How can I help a 16 year old with insomnia and anxiety?

Question

I'm hosting an exchange student this year. She's got a lot of anxiety about school and her relocation and isn't sleeping :( She's asked me to take her to the doctor for medications for this, but as an Ambien user myself I disagree.

We talk openly about the stress on her and do what we can to help. I'd like if somebody could advise me on natural remedies for these problems with diet and vitamins, etc...

Thanks!

Answer 1

sam-e is an all natural product that has good results for people suffering from mild depression/anxiety. bach rescue remedy is good support during situations that increase anxiety( ie;before a test, first day of school) and there are tinctures that have a combination of valerian,chamomile in pediatric doses that work well also. Melatonin is sold in health food stores and works well if taken approx. 30 min before bed and be sure to shut down all stimuli(no music, computer ,tv or even reading)  30 min after taking or you can miss the window for it to take effect. There are also some great herbal  teas that promote rest and relaxation. I would be sure to check with a dr. before beginning any of these and be sure to get a good history of any allergies to foods, pollens or herbs. most importantly is what you are doing which is being a good listener so that she can voice her worries instead of internalizing and being alert to the possibility that she may need some professional counseling to acclimate. Good luck!  

Answer 2

Hi Sammy, I can sympathize & try 2 offer my solutions...I 2 dint like medications & feel that in this day & age people over use them to assist things that can b remedied naturally.I would maybe have a night time Chill Down & relax by sitting watching a feel good movie & then a nice bath with Lavender essential oils ( only a small drop ) then a milky drink, like horlicks or ovaltine....The mind tends 2 relax more when the body is...I hope this helps & I'm so glad that u talk openly about Stress, as that's 1/2 the battle also...

Answer 3

i think a soft light a room where the feel is welcoming,

not too much noise from the rest of house, a familiar

or a new say Big Teddy Bear or other Soft toy. (young

Adults also like this ).  And soft music if they like, arrange

that when they are asleep you can turn it off.

Last but not least....when i was a child it was very common

for many children and even adults from our part of Europe

to drink Cammomile tea , it can be very calming and  is

very safe and very natural product, pick up from health food

shops or even supermarkets.

You may email me and tell me how you get on.

the thing is you need to try it  for a week and keep going to

give it a chance for results, so give it a good go.

Answer 4

Exercise, but not within 2 hours of bedtime. Have a warm bath, or shower, an hour before bedtime, then a glass of very warm milk, possibly with Horlicks, or one of the herbal teas, below, and use dimmer lighting. Put your mind in a position where it wants to shut itself off, and sleep. See insomnia treatments, in much more detail than can be included here, in section 3, at ezy build, below. Use one of the relaxation methods, in bed, after lights out, on pages 2, 11, 2.c, or 2.i, but they can take some time to learn, (progressive muscular relaxation excepted) so learn and become proficient in their use during the day.

An alternative is to use the EFT, in section 53, and pages 2.q, and 2.o, saying to yourself: "Even though I currently have a sleep disorder, I deeply and completely accept myself." (or choose your own wording) while you use the acupressure tapping. Some more; quick, and easy to learn, are at http://www.umm.edu/sleep/relax_tech.htm The progressive muscle relaxation, (most easily learned) guided imagery, and mindfulness breathing are known to be effective.

Find out which works best for you, in the daylight hours, so you will be prepared, come bedtime. For many people, a good idea is to develop a set "wind down" routine for the last hour before bedtime, so your subconscious mind learns that it is time to put thinking aside, and prepare for mindfulness, (awareness, without cogitation/purposeful thought) or the EFT, in preparation for sleep, but the idea with mindfulness is to not even think about sleeping: just drift off, naturally, during exercising those techniques.

Avoid TV, computer, or anything exciting in this hour, although reading a BORING! book is a good idea. I suggest that you try using the EMDR variant, below, prior to the mindfulness, or the progressive muscular relaxation, but after the EFT, if that method is chosen. Experiment, to find which combination works best for you.

In section 3: INSOMNIA: PAGE O - INSOMNIA: A COMPREHENSIVE POST a variant of Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing therapy is shown, which has been used successfully for those people suffering from insomnia, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and anxiety. It is easily learned, quick to use, yet can be very effective; although it is easy to be dismissive of such a seemingly unusual technique, give it a good tryout, for at least a few weeks, to see if it is effective in your case. I learned it from a book by a published clinical psychologist, and now use it every night, and find it works well.

Usually, I have a cup of chamomile herbal tea, an hour before bedtime, and employ many of the techniques in section 3. Others may prefer Sleepytime, by Celestial Seasonings, Relax, Be Sleepy, or valerian root, from supermarket tea, or health food aisles. Milk, or cream should not be used with herbal tea. http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris

Anxiety is addressed in section 6; view page N first. Stress: section 42: see page i first. A range of alternative treatments are shown.