An uninterrupted sleep of seven to eight hours is strictly necessary to give your body time to recover and to restore your batteries. Sufficient sleep is vital in enabling your adrenal glands to daily produce sufficient anti-stress hormones. A lot of people suffering from chronic fatigue are dealing with sleeping problems (an overall lack of sleep) or sleeping disorders (for instance having trouble falling asleep, frequently waking up during the night etc.). This problem should thus be tackled first.

There are several drug-free treatments that enhance sleep. At times you will notice an improvement by simply trying one, while in some cases a combination of various products might be more effective.

– Relaxation therapy (with daily meditation as a basis).

– Natural botanical products such as valerian, Melissa, passiflorina. These can be bought in the form of extracts (tablets or drops) or as dried herbs (of which you’ll make an infusion to be taken immediately before going to bed).

– The amino acid tryptophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan is transformed to serotonin, a neurotransmitter with a soothing effect.

– Melatonin: the dose that should be taken can vary extremely. For some, half a milligram might be sufficient, while others need up to 10 mg. Melatonin is only available on prescription. Circadin® is often prescribed. This is pure melatonin that is slowly released.

– The neurotransmitter GABA works very well for a lot of people. GABA ensures the transmission of signals between the various brain cells. Dose: up to 500 mg.

– If the abovementioned haven’t worked, you can opt for a medicine that simulates the natural sleep as much as possible. Trazodone® is the best option. It rarely has side effects (light headache and dizziness). I suggest starting with half to one tablet before going to bed. Medication for sleeping mainly ensures a deep uninterrupted sleep, but it does disrupt the natural sleeping pattern in the long run and it is addictive.