Please excuse such a technical question; but I am wondering if my now chronic insomnia can be caused by a lack of those brain chemicals which induce sleep. I am often on the verge of sleep for hours and can't cross over into sleepland. And I also find it odd that I am mentally exhausted, but not drowsy when awake. I am trying to figure why some people fall asleep easily and others don't or why sleep becomes a problem after years of decent sleep. Is there a neurochemical reason and if so, how can a person replenish the necessary chemicals? If anyone knows of a site which explains the chemistry of sleep or insomnia or where I could have such a question answered, that would be helpful.
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5/ 6/10 4:02am
I feel the same way and it is 3:30 a.m. and I am totally frustrated. I am mentally and physically exhausted. I have been told that I have adrenal fatigue syndrome but I don't know if this is a diagnosis that the medical field respects and acknowledges..
5/ 6/10 8:59am
Okay, since you were wondering about it, there is a way to replenish sleep-inducing chemicals in the brain.
Eat WARM milk & cookies every night. Milk has a chemical called tryptophan which induces sleep, plus some calcium to help your brain use it, but you need some carbs (cookies) to fully absorb it. Also, there's a psychological flip-side to it. Back in those infancy days, a warm bottle meant 'relax, everything's okay'. Not sure if this has lasting effects, but it worked for me.
Now, if you're allergic to milk (forgot what the official term was) you might want to try some chamomile tea. It works, too, but doesn't have the psychological flip-side to it.
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By joelee— Last Modified: 12/26/10, First Published: 07/17/08
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