messages
74
Still dealing with insomnia going on 2 months now.. I'm certainly in a stress response.. Can barely eat and have to force myself..

I'm pretty sure i'm running high cortisol as i get the zaps when i try and sleep, like i lie down to sleep and then a jolt runs thru me and wakes me up..

I have low iron

Any suggestions

all my bloodwork came back normal, other than cholestrol.. which was high..

the only thing that makes me sleep is cannabis oil but I have short supply of the one that knocks me out and the doxy succinate that i was using just makes me feel like i'm so groggy the next day and barely work..
 
OP
S

sunflower1

Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2015
Messages
74
it's not been on the top of my list over the last week or so but before that i was getting around 2-3 teapspoons a day , now i can barely remember to take it as I'm running out of steam and getting more depressed
 

Blinkyrocket

Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2015
Messages
474
Age
27
How about gelatin? I've been warding off insomnia by taking 2 TBS (22g of protein) of gelatin, and some aspirin and vitamin k and as much salt until I start feeling tired.
Course if you don't drink much you might not need much salt.
 
OP
S

sunflower1

Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2015
Messages
74
yes I've read a lot of them.
I'll try the gelatin tonight and see if that helps. I might need some vitamin k
 

jimmyquick

Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2014
Messages
46
Have you had your 24 hour cortisol & DHEA tested, as well as your vitamin D? Those would be my first test as they are cheap and a good place to start. Vit D can fix sleep issues really, really quickly if you're deficient. Have you tested either of those? High cholesterol for me corresponds to low thyroid output.

For truly high cortisol, I've noticed it creates and "on edge" and worrisome feeling that just doesn't allow you relax. When I feel this at night, I take low dose milk thistle. Search the thread for this and you will see Haidut post on this showing that it will suppress cortisol if you need something to address it. Ashwaghanda seems to also work for me as well, but most of the studies I've seem show mix results so not sure on that one. DHEA as well but that seems to cause more issues for me. The real trick is trying to fix the reason for the high cortisol and address that.

I really dont think you should (or anyone for that matter ) should be feeling any stress at all or something is awry. For me those stress hormones always lead to insomnia, thus causing the problem to compound on itself. And of course not one things seems to fix the issue since our bodies are so dynamic.

Nevertheless, here is what works for me now and I've had insomnia for as long as I can remember. Now it's quite rare if I have an issue.

-Red light, lots of sunlight in the morning (there is a good thread on red light by strongbad)
-Everything and anything to improve thyroid function (eat liver for that vitamin A)
-Adequate vitamin C via fruit, seems to calm the adrenals (sore gums can be a deficient sign)
-Have a night routine. Yoga or some stretching works for me, nothing intense.

Hopefully that can help move you into the right direction. I know when my thyroid is running optimal based on labs, my cortisol is normal (as well as DHEA) and I fall asleep almost immediately (no matter what is going on around me) and stay asleep until the morning sun.
 

burtlancast

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2013
Messages
3,263
sunflower1 said:
the only thing that makes me sleep is cannabis oil but I have short supply of the one that knocks me out and the doxy succinate that i was using just makes me feel like i'm so groggy the next day and barely work..

Isn't high cholesterol indicative of a thyroid problem ?
Did you try thyroid before bed ?
And would you mind sharing which cannabis strain worked for you, and how it made you feel the day after ?
 

tara

Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2014
Messages
10,368
Can there be withdrawal symptoms from stopping or reducing teh cannabis oil?

I would not be sleeping either, if I couldn't get food in. No doubt there is more going on to interefere with appetite, but undereating alone can send cortisol high. I'm sorry you're in such a bind.
 
OP
S

sunflower1

Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2015
Messages
74
I'm using an indica strain and it makes me feel calm and mellow the next day for the most part . no other weird effects from it .
 
OP
S

sunflower1

Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2015
Messages
74
Tara, Yes I think I make around 17-1800 calories a day, its a real push to get that much in but i do it if i can get sleep , days where i don't sleep i probbaly get 12-1300 in , I wish i wanted food. I used to enjoy eating
 
OP
S

sunflower1

Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2015
Messages
74
jimmyquick said:
Have you had your 24 hour cortisol & DHEA tested, as well as your vitamin D? Those would be my first test as they are cheap and a good place to start. Vit D can fix sleep issues really, really quickly if you're deficient. Have you tested either of those? High cholesterol for me corresponds to low thyroid output.

For truly high cortisol, I've noticed it creates and "on edge" and worrisome feeling that just doesn't allow you relax. When I feel this at night, I take low dose milk thistle. Search the thread for this and you will see Haidut post on this showing that it will suppress cortisol if you need something to address it. Ashwaghanda seems to also work for me as well, but most of the studies I've seem show mix results so not sure on that one. DHEA as well but that seems to cause more issues for me. The real trick is trying to fix the reason for the high cortisol and address that.

I really dont think you should (or anyone for that matter ) should be feeling any stress at all or something is awry. For me those stress hormones always lead to insomnia, thus causing the problem to compound on itself. And of course not one things seems to fix the issue since our bodies are so dynamic.

Nevertheless, here is what works for me now and I've had insomnia for as long as I can remember. Now it's quite rare if I have an issue.

-Red light, lots of sunlight in the morning (there is a good thread on red light by strongbad)
-Everything and anything to improve thyroid function (eat liver for that vitamin A)
-Adequate vitamin C via fruit, seems to calm the adrenals (sore gums can be a deficient sign)
-Have a night routine. Yoga or some stretching works for me, nothing intense.

Hopefully that can help move you into the right direction. I know when my thyroid is running optimal based on labs, my cortisol is normal (as well as DHEA) and I fall asleep almost immediately (no matter what is going on around me) and stay asleep until the morning sun.


I think I have complex PTSD.. and I haven't had cortisol checked but i'm pretty sure its high, I have all the symptoms. I will look into the milk thistle and ashwaganda but I think I need the test to know when to dose?
 

healthbound

New Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2015
Messages
2
"I'm pretty sure i'm running high cortisol as i get the zaps when i try and sleep, like i lie down to sleep and then a jolt runs thru me and wakes me up"


I get this jolt too. It doesn't happen every night (it used to, though). So that is caused by high cortisol? It's very disconcerting when you are about to fall asleep and then literally get jolted awake. Glad to know what's causing it (it really scared me for a while).
 

tara

Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2014
Messages
10,368
Have you run your typical day's food through cronometer to see if you are getting all the needed micronutrients? If there any gaps you can fill, that may make a difference.

Are you hungry for anything?
 

4peatssake

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2013
Messages
2,055
Age
62
sunflower1 said:
Still dealing with insomnia going on 2 months now.. I'm certainly in a stress response.. Can barely eat and have to force myself..

I'm pretty sure i'm running high cortisol as i get the zaps when i try and sleep, like i lie down to sleep and then a jolt runs thru me and wakes me up..

I have low iron

Any suggestions

all my bloodwork came back normal, other than cholestrol.. which was high..

the only thing that makes me sleep is cannabis oil but I have short supply of the one that knocks me out and the doxy succinate that i was using just makes me feel like i'm so groggy the next day and barely work..
I think tara's suggestions are good.
If you can give us more information about what food and supps look like, I think we can better assist you.

Have you tried warm milk and honey before bed, and snack beside the bed for waking at night? I had wicked insomnia for close to a year due to a huge stress event so I feel for you.

More info from you if you can provide it may provide additional clues to how to knock down the stress response.
 
OP
S

sunflower1

Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2015
Messages
74
breakfast milk and fruit, it's about the only thing i can stomach in the am.
lunch, usually some kind of meat, today I have lamb shanks, with fruit and carrot salad
dinner same as lunch but maybe with some potato and fruit,

snacks are milk and fruit/ cheese and fruit and icecream..

supplements are B stress pm, 1000mg of magnesium, 200-400 mgs of potassium, just started taking cypro to see if will help me sleep.

Calories tend to fall around 1800- 2000 on a good day depending on nausea.

I have absolutely no cravings. I wish I did !. I have wanted chicken sausage with red peppers so I let myself have that a few times but that was about the only craving i had..

I drink 1 glas of milk with sugar and salt b4 bed , although its not warm and I normally drink it straight up then try and go to sleep so maybe warm and sipped would be better..
 
Joined
Jul 17, 2015
Messages
92
That's one thing I have noticed since I started adopting Ray Peats ideas, I sleep so much better than before, much deeper, often for longer too.

Previously I used to boast that somebody could call my name in the middle of the night and I would instantly respond. I can see now that I was living and sleeping on stress hormones. I literally used to think problems through when I thought I was sleeping, that's how shallow my sleep was.

The Gelatin and increased salt intake have been a real benefit for me, I'm sure the great increase in fructose intake has helped to.
 

Giraffe

Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
3,730
Dr.Winston O'Boogie said:
The Gelatin and increased salt intake have been a real benefit for me, I'm sure the great increase in fructose intake has helped to.
I also sleep much better since eating gelatine and increasing sodium and fructose.
 

4peatssake

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2013
Messages
2,055
Age
62
sunflower1 said:
breakfast milk and fruit, it's about the only thing i can stomach in the am.
lunch, usually some kind of meat, today I have lamb shanks, with fruit and carrot salad
dinner same as lunch but maybe with some potato and fruit,

snacks are milk and fruit/ cheese and fruit and icecream..

supplements are B stress pm, 1000mg of magnesium, 200-400 mgs of potassium, just started taking cypro to see if will help me sleep.

Calories tend to fall around 1800- 2000 on a good day depending on nausea.

I have absolutely no cravings. I wish I did !. I have wanted chicken sausage with red peppers so I let myself have that a few times but that was about the only craving i had..

I drink 1 glas of milk with sugar and salt b4 bed , although its not warm and I normally drink it straight up then try and go to sleep so maybe warm and sipped would be better..
I'd check the excipients in the supplements you are using to be sure there are no really nasty ones.

Dan Wich's website is very helpful for sourcing pure supplements.

Progesterone is helpful for insomnia particularly for menopausal women and very useful for stress. This is what helped me the most during my stress event. Progesterone, diet and thyroid supplementation.

In experiments, progesterone was found to be the basic hormone of adaptation and of resistance to stress. The adrenal glands use it to produce their antistress hormones, and when there is enough progesterone, they don't have to produce the potentially harmful cortisol. In a progesterone deficiency, we produce too much cortisol, and excessive cortisol causes osteoporosis, aging of the skin, damage to brain cells, and the accumulation of fat, especially on the back and abdomen...

Used alone, progesterone often makes it unnecessary to use estrogen for hot flashes or insomnia, or other symptoms of menopause.
Source
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom