To Help Us Sleep

Many have heard of it, few have tried it: warm milk before bed with honey or cinnamon (or both).

I am an insomniac. I have remissions. My longest stretch was six months with only 2-4 hours of sleep a night. I almost lost my job. I had to go to a shrink and they pinpointed one night where I stayed up all night fighting with my boyfriend that threw off my sleeping pattern forever. It created sleep disturbed anxiety, which can keep me up and/ or wake me up. Prescription sleep aids put my sleep pattern back on track, but it's up to me to maintain a night routine to tune my brain into "bed time" and help me fall asleep. My husband for the most part has helped to cure my insomnia. His presence calms me. His being deployed is bringing back my insomnia.

I have my usual bed time routine, but the worry and anxiety wakes up my brain and keeps me up, even after only a few hours of sleep. I've tried over the counter meds and can't find anything to make me feel normal the next day, I feel funky from them. So I'm trying the old-school method instead: warm milk, a bit of ground cinnamon (though they say cinnamon sticks are better, I don't have a budget for those things- they're expensive!) and honey to taste.  This Blog explains the additional health benefits. So two birds with one stone: I'll get healthier and hopefully get some help falling asleep.

I plan to update this blog as I go. Last night I tossed for three hours before trying this. An hour after I drank it I fell asleep. Tonight I started off earlier. Here's hoping for success!

Day 4 Update: I think Cinnamon sticks are a MUST with this. Ground cinnamon store-bought just doesn't mix well. In addition, my husband informed me all of the cooking shows he watches (and he watches many when he's home to) state cinnamon sticks are where the healthy things are, that ground cinnamon is just the dust left over. Ok, he said it more factual, but I don't remember facts as well as I remember the meaning of said facts. So I have taken his advice and have bought cinnamon sticks, to be tried tonight.

I'm adding more honey to sweeten the flavor more and liking it. The mug of milk doesn't make me feel sleepy at all. In fact I stayed up for 2 hours reading last night after I drank it. When I decided to fall asleep finally, I was sure I would toss and turn. I just wasn't feeling sleepy. Yet somehow shortly I closed my eyes I was asleep, and stayed asleep until morning- another rarity. I'm still skeptical of this combination helping me fall asleep, but use over time will remove that skepticism if I continue to have restful nights!

12/3/12 Update: I have continued this remedy with 100% success for almost two months now. I believe it is also boosting my immune system, too. Everyone at work has been sick the last month and I've managed to stay healthy. I am sleeping better at nights, too. I skip this on weekends and it takes me longer to fall asleep. At 8:00 I make my cup, I let it cool until 8:20. I go through my "bedtime routine" at 9pm and by 10pm I'm asleep without tossing or turning! LOVE this!

4/15/14 Update: I cannot stress enough how much I LOVE this cure! I recommended it to a co-worker a few months ago. She has suffered insomnia for YEARS. She's tried over the counter, prescription; nothing works... UNTIL NOW! Warm Milk is the Insomnia Cure!! Her daugther, in her teens and also an insomnia sufferer, tried it next and another cure! They are sleeping great now! It's allowed them to establish a normal sleeping pattern that they can actually go a night or two without drinking it and still fall asleep when they want to! Anyone who has doubts, I insist you try it yourself. Warm Milk helps you fall asleep, and honey does great things for your immune system! (Cinnamon; not sure its exact benefits, but I'm sure it's good, and it's just yummy!)