GSL Technology Kava pills, Gaia Capsules, etc. for insomnia?
- Thread starter sumguy
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sumguy
Kava Enthusiast
I've been using Dr. Teal's epsom salts with chamomile that Walmart sells. I used to use the lavender type, but my wife is sensitive to it and I apparently don't clean the bathtub out enough when I'm done.
sumguy
Kava Enthusiast
Thanks. It seems like I've tried just about everything over the years. I guess it won't hurt to see if they've got anything I haven't yet. At one point (many years ago) I even slept in a room by myself for several months. The only difference it made was that my wife couldn't wake me up when I snored.
Bwiggy
I like plants
@blippy @sumguy whoa, I just imagined epsom salt bath plus kava.
You'd have to have someone on standby to prevent drowning. That would be some serious relaxation.
Also, I use the plain kind of epsom salt $3 for like 5 lbs at the Dollar Store.
I love pure essential oils.. I often use Clary Sage for baths...it's a little harder to find, but google that one.... it's great for deep relaxation. (not for internal ingestion).
You'd have to have someone on standby to prevent drowning. That would be some serious relaxation.
Also, I use the plain kind of epsom salt $3 for like 5 lbs at the Dollar Store.
I love pure essential oils.. I often use Clary Sage for baths...it's a little harder to find, but google that one.... it's great for deep relaxation. (not for internal ingestion).
sumguy
Kava Enthusiast
Well I found out something very interesting last night. After I had been trying to get to sleep for about an hour, my wife told me to roll over so I'd quit snoring. I told her I hadn't even been asleep, how could I have been snoring? She said I had snored briefly several times and then stopped, but this time I was getting louder instead of stopping. So apparently while I'm thinking I can't get to sleep, I'm actually sleeping and then waking myself up by my snoring but not realizing I had been asleep. So I guess when I finally "get to sleep" (and feel like I have) is when I finally go deep enough that I don't wake myself up without waking myself up...
I think I'm going to try a sleep tracking app I found and see what happens.
I think I'm going to try a sleep tracking app I found and see what happens.
verticity
I'm interested in things
That can certainly happen: you may feel like you are "awake", but you are really asleep.Well I found out something very interesting last night. After I had been trying to get to sleep for about an hour, my wife told me to roll over so I'd quit snoring. I told her I hadn't even been asleep, how could I have been snoring? She said I had snored briefly several times and then stopped, but this time I was getting louder instead of stopping. So apparently while I'm thinking I can't get to sleep, I'm actually sleeping and then waking myself up by my snoring but not realizing I had been asleep. So I guess when I finally "get to sleep" (and feel like I have) is when I finally go deep enough that I don't wake myself up without waking myself up...
I think I'm going to try a sleep tracking app I found and see what happens.
You may want to get yourself checked for sleep apnea if you are snoring a lot. I did, and I sleep much better with my CPAP now. My wife is happy too, about the reduced noise level.
sumguy
Kava Enthusiast
The funny thing is I haven't had any trouble sleeping since figuring that out. Of course, I'm currently taking valerian capsules before going to bed, and that's probably helping as well. In about another week I'm going to switch back to kava again. I've got a bunch of it waiting for me now.
sumguy
Kava Enthusiast
The bottle of valerian root I've been taking says to take 1 to 5 capsules. I started with 3 and got up to 5 as lower doses proved not as effective. But that seems to have led to daytime drowsiness, so I've decided it's time to switch back to kava, but it seems my body doesn't like switching back and forth. I took 6 of the Gaia kava capsules last night before dinner (around 7) and when I went to bed around 11 sleep didn't come. So I took some melatonin and that didn't work. In ended up taking the 5 valerian capsules that had worked by themselves on previous nights and they also did nothing. By about 2 I decided to try some kava candy. That relaxed me some, but didn't put me right out like it has in the past. I did end up getting some sleep eventually - I actually remember dreaming just a bit - but not nearly enough.
So I'm wondering if I should have only taken 3 of the kava capsules, or if maybe the 6 I took wasn't enough. 3 used to do it for me, but it had been a little while since I had taken any. The other factor could have been caffeine - I don't usually use it, but I've been drowsy enough the last few days I've had 120 mg each day, but always before noon.
I have some GHK Boroguru now, but haven't had time to make any yet. The capsules are too convenient. I also got some samples from Kava King that I could try, but the reviews I've read make them sound like they're not the sleepy type.
So I'm wondering if I should have only taken 3 of the kava capsules, or if maybe the 6 I took wasn't enough. 3 used to do it for me, but it had been a little while since I had taken any. The other factor could have been caffeine - I don't usually use it, but I've been drowsy enough the last few days I've had 120 mg each day, but always before noon.
I have some GHK Boroguru now, but haven't had time to make any yet. The capsules are too convenient. I also got some samples from Kava King that I could try, but the reviews I've read make them sound like they're not the sleepy type.
verticity
I'm interested in things
Rather than switching around every week, it might be best to find a routine that works and stick with it over time, making small changes as needed. For example, if valerian is working, just keep using it. If valerian is making you drowsy during the day, maybe just cut back on it, or cut back on it and supplement with some kava.. You need to find some kind of balance that will work for the long term.. frequent abrupt changes will probably not be very helpful..
sumguy
Kava Enthusiast
Well, I've seen warnings about using valerian long term, and I've experienced bad side effects from long term usage in the past. Kava seems like it has the potential to do more good long term with fewer side effects.
I decided to try one of the Kava King samples tonight. I took about 1.5 teaspoons before dinner (a little before 7), and felt some effects. I'm thinking of taking another 1.5 teaspoons (or whatever is left in the sample package) around 9 or so, an hour or so before I plan to go to bed. Does this sound like a good plan for help with sleeping?
I decided to try one of the Kava King samples tonight. I took about 1.5 teaspoons before dinner (a little before 7), and felt some effects. I'm thinking of taking another 1.5 teaspoons (or whatever is left in the sample package) around 9 or so, an hour or so before I plan to go to bed. Does this sound like a good plan for help with sleeping?
verticity
I'm interested in things
Possibly. 1.5 teaspoons is a pretty small amount, so I don't know. Only one way to find out...
sumguy
Kava Enthusiast
I've read some more on this forum, and it appears that it's best to put a few hours between kava and trying to sleep, so hopefully what I took before dinner will be sufficient. (It was several weeks ago when I was taking the capsules, but the lack of sleep last night worries me.)
sumguy
Kava Enthusiast
Well, I ended up having to take 1 mg of melatonin, but that's all, which is definitely an improvement over the night before. Tonight I think I will try the boroguru.
One question - I understand that it's common that kava makes you urinate more than usual (which is tough for me to measure, because I do it more than usual anyway), but what about defecating? I've noticed it makes me do that a lot more. It's not diarreah, it's still solid but much smaller than normal and much, much more frequent. And this isn't just new today - it was also happening when I took the capsules.
One question - I understand that it's common that kava makes you urinate more than usual (which is tough for me to measure, because I do it more than usual anyway), but what about defecating? I've noticed it makes me do that a lot more. It's not diarreah, it's still solid but much smaller than normal and much, much more frequent. And this isn't just new today - it was also happening when I took the capsules.
verticity
I'm interested in things
Well, yes kava is a strong diuretic. And some of us have also noticed a bit of a laxative effect. I wouldn't say it makes me poop more frequently, but sometimes after drinking some kava there is an effect similar to after drinking coffee in that respect...
sumguy
Kava Enthusiast
I thought I'd update this thread again. I did the GHK boroguru on Thursday and Friday, and had a little left on Saturday, which I took along with some Kava King Cappuccino Shake sample because I was too lazy to make another batch. I slept great all 3 nights. Yesterday, I finished the Cappuccino sample and thought I'd try a shell or 2 of the Lateral Root sample around 4 pm. Big mistake. It made me itch and then by 12:30 am I was actually feeling restless. I didn't get to sleep until after 3 am, and that was after taking 1 mg of melatonin 3 times (spaced out when each previous time didn't work), Kava Candy, and then finally some chlorpheniramine (antihistamine).
I won't have time to do another batch of the boroguru before dinner tonight, but it seems like that's what I should stick with. I guess I'll either need to take some more of the Gaia capsules I still have or switch back to valerian root for a night or two.
I won't have time to do another batch of the boroguru before dinner tonight, but it seems like that's what I should stick with. I guess I'll either need to take some more of the Gaia capsules I still have or switch back to valerian root for a night or two.
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sumguy
Kava Enthusiast
3 kava capsules and 1 mg of melatonin and I got some great sleep again last night. I'm going to be short on time again tonight, so will probably resort to the same thing again, but I hope to have the time to make another batch of boroguru for tomorrow.
And it's nice to have this place to keep track of what I'm doing. It's been very helpful. I hope nobody minds.
And it's nice to have this place to keep track of what I'm doing. It's been very helpful. I hope nobody minds.
verticity
I'm interested in things
Of course we don't mind; it's nice to have you here and see your progress with your kava experience.
sumguy
Kava Enthusiast
Last night I took 3 kava capsules when I got home from work, right before dinner, as I have the last few days. Then later I finally got around to making a batch of boroguru. I used 5 tablespoons with 2 cups of water, and kneaded for 10 minutes. I put that in a water bottle in the fridge, and then I did a second wash with 1 cup of water for a few minutes. Since it was still a couple of hours before I planned to be in bed, I went ahead and drank it (the 2nd wash). I didn't really feel much this time, other than maybe a little less coordination. And my right ear started ringing for a while, then it just felt stuffy.
That apparently was a big mistake. Once again, I was not able to get to sleep. Over the course of the night, I tried melatonin, chlorpheniramine, valerian root, and then at around 2:00 I finally decided to take a hot bath. I think I got a little bit of sleep off and on after the bath, before my alarm went off at 6.
I'm not sure if I took too much, or what. I had a very similar experience with the Kava King lateral root sample that I drank (half of) on Sunday afternoon. I was expecting the boroguru to not be like that - when I used it for a few days last week, drinking it at 5 or 6 pm would make it so my body was begging for bed at around 8 pm.
I'm not sure what to do tonight. I may take a break from kava for a while, except I still have a few days worth in the fridge that I don't want to go bad. Maybe I'll try drinking a half cup (that's a shell, right?) before dinner around 6 and see what happens one more time.
I've done some searching here since I wrote this earlier today, and ran across this very interesting thread:
http://kavaforums.com/forum/threads/kava-for-insomnia.1473/
That apparently was a big mistake. Once again, I was not able to get to sleep. Over the course of the night, I tried melatonin, chlorpheniramine, valerian root, and then at around 2:00 I finally decided to take a hot bath. I think I got a little bit of sleep off and on after the bath, before my alarm went off at 6.
I'm not sure if I took too much, or what. I had a very similar experience with the Kava King lateral root sample that I drank (half of) on Sunday afternoon. I was expecting the boroguru to not be like that - when I used it for a few days last week, drinking it at 5 or 6 pm would make it so my body was begging for bed at around 8 pm.
I'm not sure what to do tonight. I may take a break from kava for a while, except I still have a few days worth in the fridge that I don't want to go bad.
Maybe I'll try drinking a half cup (that's a shell, right?) before dinner around 6 and see what happens one more time.I've done some searching here since I wrote this earlier today, and ran across this very interesting thread:
http://kavaforums.com/forum/threads/kava-for-insomnia.1473/
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