Insomnia? Turning night to day?

[T_Anna]

Ds15, seems to be doing better. He is no longer taking the NAC and he seems to be more predictable mood-wise. Unfortunately, he also won't/can't go to sleep before 5:30am even if he's dead tired. This happens both when he has his ipad and when there are no electronics at all.

 

He doesn't like melatonin and even then was only taking them at 3, so they didn't help too much with what time he finally went to sleep.

 

Is there anything you've used successfully that comes in a capsule? Because of his wacky schedule (morning starts at 2-3pm), he takes his probiotics at around 7-9pm. I can always add something then.

 

Thoughts???

T.Anna

DS15

[queenmother]

You may have some genetics happening. If your son is COMT++, he may be very sensitive to methyl donors and those definitely keep you awake. Methyl donors include caffeine, theanine, curcumin, methylcobalamin B12, DMG and TMG, PhosphylSerine, coQ10, and even zinc late in the day....any of these can keep you awake if used late in the day. Melatonin is a methyl donor, as well, though usually ok in VERY small doses. Every cellular action in your body requires a methyl donor to activate it so it can perform its job. If you have a mutation of the COMT, then the enzyme is sluggish and can't use up the methyls in your body. This causes agitation and inability to sleep (among other things).

I would make sure that your son is getting no methyl donors late in the day and I would make sure to cut out all caffeine period. (May be hard for a teen) Wake your son before noon and make him go outside for a few minutes immediately upon rising. Sunlight will help to reset the pineal gland which controls sleep cycles. Try to limit his glutamate intake as these are also excitatory. And try GABA. Make sure it is pure GABA with nothing else added and give 4-500mg (depending on your brand) between 10-11 at night. A capsule of magnesium citrate works really well with GABA, as well. This is very relaxing and generally helps with sleep. If you get him up a little earlier each day and get him in the sun on rising, cut out methyl donors, and try GABA and mag late in the day, you should be able to resolve this in a relatively short amount of time.

Bacteria destroys serotonin. Serotonin helps with sleep. Sunshine, exercise, turkey snack....all help with increasing serotonin levels. 5HTP also increases serotonin levels and helps greatly with sleep but DO NOT GIVE 5HTP IF YOUR SON IS ON A SSRI (Zoloft, Prozac, etc). This can produce too much serotonin and create serotonin syndrome which is life-threatening)

Hope this helps. Sleep is a necessary part of healing and regular sleep cycles are so important to recovery.

QueenMother

[T_Anna]

Thanks so much QueenMother. He has had zero caffeine for months, but he does take methylcobalamin B12 at 3pm usually (when he wakes). I was thinking of lowering the Luvox (SSRI), since we don't think it's doing anything.

 

I will pick up some GABA. I have been trying to wake him earlier, but in truth this 5:30am bedtime has restarted lately and ive been too busy at work to leave and wake him, i will try again this week.

 

He wont leave the house, but he is OK out on our porch...it'll have to start tomorrow since it's raining today.

 

We do suspect that he is COMT++ especially after the NAC trial, but haven't done genetic testing yet.

 

Thanks again,

T.Anna

DS15