best supplements to promote sleep?

[bunny]

When giving supplements (I'm going with a multi, magnesium, calcium, and DHA), is there a "best time" to break these up?

My DS often has trouble calming his mind to go to sleep. This happens about 1-2 times a week. He can go on less sleep than my other two DS's, but their close age necessitates a single bed time. I've tried giving him reading privileges in bed, but it only seems to keep his mind going longer?

I'm trying to decide on a schedule of supplements that would best suit his school schedule as well as his sleep schedule.

By the way... he does get lots of exercise, so it's not a matter of tiring him out.

Thanks

[catatonic]

I don't know much about sleep aids since we don't have much need for them anymore. My son used to be one of those exhausting children who would NOT settle down at night, would get up in the middle of the night, would be awake early. It seemed like he NEVER slept. It sure as heck felt like I never did! After a week on the Feingold diet, he would go to bed, fall asleep, and stay asleep until morning. He stopped wetting the bed, too. There are still occasional nights where falling asleep is difficult for him. To make sure we don't get these too often, I give him his magnesium in the evening. I don't know that there's any real scientific reason for this helping, but personal experience tells me it does. If he's unusually restless or hyper in the evening, he gets in a warm bath with Epsom salts (these are a magnesium salt) and it seems to calm him. I know a number of people here have posted about using melatonin. Hopefully they'll share their experiences, too.

[AustinsMom]

Our routine is Omega and Vit E in the morning and at dinner, along with zinc and evening primrose oil at dinner. At bedtime we use the cal/mag and a probiotic. Austin has a snack before his bath and I give it to him then. I don't know if it is calming or not, but Pfeiffer put it at bedtime and I have kept it there. You just need to make sure they take it with a snack, cause it upsets Austins stomach if he doesn't.

I use melatonin on rare occasion (the 1 mg sublinguils). It is very effective. I use it when we travel or are way out of our routine to help him go to sleep. I believe melatonin is supposed to reset the sleep cycle. We used it when we quit meds to help establish a good sleeping pattern, and we haven't needed it since, except for the examples I gave.

[buttercup]

I have had horrible insomnia since I was a baby. My mom would have to walk me around the house until I fell asleep. She said I even learned how to crawl out of my crib without hurting myself and would go crawling around the house...IMAGINE!!

My parents would OFTEN put me in the car and drive around until I fell asleep. I vividly remember it. I would always fake being asleep when the car stopped, just so that my dad would carry me into the house. ;D

I could also easily fall asleep in a room where my family was talking. It was (is) so soothing. The adult conversations DID have a way of boring me to sleep. HAHAHA

I had the bedwetting problems until I was literally 9 years old too. (Funny that my parents didn't think much of either of these things...ugh...oh well).

Anyway, one thing that was a surefire way for me to get to sleep in my teens was my big, fat cat. He would come and sit on my chest and purr. It put me to sleep everytime (I miss him to pieces). It was so soothing. In highschool, I had a heated blanket and that seemed to help.

These days, I rotate between Melatonin and Ambien. I use Ambien when I really mean business (knocks me straight out), and Melatonin for the majority of the time. It works pretty well, but takes a lot longer to work (sometimes an hour). Melatonin and a book--very good combination.

When my TV timer was working, I would set it for 1.5 hours and it would go off when I was asleep and didn't notice it. Part of my insomnia is a feeling of sitting there and being all alone, so I don't like it if I hear the TV turn off. But, in general, I know the TV isn't the healthiest thing to be relying on to get to sleep.

I have heard that calcium/mag. and 5-HTP are calming. I also do the bath thing. Valiarian root isn't too bad either.

In a pinch, I have used Nyquil, but I wouldn't recommend it. It does work for me though.

[bunny]

What's 5-HTP?

My son does like yogurt at night before bed. I'm thinking that it's a good night snack. I think I'll also try switching his cal and mag to nighttime as well.

Any other suggestions for these overactive minds?

Bunny

[franksmom]

have heard that calcium/mag. and 5-HTP are calming. I also do the bath thing. Valiarian root isn't too bad either.

Buttercup- please tell me about the Valerian. I recently bought a childrens valerian in a HFS. My son is 10 and has a heck of a time settleing down to go to sleep. I was hopeing it might help. What do you think? How much did you use and how? I read that you cant use it long term-
Thanks- sorry I went on and on-
Susan

[buttercup]

bunny-- 5 HTP is used for depression, I think. Here is a website taht should tell you more of the ins and outs. Supposed to help with seratonin levels, migraines, and sleep. (I just did a google search and chose one of the first sites.)
www.health-pages.com/ht/

This is still new to me, and I usually take in the a.m. with the rest of my stuff, but will start trying it at night to see if it aids in sleep.


franksmom--Valerian root was recommended to me by a senior citizen friend who has chronic deep depression and other related things. (She uses it to relax and it puts her to sleep.) I bought the liquid kind and have used a full eyedropper to relax. Tried to use it to smooth the edges when my Ritalin wore off the other day. It definitely calms me down and makes me tired very quickly. This site seemed to have some good information about it. Not sure about a children's dosagel

www.theherbsplace.com/valerian.html

Again, this is a new one for me, and seems to do pretty well very quickly, but it tastes terrible. Great for relaxation. Don't know about taking long term.

Catatonic always seems to have good information about these sorts of things, so maybe she can help us out here.

[franksmom]

Thanks so much buttercup,
I found that link to be very informative.

""It has also been used to treat attention deficit disorder in adults.
The herb has also found a role in treating a variety of nervous disorders in children. In one German study, an extract of valerian root was given to 120 children with a wide variety of behavioral disorders such as restlessness, sleep disorders, hyperactivity, learning disorders, bed wetting, anxiety, headache, and the habits of thumb sucking and nail biting. After three weeks of using valerian extract daily, 75 percent of the children showed marked improvement of their conditions without any toxicity or negative side effects.""

This is just what I wanted to know- I figured it might work this way. I will try it again next weekend. I dont want to send him to school after I've tried something new! I will start with the dosage on the bottle. It is for children.