Racing mind

Resorting to the couch is the pits, but at least it is sleep.

Have you ever tried meditation? It turns your mind blank. I use it to go to sleep at night. I don't take sleep medication anymore. Don't need it now. Just a thought.

Before I learned meditation I took ambien. They don't like prescribing it anymore. My husband takes melatonin. But he takes it about six and goes to bed about ten. It works most of the time. He takes 10 mg. They have it now in slow acting which is suppose to keep you asleep during the night.

I hope you find something that works for you. I can fall asleep just from listening to tv. If I sit down to watch it at night it is likely I will fall asleep in the recliner. So I know how that goes.

Hugs, Karen...

O.,

I am sorry to hear that you are having trouble getting the rest that you need. There's nothing worse than lying there unable to sleep and stressing out more and more as the time ticks by. :/

I have not taken sleep aids (I'm a bit med phobic) but have used Binaural Beats/Sound wave therapy and it has been really helpful for me during challenging times with insomnia.

You can look it up on youtube and stream...or get and app. (be sure to use the frequency for deep sleep)

You may find that this and a combination of a light OTC sleep aid is just what you need?

Wishing you the best on finding what works for you!

S.C.

For a couple of months before I read Karen's above response to the insomnia problem, I had been having trouble sleeping when I changed blood pressure medicine and was on my new b/p medicine, I would get 3 to 4 hours of sleep, or no sleep.

I bugged my general practitioner to keep changing my b/p pills because I thought that was the problem. I bugged my psychiatrist to change my anti-depressant because I thought that was the problem.

When Karen wrote above that her husband took over the counter health food tablet Melatonin, but he took it 4 hours before he went to sleep, I thought, 2 nights ago when I first read her post, that I would try that because I already took Melatonin. I had noticed some nights that I wouldn't go to sleep until 3 hours after I took it, but I thought if I took it too soon, I would be going to sleep trying to cook my supper.

So when I read Karen's post, I took the Melatonin 3 hours before I went to bed. For the first time in 2 months, since I first changed my b/p pill because of a side effect (losing hair), I slept like a baby. Last night, the 2nd night, I forgot and only took the Melatonin two hours before bedtime. Same thing. I slept like a baby.

about 7 hours sleep both nights, whereas before I was getting 3 to 4 or none. What a good tip that was. Hugs, Indeed.

I'll also try to get Dan's over the counter Alteril which net says is combo of Melatonin and tryptophan, which is the ingredient in turkey that makes everyone sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner.

Thanks for the tip, Dan, about not taking alteril (otc combo of Melatonin and tryptophan) because of drug interactions. I'm on Lithium and anti-dep. Mirtazapine, and you say "if on physc meds and most of us here are -you cant take this med even tho its otc. its the tryptophan that causes the interaction I believe. its on the label of alteril that warns you."

Mary: I try to take a walk everyday, also, and it does help with sleep. I have, also, gotten up out of bed when I see I can't sleep, so that is a good suggestion.

melantoian is fine tim tam-take care

if ambien isn't working-you are indeed in an amped up state. you will have to go to the really heavy duty meds like seroquil or mirtazapine or Restoril.

Hallelujah.... I took a whole Unisom last night and slept all night! I fell asleep on the couch again, watching tv. Missed most of the show. Woke up almost disoriented. Guess I was surprised I was sleeping so soundly. Then I went to bed, took the Unisom and had a better night. I live in an exhausted state because of my MS, so I still feel fatigued today, but not as awful as the last couple of days. My neuro refuses to allow me any kind of Benzo's because I am 68 years old. I think he's afraid of being sued if something goes wrong. Those meds are the only ones that have ever helped me and without any side effects! I wish I could get into the meditation, but I just don't have the willpower or concentration for it. I even get lost while praying. Completely lose my track of thoughts. Thanks again. I'm sure I will turn to you all again on this issue soon. It's a never ending battle.

I often have that same problem, my therapist said it’s definitely anxiety. I use a sleep app, iSleep easy. It helps a lot. When all else fails, I take a Xanax and am asleep in half an hour.