Not only did I have restless legs, but I also have, what I figured out to be as I diagnosed myself based upon a book on insomnia, is 'primary insomnia'. It is basically an insomnia that it hard to cure.
The insomnia got worse when I was in my 50's. I actually could not fall asleep, and the scary part was that even Benadryl didn't help most of the time, anymore.
I went for sleep studies. I used melatonin. I did research on the Internet and tried many different recommended supplements. Nothing happened. I still could not get to sleep or stay asleep for very long. I went to different doctors. Each one had their suggestions, but again, nothing really helped.
So, since I can't sleep at night, I decided to just stay up until I got things done around the house, or things I never got to during the day. I actually felt fine at 2 am. Everything was there during the night that I needed to have during the day. But try getting up at 7 or 8 am in the morning!
Not only do I have a problem with insomnia, but also have a hard time with restless leg syndrome, known as RLS. RLS was there every night, along with insomnia. They seem to work well together.
Again, many of the suggestions were fine and worked for most people, however, they did not work for me. I resolved myself to the fact that I would have to take this dreaded medicine that one doctor told me I would have to be on for the rest of my life once I started taking it.
I had heard about the side effects of this drug as well. I try to avoid taking any kind of drug if I have to. I thought that perhaps this would be a drug I could take only as needed, which ended up being every other night instead of every night.
The drug helped very well when I took it. But the RLS got so bad, I even had it during the day, especially if we were traveling or if I had to sit for a long time.
Months ago, I started using essential oils in a diffuser. I also put them on my hair at night!! I put them on my face, on my legs, and on the bottoms of my feet. I have a couple of diffusers in the house now and use them continually. But there is a difference in some of the problems I have been having with sleep and with RLS.
My original thought was to try to help my husband sleep well. I basically gave up on myself, but I thought if he could sleep well, that would even be helpful to me. He has a hard time breathing at night, so I have been putting the oils in the diffuser and on his pillow to help him with that. He even said that he is sleeping better now. But what I didn't realize was how well all this was going to help me sleep. Most of the time, when I do the essential oils ritual in our home at night, I can fall asleep and stay asleep for a much longer period of time than before. When I take a nap, I fall into a deep sleep many times. I have the diffuser going for that as well.
For the RLS, I use a combination of essential oils. Basil, Vetiver, an oil combination called, 'Aromatouch' which has helped many with RLS. I add wintergreen and fractionated coconut oil. as well as Ylang Ylang.
Another thing people have said about RLS is that you have to have magnesium, or even just minerals. I tried mineral supplements, but nothing much happened. I upped my magnesium, but still had RLS. I do take large doses of magnesium now, and that may be helping as well. I take a magnesium supplement three times a day, then I take 2 magnesium malate tablets (they are huge and I have to chew them. Yuk!) at night. All this really seems to help with both insomnia and RLS.
I haven't had to take the RLS medicine for a over a month now, and I have had a much easier time falling asleep at night. All these new measures really seem to work.
Disclaimer: This is something that works for me. If you struggle with these same symptoms, I cannot guarantee they will work the same for you. It is good to do research and if you have the time and money, to experiment. Also, check with your physician or family doctor to find the root of your problem and see if there are alternatives that will work. If you are dependent on taking a certain medicine, do not go off that medicine unless you are absolutely positively sure that you can go with out it. Again, check with your doctor and ask for his wisdom.
If you are interested in learning about these oils, send me an email at omasworkshop@bellsouth.net
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| I bought two of these diffusers. They work well and they stay on for three hours. You can also turn off the light. |
