SNK
#244
100% agree with you, but I can give you more than 100 examples of things that people know have happened, yet they have Zero evidence of it. As for the second point I know a little of Japan’s history, politics and culture but can’t say I’m an expert. I know that it was a very masculine and patriarchal society and as tough as they come till World War two, but then something happened (they started eating soy) and their men turned into eunuchs and the whole hell broke loose. Same thing (to a lesser degree) happened to Nordic countries also and most of western Europe.
In the big picture, I agree with the development of many countries, but I don’t see any evidence that it is caused by soy. In a similar way, you can find many other food substances and start blaming it. There are many much more plausible explanations for the development of these countries, but that would be a completely different discussion. The development in the US has also been anything but good.
“Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.” 
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SNK
#246
Amen to that! and of course I’m making soy to be the bogyman (obviously, not a fan at all) but food and things that go into it do have a role to play.
I have been facing severe insomnia for the last year. Last week (without thinking about sleep, I just wanted to improve my intestinal health) I started a probiotic based on Lactobacillus reuteri and Wtf? I had no idea about that. My sleep has improved absurdly.
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Glad to see your positive experience with that. This confirms my hypothesis that our neurotransmitters are regulated by our microbiome. Try Lactobacillus plantarum and “self incubated” yogurt with a.m. strains: it contains a significantly higher amount of live bacteria, resulting in a greater effect.
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Hi everyone
I like Mirapex (pramipexole), a dopamin agoniste. I take 0.7mg before going to bed. It makes me sleepy. I don’t have any problem if I don’t take it. It also reduces prolactin level.
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eli
#250
Did you try the Chilipad Dock pro (or the cube version?) on their website they claim this Pro version would be silent … ( and still more affordable than 8 sleep and no subscription it seems …)
Beth
#251
Hi Eli,
I definitely had the dock pro. You get two units with a king, and each unit had a different sound, but still both too loud for me. I will say I live in a VERY silent place so I notice everything.
I looked and I bought it at the end of 2022. Was a newer more silent model offered since then?
If you are fine with white noise machines, it would be fine for you! (To me those are nails on a chalkboard)
The customer service with both companies is very meh, but chilipad did have a fair return policy that they honored, so if I were you, I’d feel comfortable trying it and just returning it.
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eli
#252
Dear Beth many thanks for this - I believe that you already had the most silent version then ( on website they claim: “ Whisper Quiet: So quiet you’ll wonder if it’s on.” So I thought maybe you had the cube … am also extremely sensitive to noise so afraid 46 decibel will bother me too … )
May try them and see - would be mostly to get through the hot summer nights…
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Beth
#253
@John_Hemming and @Joseph_Lavelle
It’s been long enough I don’t think it can be a coincidence, so I’m here to share that, so far, your melatonin advice had been life changing!
I got one that is a combo of immediate and extended release.
John, because you take such a high dose daily, I just tried taking it each night whether I needed it or not. I had not tried it previously because I kept hearing to stay away from that hormone, unless you are changing time zones. Even Matt Walker, the sleep guy! I was hearing that what is in the bottle might be too high of a dose, but hearing how much you take, John, gave me permission to take that chance!
The two weeks prior to starting melatonin were pretty typical. There was some trazadone taken on random nights.
Week of 15th, I had two nights with less than 7 hours and one less than 6 hours
Week of 8th, I had one night with less than 7 hours and two less than 6 hours
This past week, with melatonin and with ZERO trazadone
7:54
7:32
7:56
7:09 (because I was woken up)
8:59
8
I can not believe this will continue because it’s too good to be true, but fingers are crossed.
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So, nothing works for everybody. Frankly, I was skeptical about taking melatonin again when I woke up during the night. @John_Hemming may be right about the 90-minute cycle but it doesn’t seem to have a big effect on me. Mainly I occasionally wake up during the night because I am old and sometimes drink too much liquid in the late afternoon and evening.
When I wake up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night I take a sublingual melatonin tablet and then I go back to sleep in less than ten minutes.
I hadn’t thought about sustained-release melatonin, but I will buy some.
It may eliminate the need to take additional melatonin during the night
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IMO: Nothing wrong with taking a low dose (100-250 mg) of trazodone forever before you go to bed at night. At this dose, it has little if any downsides.
The only reason not to take it is if it would interfere with any other medications you are taking or if you have no trouble falling asleep.
Of course, some “naturalists” would rather not take it
It is proven to reduce sleep onset time. It does not extend sleep time according to my knowledge.
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Bicep
#256
I’ve been using 24/night for a couple years, it works like a charm and I’ve never slept this well. I think it will work forever for you. If I really don’t feel sleepy I’ll take 36.
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Beth
#257
I started using a low dose of traz when I learned it doesn’t mess with sleep architecture… from the same people who said don’t take melatonin 
I don’t always get long sleep on it, and now I know why!!! The only reason I save it for a desperate night is it does make me tired the next day. Otherwise I would definitely take it nightly, as well.
And yes desertshores, John had given instructions on how to take it with regards to my sleep cycle, and offered to help me with that because I didn’t really get how, but in the meantime, Joseph explained that he has one that is a combo of immediate and sustained release, and that gets rid of the need to figure out my cycle… so I thought I’d try that first, and BINGO! I should note I am still up in the night, but the difference is I am able to fall back to sleep, even when I’m sure I won’t be able to. Often I just give up and get up at 3 and start my day
@bicep, THIS is excellent to hear. The dose I’m taking is 5mg, but who knows what is actually in there! I’m still cautiously optimistic !
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LaraPo
#258
Have you tried to have day naps? I sleep 7-8 h at night and love to nap for an hour in the afternoon. It feels so refreshing and re-energizing.
Beth
#259
Because sleep has been a long term issue for me, I actually try to avoid naps in order to be as tired as possible at night.
This is the first year I’ve taken any in decades. A few for maybe 20 minutes?
I battle fatigue and wonder if it would help, or affect my sleep? Sleep related or not, I do feel less fatigued since starting rapa.
Side effect of lactobacilus plantarum in terms of lipid metabolism:
The intervention with L. plantarum strains induces beneficial effects on BA signature and lipoprotein profile. It reduces ApoB and small LDL levels and LDL susceptibility to oxidation and increases HDL antioxidant capacity. These metabolic profile changes suggest increased protection against atherosclerotic disease (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains KABP011, KABP012, and KABP013 modulate bile acids and cholesterol metabolism in humans)
After 6 weeks of L. plantarum ECGC 13110402 daily intake, biologically and statistically significant reductions were noted in TC by an average 34.6% (p=0.001), LDL-C by 28.4% (p=0.03), non-HDL-C by 17.6% (p=0.001) and apoB by 28.6% (p=0.008) compared to the placebo. No changes were observed in liver function biomarkers and vitamin D and no adverse effects were noted throughout the study. The findings of this study suggest that L. plantarum ECGC 13110402 can safely improve lipid profiles in dyslipidaemic individuals (The cholesterol lowering efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum ECGC 13110402 in hypercholesterolemic adults: a double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled, pilot human intervention study)
→ make an yogurt helveticus+plantarum 
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Bicep
#262
Where do you buy that specific strain? L. plantarum ECGC 13110402 ?
Some of specific strains are marketed under “Lactobacillus plantarum LPLDL®”, but I am buying generic plantarum strain in good pharmacy quality.
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