Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Support Group
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I just wondered if anyone had any advice on how to get a good nights sleep.
For about a year, I have been waking up because I need to use the bathroom and then I can't get back to sleep for a couple of hours. Recently, however, I started taking a multivitamin, turmeric, and fish oil around 7 or 8pm and suddenly I have found that I am often getting a good nights sleep or if I do wake up it is easier to get back to sleep.
A good night sleep is so important and I wondered if anyone also had any tips on what helps them sleep.
For about a year, I have been waking up because I need to use the bathroom and then I can't get back to sleep for a couple of hours. Recently, however, I started taking a multivitamin, turmeric, and fish oil around 7 or 8pm and suddenly I have found that I am often getting a good nights sleep or if I do wake up it is easier to get back to sleep.
A good night sleep is so important and I wondered if anyone also had any tips on what helps them sleep.
Other ideas are found below. Slow releasing Melatonin, the hormone your pineal gland produces to help you sleep, is nt addictive and many find it helpful. As always speak to a doc about what is best for you.
1.) http://www.lef.org/Vitamins-Supplements/Item28404/Melatonin-Orange-Flavored-Sublingual.html?source=search&key=sublingual%20melatonin
2.) http://www.lef.org/Vitamins-Supplements/Item01086/Melatonin-6-Hour-Timed-Release.html?source=search&key=melatonin
Best wishes to you in getting a good nights sleep (helps endocrine functioning and immune system),
EP
Two of my lesions are in my brainstem. Not a good place. An evaluation by a urologist for urethritis revealed no disease. He attributed my waking up every two hours with the need to go to the bathroom implicating the lesions in my brainstem. Also Cranial Nerve 5, the trigiminal nerve originates there. As a result, I'm bothered with trigiminal neuritis (also know as suicide disease). If I wake up with this during the night, there is no hope for the rest of the night's sleep.
Sometimes I think Job in the Bible must have had MS.
What helps me is tylenol PM and zantaflex. I also take baclofen. but zantaflex works almost instantly. I take .5 mg. of Klonapam.
Pls get medical advice re melatonin.
Here is a link to sleep promoting Tai Chi
anyway, google "melatonin and auto immune disases" and you will get plenty of warnings. Watch out for melatoin.
I am happy w/ tylenol PM (1), ambien(1/2), zantaflex(6 mg.), .5 mg. Klnopam, wake up once to go bathrm and use part of broke up pills to go bk to sleep--7-8 hrs. every night. I am on same meds for 8+ yrs.
Good luck to EasyM re trigeminal. Friends here went to Winston-Salem, NC to get nerve cut for relief. It is bad pain. hop you get relief.
Best, E.
IF you don't get enough sleep it negatively impacts hormones and immune function. It puts you at a higher risk for hypertension and diabetes.
Melatonin slightly increases blood sugar but not much. It is NOT addictive and helps you get restful sleep (REM that helps rejuvenate you). Using Antihistamines ie Benadryl, per my pharmacy class, does not give you restful sleep and therefore you may feel tired the next day. Ambian will work, however I have spoken to a few that after time you need more and then when you don't take it you can't sleep. It is an addictive drug.
My point is there are a lot of points to consider. As I stated in my first reply see a doctor to try to find what works best for you. As for me I like to try non-addictive meds before addicting ones.
1.) Have a routine of getting up at one time and going to bed at a certain time.
2.) Use your bedroom for sleep and sex ..don't use if tor work or TV. It trains you that getting in bed is for sleeping.
3.) Keep your bedroom DARK as lack of light is what stimulates your pineal gland to make melatonin.
4.) I keep a pad and pencil next to my bed in drawer. When I have things I keep thinking about ie What I have to do the next day. I write them all down. Then I don't have anxiety about forgetting something and relax to sleep.
5.) Make sure to get enough quality nutrition to make the signals and hormones to help you sleep. A good multivitamin with Selenium, magnesium, manganese, iodine, zinc, B vitamins, choline, D3, etc + Fish oil. Eating turkey that has tryptophan in it (an amino acid your body can NOT make so it must be ingested) is a good source for some of the precursors to melatonin your brain produces.
tryptophan-> Serotonin (feel good hormone) -> Melatonin
6.) Get out in the sun during the day, the eye dilations light causes, triggers your brain to use serotonin (feel good hormone) that is a precursor to melatonin. Then at night, in your bedroom, turn off all lights to trigger the brain to make melatonin.
5.) Exercise during the day but sometime 3 hours before bed. If you exercise or eat 1-2 hours before bed your body is still being stimulated and it can be harder to fall asleep.
6.) Try not to ingest caffeine after 2pm in the day for the same reason.
7.) You can get rid of anything causing inflammation in your body ie undiagnosed allergies(IgE, IgG, etc). Your body's response to inflammation is steroids that increase blood sugar and WAKE YOU UP! So if you have to take prescribed steroids do so in the morning,
You can't magically make lesions go away. If they are in the regions of the brain that influence reduction of melatonin production etc you can't make the MS disappear. The above info are things that are within your control to see if you can increase the quality of your sleep thus your life. Talk to your doc to see what else may apply to you.
Best wishes,
EP