Natural sedatives and hypnotics

[chopstix]

Reading Mamasou's post yesterday about mixing opium and small amounts of Datura Inoxia to achieve a "twilight state," lead me to do some research, and apparently D. Inoxia seeds are a rather effective sedative *in the right dose range* Until I did some reading the only thing I knew about Datura is that it grows all over the place here, and it's a stupid powerful psychedelic at doses that I have no intention of experiencing; I sorta know this guy through my gf who intentionally tripped on Datura and was blind for 3 days. Fuck. That.

But I guess just a few seeds brings on pretty marked sedation.

I have a lot of trouble sleeping, always have, I've figured out a couple things recently that help a lot in getting quality sleep, but I still have a horrible problem with "sleep latency' - I'll stare at the ceiling for hours, I have a really hard time falling asleep without chemical help (sometimes fucking like a porn star for a couple hours helps, but that's not always an option).

I used alcohol & benzos for years, but the alcohol started to take a toll and using other gaba agonists during the same day brought on a physical dependence, so I had to quit drinking daily and lay off the Soma and GHB for awhile. Unfortunately the Valium I take daily does fuck all for sleep, it's really just a potentiator for whatever else I'm using to knock me out.

So I'm interested in D. Inoxia and a couple other compounds I read about yesterday. I gotta go run an errand, and I'm gonna look for Datura plants while I'm out, I'm not gonna start munching seeds without some more research, but I wonder what else is out there that I'm not aware of, that could help a horrible sleep latency problem, I just can't shut my fucking brain off and the chemical sledgehammers are starting to take a toll..

I have hope for "Xyrem"/Sodium Oxybate/GHB, but I have to get rid of the etoh wd symptoms before I can touch it again, cos it turns me into a shaky mess if I've been drinking regularly, Soma is doing the same thing.

I've tried KavaKava, yuck, doesn't really cut it. Weed helps, but I think Ima have to quit smoking for awhile for work reasons..
Anyone have any suggestions for other sedative/hypnotic botanicals or infos on D. Inoxia? Thx..

[port rhombus]

I know how frustrating chronic insomnia can be.

You probably know this, but datura * contains various tropane alkaloids and, like all plants, the content can vary greatly between specimens. Before you mess around with jimson weed's cousin, have you considered an OTC synthetic anticholinergic like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or doxylamine?

I've been experimenting with valerian extract for anxiety lately, but I'm not impressed. Also, it literally smells like shit. The smell on my hands makes my cat batty and determined to bite my hands, but I digress... For sleep, I've tried kava and valerian and didn't have good results with either.

If you're willing to take out the chemical sledgehammer, I could go on...

Oh, I also used melatonin for a while, years ago, and quit. It gave me intense vivid dreams.
I'm guess I'm partial to substances that sedate me when I'm ready for bed. Anxiety sucks.

[Woody Bear]

I use 3 mg Melatonin to help me get to sleep earlier. It works well, but you have to take it shortly before going to bed, then lay down with the lights out. Melatonin doesn't work if you just take it and then stay up watching TV. It's a hormone, and for some reason, it only works if your in the dark.

Also doses above 3 mg aren't more effective at adjusting your sleep cycle. This is because you need a surge of melatonin right before bed time. If you take too large of a dose, then you get a sustained high level, rather then just a peak around bed time. So that prevent your body adjusting it's sleep cycle.

[hovadagod]

Most of hte stuff you can get isn't as strong as benzos but similar. There are all sorts of things.

http://www.encognitive.com/node/5655

[Shadowsblaze]

I have good results with Elevil but since finding this sight I only go to sleep when I am tired which is 4-6 hrs a night.