I wanted to thank everyone again for all the suggestions and advice sent in to me by CantSleep’s readers. One reader recently pointed out that migraine headaches can often be the cause of insomnia. I do occasionally get headaches, so this prompted me to research what constitutes migraine headaches symptoms. The following are the most salient migraines headaches symptoms:
– Moderate to severe pain effecting either one or both sides of the head
– Head pain which increases with physical exertion
– Nausea which accompanies head pain
– Head pain of a throbbing nature
– Strong sensitivity to light and/or sound
There can actually be migraine headaches symptoms which occur prior to the onset of a migraine headache. These precursors to a migraine are termed “aura’s”, and they can include:
– A craving for candy or other sweets
– Drowsiness
– Insatiable thirst
– Feelings of depression
After perusing these migraine headaches symptoms and auras, I determined that I was not suffering from migraines. However, some of you might have insomnia which results from migraine headaches, and in order to ascertain this it is necessary to be fluent with the above list of migraine headaches symptoms. Seeing that migraines weren’t the cause of my insomnia, my quest for the cause — and cure — for my chronic insomnia. Hopefully this will come soon.
Hi all, it’s Barnaby checking back in. When I last posted on CantSleep.com the other day I was about to have my sleep apnea test. My doctor just called and advised me that I do not have sleep apnea. I can’t help but feel relieved, but at the same time I am disappointed that a definitive reason for my insomnia can not be ascertained. For now, I’ve decided that I’ve had enough of doctors and so-called experts, and I’m going to try to find a solution for my sleep issues which doesn’t involve pills. If you remember, I’ve previously described on here my unpleasant experiences with over the counter sleep aids. I tried various types of over the counter sleep pills, and they left me with horrible nightmares and insatiable thirst. I’m also quite nervous about becoming addicted to sleeping pills.
Last night my wife had me call her friend Joanne who is really into alternative medicine. Joanne told me that there are several possible natural cures for insomnia, and that she personally has seen them used with success. She gave me a list of possible natural cures of insomnia, and I’m now researching them trying to decide which is best for me. I first ruled out Melatonin. Although it seems that many people are able to use Melatonin successfully, I read that it can cause nightmares — something which I have already shown a tendency towards when I tried over the counter sleep aids. Also out is Kava. Although I see it discussed online, Joanne told me to stay away from it — Kava is now thought to potentially cause liver damage.
The next possibility is Valerian. This seems interesting. It seems that Valerian is a really popular natural cure for insomnia in Europe, and it has been used to treat insomnia for hundreds of years. Joanne insisted that Valerian is not tied to nightmares, and most importantly it is not addictive. The downside is that she said that you have to take Valerian for two to three weeks before it becomes effective. I don’t know if I can make it another 3 weeks like this sleeping only a few hours a night — if that. Joanne also suggested Yoga and Feng Shui — but I really am not the Eastern mystic type. I guess Yoga can’t hurt, but Feng Shui just strikes me as silly.
I think Valerian is on the top of my list to try as a natural cure for insomnia. Has anyone out there had success with any other possible natural cures? I’d really love to hear if you have.
Hi everyone – Barnaby here again.
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