melatonin- max is 3mg
valerian root
kava kava
chamomile tea is calming but the above three really do the trick
do you have enuff calcium in your diet?

watching less tv helps adrenals and sleep cycle alot. you'd be surprised. the flashing lights mess up the circadian rhythm. docs usually don't tell people not to watch tv, but really it can be bad for you, especially sleep disorders. just a suggestion.

getting out in the natural sunlight helps too.

summertime is here, lets go to the beach and read a good book. or maybe just a shady tree in the park.

good luck,
gracey

I've had serious insomnia for years - due to 4 broken bones and some endocrine issues. This is what I do and while it seems a lot, and it is, it works:

Valerin (not plain old Valerian - go to www.wonderlabs.com and get their product called Valerin - it is way more effective than regular Valerian and Passion flower).

Melatonin - 3 mg before bed.

Magnesium - I take 750 to 1,000 before bed (you might get by starting out with the RDA of 400 - I'm hypothyroid and diabetic so I have a hard time uptaking it so I have to take more).

Magnolia - (www.wonderlabs.com also has a product with this ingredient in it - Relora - and this stuff really helps the adrenals so it helps with relaxation and sleep and it does work.) I've also heard that it is good for the adrenals - it seems to be the case for me.

HTTP5 - I get this at Walmart (helps with serotonin).

And then I eat or drink plain full fat (nothing with less fat than low fat as you need the fat to absorb the calcium) and I do all this at one time about 30 minutes before I go to sleep.

The combination of all these really works for me. My bones were so weak at age 28 from doing skim milk and having 4 broken bones that it took me 10 years to absorb enough calcium for this to be beneficial. Now it works really well. I don't take calcium pills at night because I find it just doesn't give me the same edge to sleep as an actual foodsource does. (I do take 500 mg with each meal during the day if I'm not consuming something with calcium - I also have Crohns and calcium is amazing at helping keep the peristalic action working properly so that I don't have diarrhea - my diarrhea is caused by muscles not performing properly and not from just an overgrowth of some parasite - although I have had that too in the past).

I know - it's a lot - but for me, I require the combo of them all. I also find I'm not druggie feeling in the morning and this combo works better for me than even Sonata did, which cost about $75 a month!

I hope something of this helps.

Oh I forgot -

Also, learn to do (if you don't already know) some slow deep diaphramic breathing with toning and stretching. You would be amazed how this - if done properly, can really aid in sleep and relaxation.

I use a couple of breathing techniques - one I got from Oxycise, which I combine with toning or at least stretching. It not only helps with relaxation but does cleanse the lungs and lymph system, among other things.

You might want to visit the oxycise site (www.oxycise.com) as they have a place where they actually go into detail about how to do the breathing and you could combine it with any stretching or toning that you do with pilates, yoga, ballet, etc. The concept is be slow, deliberate and focused.

I even do deep breathing exercises when I walk the dog - to give her exercise, to get me exercise and to get adequate sunlight (which also helps every endocrine organ you have which affects sleep) and vitamin D uptake. If you can't do much, start with five minutes, two minutes, whatever you can comfortably do. I start with half a block.

Like some of the people here I do take things during the day to help the adrenals, but the only thing I take a night specifically for the adrenals is maybe 500 mg pantothenic acid and the magnolia (Relora).

HTH