Don’t fight it
Don’t fight it. Yes, that’s right, do not fight insomnia. If you lie in your bed tossing and turning, thinking to yourself, “i can’t sleep,” or “i have to get up in 5 hours”.... you’re putting yourself into a tailspin - and you are going to be tired in the morning no matter what.
image 1: crescent moon against dark sky
Instead, get up ~ make some herbal tea, put on some music, maybe have a light (ideally healthful) snack, and get your mind and/or body involved with anything other than thinking about falling asleep. During this time, I like to write. If my brain wants to be active, it’s best to let it. And my brain unfurls best when writing, so…find what unfurls your brain the best and do it.
image 2: person drinking tea, writing, listening to music on headphones
I also recommend taking a small dose of melatonin (1-3g) occasionally on the most difficult nights of sleep. With melatonin, less is often more effective (say, 3g instead of 5g). Melatonin + CBD is highly recommended! CBD is anti-inflammatory, helping calm the nervous system into a parasympathetic state. There is a Chinese herbal formula called Dr. Jin’s Sleep formula available from acupuncture practitioners who have attended the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine (OCOM). My practice is one of these; i can prescribe this as a bulk herbal formula for you and it is inexpensive. It is simple and beautiful, containing only three herbs: chen pi (dried citrus peel), hu po (amber), and suan zao ren (zizyphus). Simple and effective, drink the decoction as you would an herbal cup of tea. Make ahead of time and freeze in time of need or store in the refrigerator for up to two days. To me, it tastes good and feels comforting to have a warm cup of nourishing goodness in my hands. Sleep+ by Thorne is a product I recently discovered. It contains 1g of melatonin, 100mg chamomile, and 200mg L-theanine. CALM calcium/magnesium support taken during the day can help improve sleep at night. These are calming elements, and our soils are well-known to be depleted of minerals such as magnesium, meaning that many of us are deficient. This deficiency contributes to jangled nerves, an inability to settle down, and to insomnia.
image 3: helpful sleep supplements: CALM, Sleep+, Suan Zao Ren Wan (Zizyphus Formula)
I don't often recommend lots of supplements and definitely don’t recommend relying solely on supplements to fall asleep. Psychology is the first and most important factor. Find your flow, distract your mind from the “task” of falling asleep, and let your mind wander into creative realms. Use herbal teas, herbal medicines, and herbal supplements in addition to this. Additionally, a heated stone infrared mat is a must for anyone with sleep issues and/or chronic pain. After finding your creative flow for awhile, and having some warm herbal medicine, turn on some alpha-wave music or your favorite yoga nidra sequence, and lie on your mat. I use Inframat Pro, but Biomat is the original and also has some really great products. There are many to choose from, but these are the only two I’ve ever had the chance to try. The mat will relax you deeply, and you may find yourself falling asleep on it! Yay! I use mine on top of two yoga mats, and use a light soft blanket on top, and then another blanket to cover me. Wear socks and use an eye pillow, and in less than an hour I am sure you will feel more relaxed and perhaps even drowsy. Ampuku abdominal self-massage is something you can incorporate while you are lying in bed, on your yoga mat, or on your heated stone mat. But it all starts with your mind - unplugging your mind from the task of sleeping, allowing your mind to be awake and involved with something you enjoy, and letting go of the outcome of an 8-hour night of sleep. Gather your herbal allies and have them ready as needed. You may even emerge from this process in a more productive and creative space! Who knew that insomnia could be a gift, an open door to experiencing and discovering so much?!
image 4: heated stone mat
Then, take the next steps for good sleep with whole lifestyle changes. Take care of your environment. Declutter your home environment of material objects that are just taking up space; go minimalist to reduce mental clutter. If something isn’t beautiful, unique, handcrafted, or sentimental in my home, it is gone. Choose quality over quantity. Fill your home with beauty and things that inspire. Use natural products - branches found outside can be great curtain rods or hooks, for example. Dried flowers make an awesome earthy decor. Sell your stuff or donate it. Get rid of plastic. Keep spaces underneath furniture free and clear. Work through why you are hanging onto things and make a decision if it’s for a healthful or unhealthful reason. If your senses are constantly bombarded with the stimuli of things that “need to be done,” sleep will likely be more challenging. Organize the things that need to be done into a list or visual pile that is easy to access when needed. Sometimes, for me, just simply the process of organizing my thoughts or mental/visual to-do list/pile is enough to allow my mind to be free of these things for awhile, knowing I have reminders that will keep me on track when I’m ready. Then do a deep clean. I recommend removing harsh cleaning products from your environment. I use Bronner’s to clean the floors and showers, 7th Generation unscented soaps to wash dishes/clothing/bed sheets, and a blend of 4 parts water, 1 parts white vinegar, 2 parts rubbing alcohol, and 2-3 drops each of tea tree + thyme oils to clean surfaces.
image 5: natural household cleaner recipe
I then dry-mop the hardwood floors with a cloth and essential oils. At this time of year, balsam fir, frankincense, or cedarwood essential oils permeate spaces in the most enjoyable way. Essential oils are also gently antibacterial and infuse your whole home with a light, clean aroma that keeps working its magic for hours. Organic bed sheets, pillows, and mattresses free of harsh chemicals and flame retardants are truly essential. Also find a comfortable mattress that works best for your body. Do not skimp. These products can be more expensive in the short term, but in the long run are such a beneficial investment that cannot be understated. If you hope to spend around ⅓ of your life sleeping, as is the 8-hour/night recommendation, this is an investment in your life, vitality, and longevity. In addition, the power of healthful meals is primary. Products that are highly-processed or contain lots of chemical colorings and additives are also often packed with sugars. All of these ingredients send your body into physiological imbalance, increase inflammation, and do not provide the building blocks for healthful physiological processes, including sleeping, thinking, socializing, and being. Bake some carrots, leeks, and broccoli and pour these intos soup stock for a warming soup. Add grains if desired. Bake with meat if desired. Or add tofu as you are pouring baked veggies into the stock, as desired. The winter months especially are a wonderful time for nourishing baked veggies and warming soups. Additionally. enough gentle exercise of various forms makes for a better night’s sleep – gentle cardio, mindful pilates, qigong, or slow-flow yoga to center, balance, and release excess energy, as well as yin yoga to get deep into the connective tissue for ultimate balance of strength and flexibility, and restorative yoga, yoga nidra, and qigong to give your nervous system a refreshing reset. Get regular acupuncture and bodywork - of course! It’s so obvious to me, but without these things, my sleep life would be a hot and holy mess. Try shiatsu and get weekly acupuncture; this cannot be overstated as essentially important. A clean lifestyle makes sleep so much easier, but even still it can sometimes be challenging. That is where you can loop back to the beginning of this article for in-the-moment suggestions.
image 6: cast iron pan of roasted root vegetables
Remember, if this seems like a lot, it is. And it will take time. Be compassionate and forgiving with yourself if you’re not where you want to be in this process right now. Take one step, then another. You have time, a lifetime, to work on these things. You are capable of improving one of the most essential aspects of living a safe, productive, fulfilling life — a good night’s sleep. I am here cheering you on!
-written by Kelly Ilseman, L.Ac, M.Ac.O.M., M.S., M.Ed., December 23, 2022
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