Need help sleeping

I always have trouble getting a good night's sleep. What would be the best supplement option out there? ZMA? GABA?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Depends. Melatonin can be helpful, but it depends on why you aren't sleeping.

 

I have always just tossed and turned....pretty much my whole life. I do not have sleep apnia (spelling?). But my restlessness at night is affecting my training. So I was wondering what other people have used in the past to help them get more restfull sleep.

I have heard that GABA does that, but wanted to get some personal opinions before I buy any. I also heard that ZMA might help but have also heard that it keeps some people up at night.

 

GABA also keeps some people up at night.

If you are having trouble sleeping, first consider magnesium supplimentation. Magnesium with calcium seems to have a calming, restful effect and most people are actually deficient. Don't take too much or you'll get the squirts.

ZMA gives this same effect to others.

Personally, for me, once the tingling and stinging over the whole body passes after about 15 minutes, I can sleep like a log on GABA. Some people however, complain that it makes them more "focused", preventing sleep. For example they read a magazine article at 9p, take gaba at 11p, go to bed at 11:30 and spend the next 4 hours going over the article in minute detail from every conceivable angle in their mind instead of sleeping.

The only way to know is to try it.

Good luck getting some rest.

 

I've just started on the GABA; will keep you informed. I've done the ZMA with some success - deeper sleep, vivid (and weeeeird) dreams. I've gotten a bit insomnial since I turned about 46...now I'm 53. Melatonin didn't do diddly squat for me. Sleeping pills are chemical crapoids that leave me waking up feeling like my bod and brain are swimming in mud for a couple of hours. Same thing with the nighttime cold remedies. Not worth it.
V-man, how much GABA were you taking. I'm started at just under 3 grams.

 

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(vagrant @ Oct. 30 2006,19:14)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">...they read a magazine article at 9p, ......., go to bed at 11:30 and spend the next 4 hours going over the article in minute detail from every conceivable angle in their mind instead of sleeping.</div>
This is exactally what I find myself doing lately. It's very frustrating to be lying in bed analizing something like that when it really isn't even anything important!

I'll probably try one or the other. I will try them seperate first but are there any potential problems with using both at the same time?

Thanks for the input!

 

You bunch of druggies!

I personally wouldn't use drugs to help you sleep, because that isn't solving the real problem, do you really want to be stuck on them the rest of your life?

I used to have a terrible time sleeping during uni, when my sleeping patterns were disrupted by partying and having my first class at 2pm. I'd also lie in bed for hours thinking or stressing about things.

Once I started full-time work I'm often so tired that I fall asleep pretty quickly now, except when I'm stimulated by something stressful or exciting that's going on in my life, or by caffeine.

So I recommend filling your days with more activity and exciting stuff during the day, so you're worn out at night. It really is a lifestyle thing. Also try some relaxing music just before/as you go to bed. Buy a nature cd or something. Seriously its cheaper and better than drugs.

 

If you want to try something without taking a pill you can always try a lavender scented incent or lavender oil.

I've used it with some success. I prefer the oil simply because as a firefighter...don't care to have something burning in the room I'm sleeping.

I'd simply take the oil, dab some on my finger, and rub some on the pillow.

No side effects...and I usually slept really good from it.

Good luck

 

ZMA is zinc, magnesium, and I forget what the A is.  Simply mineral supplements for minerals that most of us are deficient in.  No drugs there.  magnesium deficiency is a cause of insomnia, correcting this is a proven treatment.  I cannot speak from personal experience about it's effectiveness.  However, I've seen magnesium taken for insomnia with great success.  The zinc isn't for sleep, but for improved muscle growth somehow.  Hmmm, muscles grow when we sleep...interesting.

GABA is an amino acid, naturally occurring in the body.  It is one of the primary neurotransmitters in the CNS.  It helps send &quot;slowing&quot; signals to allow rest.  Supposedly it doesn't cross the blood brain barrier when you use it as a suppliment.  Yet, somehow, in many people, it helps get a very restful sleep with a very beneficial REM period.  You get a better GH response from that same sleep from either the GABA (which boosts GH) or from the better REM period (which boosts GH).  Either way, I don't care...it does work.  I should start taking it again.

My favorite way of using GABA was 3g 30 minutes preworkout, then 3g 30 minutes before bed.

If it's simply a relaxation issue and you aren't missing some mineral causing your insomnia...lavender is a good choice. Supposedly it, like evening primrose oil, is very relaxing and helps one sleep better too. Too bad they both are suspected of lowering testosterone and boosting estrogen levels. May not be true though...suspected isn't convicted.

 

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(Peak_Power @ Oct. 30 2006,22:26)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">So I recommend filling your days with more activity and exciting stuff during the day, so you're worn out at night. It really is a lifestyle thing. Also try some relaxing music just before/as you go to bed. Buy a nature cd or something. Seriously its cheaper and better than drugs.</div>
Dude, you don't have a clue! Some days I work in the office or around the house, and that's my vacation. But more often than not, I'm loading the truck with tools, working all day, coming home and working on the house, hit the computer for a while, read a book or play with Deb and hit the pillow. You'd think that would knock a man out, but nooooo....I gotta lay there and think about bills and tomorrow's work, and where's our next job coming from and how I'm gonna set up the church lighting, and...and...and...

Tried a million ways to shut it off; it just won't die!

 

I have tried the lavender and it didn't do anything for me.  My wife swears by it though and uses it every night. I have also treid other aroma therapy's....that didn't work either.  And I have also tried the soothing music and nature CD's with no success.

If GABA sends &quot;slowing&quot; signals to the body why would you use it before working out?

 

For the as yet unproven-but-anecdotally-confirmed GH rise. There is argument that GABA doensn't cross the blood-brain barrier, but it is suspected (from my talks with bb'ers and websites) that taken in larger doses (6+grams/day) that some of it does, where it definitely is proven to increase HGH...in simple terms.
I just know that from my recent studies on it, trying to solve my low GH problem. Cheaply.

 

Browse this :- Works as advertised for me. Sleep

I'm not a morning person and in general don't feel great without 8 - 9 hours of solid quality sleep, but the above worked wonders for me.

Since using it, for the first time ever I've started getting up before the alarm clock reminds me to hit the snooze button and my wife has to fetch the bucket of water (literally ).

I've even found it helps me get to sleep easier because I'm not lying awake worrying about the fact that I can't get to sleep

 

<div>
(quadancer @ Oct. 31 2006,10:19)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">For the as yet unproven-but-anecdotally-confirmed GH rise. There is argument that GABA doensn't cross the blood-brain barrier, but it is suspected (from my talks with bb'ers and websites) that taken in larger doses (6+grams/day) that some of it does, where it definitely is proven to increase HGH...in simple terms.
I just know that from my recent studies on it, trying to solve my low GH problem. Cheaply.</div>
When I was using it. 6g/day did best for me. 3g preworkout, 3g before bed.

I did grow more, I did sleep better. The thing with gaba in 3g at a time dosages is when taken 30 minutes preworkout for me it gave me a more focused workout. When taken 30 minutes before bed, it gave me better sleep.

Since it's not a &quot;sleeping drug&quot; it's effective in both places. I really cannot explain why. And you are correct sir, it would take a pretty high dose to cross the blood brain barrier.

Being an amino acid, it would take a very high dose to be effective orally at all anyway. I take amino acids for MS treatment. Copxone is just an injectable amino acid preparation. Orally, it was ineffective for most people. I was one of the oral copaxone guinea pigs so got the study results when they stopped it early. The dosage for aminos to actually get into the system instead of being digested and used for food is very high.

I hope the GABA helps you quad, I found it beneficial. My wife still takes it for sleep. Some people it helps, some it doesn't. For the cost, you can't beat it if it's effective at all for you.

Keep us updated about how it turns out.

 

<div>
(quadancer @ Oct. 31 2006,15:21)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(Peak_Power @ Oct. 30 2006,22:26)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">So I recommend filling your days with more activity and exciting stuff during the day, so you're worn out at night. It really is a lifestyle thing. Also try some relaxing music just before/as you go to bed. Buy a nature cd or something. Seriously its cheaper and better than drugs.</div>
Dude, you don't have a clue! Some days I work in the office or around the house, and that's my vacation. But more often than not, I'm loading the truck with tools, working all day, coming home and working on the house, hit the computer for a while, read a book or play with Deb and hit the pillow. You'd think that would knock a man out, but nooooo....I gotta lay there and think about bills and tomorrow's work, and where's our next job coming from and how I'm gonna set up the church lighting, and...and...and...

Tried a million ways to shut it off; it     just    won't     die!</div>
If I have a hard time sleeping, it's because I lie there thinking of everything, training, work, studies, social life etc. To get to sleep I just write everything that's on my mind down on a piece of paper, and &quot;swish&quot;, no more thoughts, no more worries today. Then I fall easily to sleep. Just a tip

I also use ZMA (Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamine-B6). My quality of sleep is better. I feel more rested, and i dream more.

 

My vote is for ZMA as well, definitely makes the dreams interesting, if anything, once you start falling asleep taking the ZMA, eventually your body will react to you just taking the supplement, we can be trained to perform like animals.  

Bahiana's idea works too, I'll second that one.  

Another might be a relaxation CD or some elevator music..  Play it every night before you go to sleep and just like the supplement, your body will eventually react to your simply turning the music on.



Tylenol PM works.  



I can relate to quadancer, I walk a fine line, too little exertion and I have some difficulty sleeping, a hair too much exertion and forget it, I don't get tired, I get wired, can't sleep but wish I could...weird.  



Good luck

 

geez I'm getting mauled lately!!!

I guess that's what happens when you put yourself out there and offer your opinion.

TBH I didn't know what ZMA or GABA were, thought they were drugs, thanks for clearing that up.

And Quad you're a tuff cookie I think a horse tranquiliser wouldn't knock you out

 

Well, none of that fruitysmell elevatorfuneral music with affirmative brain foofoo stuff is likely to make me check for holes in my eyelids, but my vote is ZMA still. 2 days on the GABA so far, nothing to report.

I'm not so tuff, I'm just gettin' Oooollllld!

 

ZMA worked great for me.  My dad is an insomniac and I inherited some of it.  Plus I am one of those people who, if they dont get 8+ hours of sleep, really get dragged down on a sleep deficit. ZMA will not help you get to sleep, but when you do get to sleep it is damn good sleep.  I might have to check out GABA too.