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Stuff that helps us sleep!

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Posted 1/11/2009 1:37 AM (GMT 0)
Since there are so many of us that are insomniacs I thought it would be nice if we could all post here what we have tried and how it worked for us. While this is not a place for medical advice, I think a compilation of ideas would be a great resource for us all.

For me, it is nearly impossible to knock me out. I have tried Ambian, Lunesta, long term benzo's, short term benzos and trazadon (sp?) I have tried all the herbal remedies out there and none really work for me. The only think that will make me sleep is a muscle relaxer or once in a great while, Tylenol PM. Unfortunatly I have to much Tylenol is my system from other meds so I cannot take it.

The things that help me relax are:

  • A really hot shower
  • Chamomile tea
  • Valarian Root tea
  • My heated blanket and a kitty to cuddle

Another thing I do when I cannot sleep is try to trick myself, saying I fell asleep at 10pm when it is really 4am! Sometimes it works, sometimes not

Now its your turn, what have you tried, what works and doesn't?

Take care,

Sarrah

Posted 1/11/2009 2:13 AM (GMT 0)
Oh, boy! Nothing has been working for me lately! Lavender used to help a lot. I have a lavender spray that I spray on my bed & I also burn lavender essential oils for aromatherapy. It would really relax me. Sometimes I drink chamomile or chamomile-lavender tea before bed. When I am occasionally at home, I snuggle with either a dog or a cat. Lately, I have been bringing one cat up on my bed every night & he purrs the entire night. His purr can literally be heard from a room or two away. It is so nice to at least have the company, especially when I'm still awake at 4 or 5 am, as he makes me feel very loved.

Every once in a while benadryl (which is also the active ingredient in things like tylenol or advil pm) helps me to relax a bit, although I've used it so much over the last several years, that I think I'm pretty much immune to it now. I've tried trazadone, too. That helped in the beginning, but then stopped working. My doctor has had me fooling around with both regular ambien & ambien CR for the last few weeks (and I have also tried it in the past), but I haven't had much luck. I've tried otc melatonin as well, but I can't take that, or rozerem (which affects the melatonin receptors in the brain), because it really screws with my vision for up to 24 hrs after I take it. I'm also taking/have taken a ton of herbs, but none of them have helped much. I just got some valerian root & poppy essences that are supposed to help with sleep, but I've only taken it once so far, so I can't really judge one way or another. Sometimes I use rescue remedy spray too (bach flower essences). I usually use that if I'm upset, it helps to calm you down (although it tastes horrible). They also have a rescue remedy "sleep" formula, but that didn't do any good for me when I tried it in the past.

I just seem to be hopeless!

Skeye
Posted 1/11/2009 2:17 AM (GMT 0)
Gotta second the lavender.

Also, Passion Flower Tea.
Posted 1/11/2009 2:50 AM (GMT 0)
Sarrah:

Tylenol PM is just Tylenol with Benadryl added to it. I can't take Tylenol either b/c it is a component of my pain meds, but I can still take Benedryl (diphenhydramine is the generic). Unfortunately, like Skeye I'm pretty immune to it. Par for the course with me. I have a bizarrely high tolerance everything, which is extremely frustrating when trying to control pain with medication!!! It also means pretty much nothing helps with sleep either. I end up going with out until my body just plain crashes from exhaustion and then I usually pay for that with more pain as soon as I wake up.

Ry

Post Edited (ryand) : 1/10/2009 7:57:35 PM (GMT-7)

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