| Do we really need sleeping pills? The word is out that Michael Jackson may have been killed as a side effect of an anesthetic taken to help him sleep. This drug (diprivan) was reported to have no groggy after effect, letting him do intense rehearsals all day. According to the associated press, "The drug Diprivan (propofol) reduces anxiety and promotes sleep and is used to relax patients before and after surgery. After injection, the patient falls asleep very quickly. According to the FDA, heart function, blood pressure, and breathing should be monitored when someone is under the effects of this drug. Risks associated with this drug include weak or shallow breathing and/or fast or slow heart rate. The dosage recommendations on this drug are critical as overdosage can lead to death." As we get older, it is harder to get a good night's sleep. Tips to sleep better include, of course, eating a raw food diet! Your digestive system doesn't have to work as hard, allowing for a better night's sleep. But even raw foodists find that they sleep much better if they do not eat after 6 PM. Many such as Tonya Zavasta and Paul Nison even go on the "no dinner diet," not eating anything--not even a snack!-- after 2:00 PM. The authors of The CR Way (the calorie restricted diet noted for life expansion) do not eat after 1:00 PM. I myself sleep much more peacefully through the night without waking up ever since I began not eating anything after 6 PM. Eating before going to bed is one of the worst prescriptions for a poor night's sleep, raw or not. If you must eat something, make it some juice which can be quickly digested. But even for people who choose not to go on a high raw diet, there is really no need for toxic drugs to help them sleep. The amino acid tryptophane is now legal again. And if you don't want to take the pill, a quarter to a half cup of pumpkin seeds (full of tryptophane) is sure to knock you out! (I used to eat those at work until I started nodding off at staff meetings!) Other natural remedies to have at your bedside for a pinch are theanine serene, GABA, magnesium, and quercitin (which is great if you ate something with corn, wheat or something you are slightly allergic to). Menopausal women might need some bioidentical progesterone to help them with insomnia. Whatever the case, if you can't sleep, get to the root of the cause for your insomnia, whether it be eating late, stress, menopause, etc. Drugs only mask the symptoms and never heal the problem. Sometimes the issue can be solved with something minor. Even having a night light on can reduce the amount of melatonin your body produces (necessary hormone for sleep). Also having a clock near your head can cause insomnia. Don't stimulate your mind with TV or the Internet before sleeping--those can keep your brain wired, whereas reading can induce sleep. | 
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