Sleep trouble

[contranigma]

One to a couple times a week it seems that I go all night without sleeping. I lay in bed in a sort of half sleep. It is annoying. I'm aware of my thoughts all night long and am conscious of turning over or repositioning the sheets. Trying to blank my mind doesn't help, nor does letting my mind wander. Also, I don't seem to respond to sleep aids. My mom takes benadryl a lot to help her sleep, but it doesn't do much for me. Neither does melatonin. I tried taking 3mg last night and lay in bed awake the entire night. I took a double does a few nights ago (6mg). That might of helped some, but it upset my stomach. Is it safe to take higher doses of melatonin? I've read that it is but also that it does upset the stomach. I'm thinking I would need to take like 9mg for it to work well. If it would even then.

Any other suggestions? Maybe a prescription would work better. But I would be reluctant to go to the doctor for this as I consider it more of a nuisance that a serious problem.

[Madison_Rose]

Sounds exactly what I experienced last time I was suffering badly with anxiety, feeling insecure about my future and so on. I never sought help, but I should have done! Sleep disorders are serious, they affect how well you can function from day to day, and they can affect your health. Your doctor ought to take it seriously, and give you some help.

[jim_morrison]

I used to experience that alot, to be honest, Remeron has been the only drug which has completly abolished my insomnia, but like everything it has side effects, weight gain, etc.

[Thomas Paine]

You can also get your brain to release more melatonin on it's own by having a good diet and turning the lights, tv, computer, etc off a couple hours before you go to bed. Light changes are one of the main things that trigger melatonin release in the brain.

I also have been mixing valerian root and milk with it at bedtime lately. Also avoid any caffeine at all after 3pm.

[Meee]

Personally i've realised i can't drink caffeine *at all*, not even in the mornings only, it interferes with my sleep pattern way too much (and causes me various other problems which are possibly worse). If you drink a lot of tea / coffee quitting caffeine is the first thing i'd try - though withdrawal can really suck. I've also heard good things about valerian root, though i haven't tried it yet.

[Catlover4100]

I have suffered from chronic insomnia for 9 years. I've tried literally dozens of sedatives, and Ambien is the only one that mildly works (well, Halcion worked, but it also made me hallucinate...). In addition to 10mg Ambien, I take Swanson Health's Sleep Essentials (it has melatonin, valerian, and other herbal stuff).

I also meditate before bed and listen to brain entrainment music. Basically, it's computer-generated music that is designed to slow your brain waves to match its delta frequencies. If you have iTunes, "Relaxation Music for Sleep" is a great one that is also free. If you have the time, some gentle hatha yoga can also help greatly.

Good luck!

[Catlover4100]

Originally Posted by Catlover4100

I have suffered from chronic insomnia for 9 years. I've tried literally dozens of sedatives, and Ambien is the only one that mildly works (well, Halcion worked, but it also made me hallucinate...). In addition to 10mg Ambien, I take Swanson Health's Sleep Essentials (it has melatonin, valerian, and other herbal stuff).

I also meditate before bed and listen to brain entrainment music. Basically, it's computer-generated music that is designed to slow your brain waves to match its delta frequencies. If you have iTunes, "Relaxation Music for Sleep" is a great one that is also free. If you have the time, some gentle hatha yoga can also help greatly.

Good luck!

Just thinking...

You can get the Sleep Essentials on www.swansonvitamins.com

Puritan's Pride also has one called Super Snooze. I think it's basically the same thing, just more expensive.

Swanson also just came out with a melatonin spray. I can't vouch for it, but it may be worth a try.

[SciFiGeek17]

I have a weird thing about me and sleep.

My problem is the process of getting to sleep, but once I am asleep, nothing can wake me up, lol.

I try my best not to take any drugs or meds to sleep, mostly because I don't want my body to start depending on them. But if it get so tired I can't sleep I ususaly take melitonin and that ususaly does the trick for me.

My mom has tons of trouble sleeping due to tons of pain. She was in a very bad car accident years ago and it did damage to her spin, so she's constantly having back problems. She relys on Ambien to sleep.

She's suggested me taking it, but Ambien is very strange to me and disturbes me. I've found my mom wondering around the house cleaning through all hours of the night. Once she went outside and I had to have my dad bring her back in!

So if you do take Ambien, I'd suggest checking the locks on your doors and windows and keep things that might seriously hurt you locked or put away where you can reach or find.

I've found even trails of food leading from the kitchen to my moms room! But my mom doesn't have a choice, its the only thing that works, so I'd suggest that as a last resort.

Maybe if high doses of melitonin affect your stomach, could you maybe drink some milk to help calm it??? I'm not an expert, just a suggestion.

[robertz]

Why don't you try L-Tryptophan or 5-HTP ? These supps make you sleepy by increasing serotonin in the brain. And if you take them before bed time, part of the serotonin gets converted to melatonin.

Other things that might work:

- Magnesium glycinate
- PharmaGABA
- Vitamin B6

[paradox002]

Do you exercise? Or do you do some kind of work that makes you tired by the end of the day? If not then most likely you will have a lot of energy when you go to bed. And you won't be able to fall asleep. I had that problem I would lay through the whole night and i would be half asleep and half awake lol it was weard but even when i sleped 10 hours I still felt like I didn't get my sleep. Try to exercise if you don't and you will sleep like a baby. Good luck!

[gaz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55Qxwwr9pw

[millenniumman75]

I was told 6mg was okay - as long as it is not long-term.

[The Strong Silent Type]

I just started going to bed at sunset and listening to a relaxing audiobook, hypnosis, or metitation audio program. If I have a lot of trouble getting to sleep, I go with the audiobook so I atleast learn something. I spend a lot of money on audiobooks but its been working.

[ecotec83]

You could try Chamomile tea or one of the many other sleep aid teas on the market, they are gentle and not addictive. Doesn't work for me but my dad will take gravol sometimes and it seems to work.

[Little Willow]

I had the same thing a while ago. It got so bad that I ended up going to a sleep specialist. Sleep is so important, so if this doesn't get better I suggest going to see a professional.
In the mean time, there is a natural enzyme called Tryptophan. It helps with sleep patterns. More importantly, it's all natural, so it's unlikely to hurt your body in any way. In Canada it's available by prescription, but because it occurs naturally there are ways of getting around that. Believe it or not, Tryptophan is in warm milk and turkey (that's why you always feel sleepy at Thanksgiving!) Try drinking a mug of warm milk about an hour before you go to bed, and then doing nothing stimulating (no reading, going on the computer, or studying) until you fall asleep. If that doesn't work, I say see a doctor. Good luck!

[njwood60]

Hi

I find L-theanine helps me heaps with sleeping. See my post here: http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/treatment/products/606.html

I used to just take it if I was having problems getting to sleep but now I just take it every night

[rubyruby]

Try 5htp. It knocks me out and improves my mood.