Many of these substances are designed to get you to relax enough so that you can more easily get to sleep and attain deeper sleep.
Bach Flower Rescue Remedy – A Bach Flower Essence calming tincture Rescue Remedy is called by its maker “Yoga in a Bottle”. Several ME/CFS patients have reported Rescue Remedy helped them to calm their systems down and improve their sleep. The tincture is recommended. .
Muscle Relaxers – Several physicians recommend using natural muscle relaxers to get the body in the mood for going to sleep. Dr. Rosenbaum recommends calcium (600-800 mg)/magnesium (300-500mg).
GABA (500-1500 mg) – is an amino acid complex that turns down brain activity. Dr. Murphee reports it can mimic the effects of prescription tranquilizers and states it can help you to filter out ‘mind chatter’ that can prevent you from falling asleep. He recommends ME/CFS patients take 500-1000 mg. on an empty stomach before bedtime.
5-HTP (5-hyroxytryptamine) -increases the brain’s levels of the ‘feeling good’ chemical serotonin. This product plays a central role in Dr. Murphee’s treatment of ME/CFS. Click here for a focus on 5-HTP.
Melatonin – is a brain chemical that’s important in initiating sleep and in inducing deep sleep. It also has antioxidant properties. Click here for a focus on melatonin.
Valerian Root – has a mild sedating effect with mixed results in studies. Dr. Murphee reports, however, that some patients however, do well on it. Dr. Lapp reports Valerian Root is “a medieval preparation that has been used since the earliest centuries of man” that “still works fine”. Do not use if you have any type of liver dysfunction.
Dr. Teitelbaum’s Revitalizing Sleep Formula contains a variety of relaxing the sleep inducing herbs including Valerian Root, passion flower, L-theanine, hops, wild lettuce and Jamaican Dogwood.
Excedrin PM and Tylenol PM – Dr. Lapp reports that he’s had ‘great success’ with using Excedrin PM and Tylenol PM. Dr. Bell reports that these substances should be used intermittently as their effects will wear off.
(This and all sections of the Phoenix Rising website are compiled by a layman. They are not a substitute for a physician and are for informational uses only. Please discuss any treatments in these pages with your physician.)
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Charles Lapp, MD., 2002. HealthWatch Treatment Guide. On the Effective Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. ImmuneSupport.
Roger Murphee, MD., 2007, Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Hamptom and Hamptom.
Jacob Teitelbaum, 2007. From Fatigued to Fantastic 3rd ed., Avery Press.