The Ever-Elusive Sleep

I am not sure if it is the constant pain or just a regular feature of hypermobility, but a lot of us struggle to get the kind of sleep that resets and restores us.

Truth here? Until menopause I slept like a champ. Was a great and regular napper. Got my eight plus hours anytime no one was breaking down my door. It seems like a fairy tale now.

My daughter Elle has never been an easy sleeper. Her best advice for people who find sleep challenging? Stock your nightstand for this reality. On her nightstand, she always has a big bottle of water. She has found that hydration is her primary preventer of Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a fainting-like problem that happens to her occasionally when she gets up at night. When she first started displaying this syndrome, it was really scary. Having a POTS night makes her feel very ill and so she has become rigid in her fluid intake. In addition, she uses Advil occasionally. While no one likes to pump their livers full of Advil, it does work pretty well to lessen inflammation and tension, so sleep might be possible. Even I, who react negatively to many medications, tolerate Advil well and find it helps me with occasional use.

The following are some items that might make sleep a little easier:

Melatonin

Melatonin is not a plant. It is a natural hormone in your body. Levels of melatonin naturally rise in the evening so you can sleep. Healthline suggests you take 3-10 mg of melatonin before bedtime. I have tried it and found that it puts me out for about 3-4 hours and then I am wide awake. I found it better for jetlag than daily sleep. But others have found it very beneficial.

Lavender

Lavender is plant that people have used for thousands of years to help them relax. I put a few drops of lavender essential oil into a small bottle of witch hazel and roll it on my neck and wrists when I am tense. I also use it on the wooly balls that I use in the dryer instead of those gross dryer sheets so that my sheets and towels have a faint lavender scent. The Green Wisdom School of Natural and Botanical Medicine says it has a pleasant uplift and is used for mild anxiety, improving sleep quality and facilitating stagnant depression. You can also use lavender tea before bed with a little honey and find it flavoring things like ice cream.

Hops

According to The Sleep Doctor blog, “hops has been used for hundreds of years as an herbal medicine to treat sleep problems as well as anxiety, irritability, excitability, and restlessness.” Yes, hops is a big part of beer. You can try hops in a pill form. I make a tincture that is mostly hops but has a bit of valerian in it for sleeping.

Valerian

Valerian root is one of the most commonly used sleep remedies. It tends to have a bigger effect than lavender or hops. Healthline recommends 300-600 milligrams of valerian root a half hour to two hours before bedtime. There is some indication that the effects build up over a few weeks of regular use so the first time you take it might be disappointing. I find valerian root a little intense for me (bad dreams) and like to make a tincture of valerian flowers instead. Remember, take it easy! We have unique bodies so be willing to take it slow.

1. Healthline. “9 Natural Sleep Aids that are Backed by Science.”
   

This information is not intended to take the place of personalized medical counseling, diagnosis and/or treatment by a trained physician. Herbs and other botanicals are presently classified by the Food and Drug Administration as foods, not as medicines.