Sleeping meds

[Smokescreen]

Does anyone know of a med that will improve sleep? Not a med or a supplement that allows you to fall asleep. But one that actually allows you to fall asleep while IMPROVING sleep.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[footdoc]

Trazadone is one of the cheapest and safest ones. Ambien also works but has some nasty side effects and is addicting.

 

[musclemom]

Does anyone know of a med that will improve sleep? Not a med or a supplement that allows you to fall asleep. But one that actually allows you to fall asleep while IMPROVING sleep.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Chemicals (medications) are never going to be a substitute for natural sleep, at best they're a temporary patch. They frequently interfere with natural sleep cycles and leave many feeling more drugged than rested.

Honestly, the best way to improve sleep is, point blank, good sleep hygiene (google it, basically it's the whole way you approach bedtime). The next best addition is natural supplements, melatonin especially is supposed to be the best for inducing a deep, restful sleep (if you search here on EF you'll find TONS of references to how much you should take and when). Some herbs, such as Kava, Valerian and hops, can be safely taken for relaxation and don't leave you feeling hungover the next morning.

We have something against sleep in this country, people brag about how little they sleep, how early they get up, etc. Frankly, right after air and water, sleep is necessary to sustaining life, even more than food. You can go a month or more without food (as long as you have plenty of water). You will die within weeks if you cannot sleep, yet people habitually operate in a sleep deprived state by choice. Electing to rise early and stay up as late as possible. You mess up your internal clock forcing your body to function in a constant state of low grade exhaustion. One of the reasons why people feel so refreshed after a vacation is they have, for perhaps the first time in a year, actually sleep as much as they needed.

Sometimes one of the best things you can do to straighten out your sleep is just rearranging your schedule and allowing yourself an extra hour or two of sleep.

 

[Smokescreen]

I just have trouble falling asleep. And if I do fall asleep. I wake up in about 3 hours. And it's hell again to go back to sleep. Been using Melatonin and I don't even feel it most of the time to be honest. I take 6mgs of fast acting along with a 3mg sustained release. I feel nothing most of the time.

 

[musclemom]

I just have trouble falling asleep. And if I do fall asleep. I wake up in about 3 hours. And it's hell again to go back to sleep. Been using Melatonin and I don't even feel it most of the time to be honest. I take 6mgs of fast acting along with a 3mg sustained release. I feel nothing most of the time.

Have you tried any of the herbal relaxants (kava, valerian)? Sounds like you're wound up at the end of the day and just a pinch stressed out. I can't exercise or eat within 3 hours of going to bed, totally winds me up.

I totally about the problem falling asleep. I have to give myself plenty of time to wind down and, frankly, I'm still at the stage where I sometimes rely on something to push me over the edge (herbs or .25 mg of Xanax). I have what I call the "window." If I don't jump through the window at the time I need to, I'm fucked. I'll be awake but tired. My problem is that I'll be dropping off and startle myself awake then I get wound up. It turns into a snake eating its tail.

Melatonin didn't work for me either, but I don't react to stuff the way normal people do so you can't judge by me. I just know a lot of people have had luck with it.

Here's something I just learned, vitamin D deficiency can cause sleep dysruptions (vitamin D isn't actually a vitamin, it's really a hormone). You might want to think about adding 1000 mg of D3 daily to your sups and see what happens.

 

[Smokescreen]

Funny you mention Vitamin D. Had blood work done and it came out fine. LOL

Isn't taking .25mg of Xanax everyday or every other day bad?

 

[musclemom]

Funny you mention Vitamin D. Had blood work done and it came out fine. LOL

Isn't taking .25mg of Xanax everyday or every other day bad?

Meh. Helluva lot less harmful than some of the other drugs they would give you, certainly less harmful than 4 oz (or more) of vodka I've used .25 mg is a tiny dose. However, highly doubtful you'll get a doc to write you a prescription for xanax for sleep. Most of them don't even like to write it for anxiety anymore, they want to put everyone on long acting, antidepressant stuff, which not everyone needs. Xanax is a short acting benzo. The problem with benzos is tolerance and upping dosages, that's when you start treading in addiction/withdrawal territory.

I know what my problem is, I have a problem with relaxing and shutting my mind down ... imagine the irony, me being all spiritual and knowing how to meditate and stuff, but none of that makes any difference. Truth is, I've had trouble falling asleep most of my life, it's gotten worse as I've gotten older. Shit, if I knew where to get some, I'd smoke weed before bed but unfortunately, no longer being in school I have no connections

 

[Smokescreen]

Yeah, weed increases melatonin by A LOT!!! Hence sleepy time. Yeah..works to put me to sleep. But then I wake up with ADD like symptoms. And not feeling any joy/pleasure and motivation.

 

[Underwraps]

Wow, the Vitamin D thing makes sense! I've been in the sun more and have been sleeping better. No trouble falling asleep, it's been STAYING asleep that was the problem. Was using melatonin, prayer/meditation to deal with my past, avoiding late exercise. All are contributing, but didn't think about the Vitamin D factor and getting my levels back up by being in the sun!