A Quick Overview of Sleep Treatments
Q: So where do I start!
A: Below is a list of the treatments that have been shown to be most helpful in restoring sleep in these syndromes. I have listed the natural ones first that you can try them on your own. These are followed by the prescriptions. In each category, I've put them in order of usefulness.
For those of you who would like to treat the sleep naturally or on your own without prescription, I would begin with
- Revitalizing Sleep Formula (by Enzymatic Therapies and PhytoPharmica) – Valerian 200mg, Passion Flower 90mg, L-Theanine 50mg, Hops 30mg, Piscidia 12mg and Wild Lettuce 28mg. Take 2-4 capsules each night 30 to 90 minutes before bedtime. This is available in most health food stores and on my website at www.EndFatigue.com
- Take calcium and magnesium at bedtime. You may choose to take half a scoop of the daily energy Enfusion powder at bedtime (take the other half scoop in the morning with the B-complex) to get the magnesium.
- Eat some turkey at bedtime. This can prevent hypoglycemia during the night and also supplies Tryptophan which helps sleep.
- Melatonin, one-half to 1 mg at bedtime (or 5 mg taken five hours before you want to go to sleep if you are wide awake at bedtime).
- Doxylamine 25 milligrams (Unisom for sleep) -- make sure it is pure doxylamine with no other medications added. This is like Benadryl but more effective for sleep. It is not natural but it is over-the-counter.
- Taking 5-HTP 200-400 mg at bedtime (limit it to 200 mg if you are on antidepressants) can help sleep, pain, and induce weight loss. Where the other treatments will work the first night that you take them, it can take the5- HTP six to twelve weeks to see the full effect.
For those of you who would like to begin with prescriptions, the three best ones to use are:
1- Ambien 10 mg,
2- Desyrel 25 to 75 milligrams, and or
3- Klonopin 1/2 to 1 and 1/2 mg (may be addictive) -- often in combination.
From the treatment protocol at www.EndFatigue.Com
Dr. Teitelbaum is a board certified internist and director of the Annapolis Research Center for Effective CFS/Fibromyalgia Therapies, where he sees CFS/Fibromyalgia/Chronic pain patients from all over the world (410-266-6958). Having suffered with and overcome these illnesses in 1975, he spent the next 28 years creating, researching, and teaching about effective therapies. He is the author of the best-selling From Fatigued to Fantastic!" and the newly released "Three Steps to Happiness! Healing through Joy". His web site can be found at: www.vitality101.com