Insomnia

[Deleted]

For YEARS i have battled insomnia. I have tried all kinds of ways to improve that. Recently, i stumbled on a new combo that works for me.
I take a melatonin, valerian, and black cohosh an hour before bed. Works great! These are all over the counter herbals.

[Deleted]

Yeh, Valerian is good for that, shooby.

I usually blaze a bit of weed if I can't sleep, though it doesn't happen too often.

Like my hat?

[femmefatale]

I toss and turn all night long. I have horrible issues with sleeping.

[suesinfl]

I never have a problem falling a sleep, I have a problem with waking up around 2 or 3 and can't go back to bed until about an hour before the alarm goes off. I've heard of melatonin and black cohosh, but not used together. I've never heard of valerian, so I'll do some searching. Thanks for the tip.

[femmefatale]

I've heard Valerian does work, real well.

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

I take a melatonin, valerian, and black cohosh an hour before bed. Works great! These are all over the counter herbals.

Black cohosh is primarily used for relief of menopausal/post-menopausal symptoms - not insomnia.

__________________________________________

Also, melatonin and valerian should not be taken together:

Additive Sedative Effect:

Combined, the sedative effects of melatonin and valerian may pose a significant health risk. Impaired coordination, altered mental status, disorientation and a loss of balance may result in falls or injury while operating dangerous equipment. Elderly patients suffering from osteoporosis are at an increased risk of bone fractures from falls. All age groups should not engage in any activity requiring physical and mental alertness and coordination for at least four or five hours after taking melatonin or valerian, alone or in combination.

[suesinfl]

Thanks SL for the information, it's something to really think about.

[Genuine GA Peach]

I have a problem with waking up around 2 or 3 and can't go back to bed until about an hour before the alarm goes off.

sounds all too familiar. I've had bouts of insomnia for years. Sometimes I have trouble getting to sleep, bust mostly my issue is staying asleep.

chamomile tea sometimes helps.

during my worst bought of insomnia, I went 14 days straight with no more than 90 minutes of sleep in a 24 hour period. It was awful! I went to the doc and she gave me a scrip for Ambien. Didn't help at all. Back then, they didn't have the time release version. I don't know if that would be any better for me.

the next thing they gave me was Trazadone. It works, but I have to take it no later than 8PM or I'm in a daze the next day. I also have to take double the dosage that was prescribed to DH. He's about 100 lbs heavier than I am, and even when he takes the lower dosage it makes him feel lousy for several days. I say that because I was surprised at how high a dose it took to knock me out!

My doc said Trazadone is non-addictive. I've been taking it off and on for years. When I go 3 or 4 nights in a row with less than 4 hours of sleep, I'll take a Trazadone. One good night's sleep will usually get my system back to MY normal (which is about 6 hours of sleep).

I don't really like to take pills, but sometimes I just have to

[weltschmerz]

I can't take Valerian. The aftertaste is just awful, and I find myself burping up that horrible, horrible taste most of the night. :::shudder:::

It never helped me sleep anyway, although my mother swore by it.

[Deleted]

Valerian smells and tastes like stinky gym socks. So, you have to down it pretty fast!

[Deleted]

Spiral- I love the hat!

[Deleted]

BTW, i am not recommending or prescribing anything. Just telling what worked for ME. YMMV

[Deleted]

Yes, but what a way to go! I have a new KA and have been making lots of bread!

[Deleted]

My problem is falling asleep. I just cannot fall asleep. When i started to have problems, it took a great toll on my life. Chronic sleep depravation is very difficult. Most people don't really understand how severe it can be. Yeah, staying up a night or two isn't a problem. But, night, after night after night. I always found that 3 am to 5am was the most depressing time of night. Once 5 am rolls around i would start to feel a bit better as the sun was rising. The one good thing is that i know exactly what time it is 24/7 just by how much light there is, the moon, etc.

[rileyoday]

All the scripts I tried caused vivid dreams or nightmares. I tried various herbal without success.

I sleep 10 pm till 2 am and 6 am till 830 am. Four hour party 2 till 6. yea !

[Deleted]

KA - is my KitchenAid. I just got a new mixer. lol

[Deleted]

I've been battling insomnia for years. Shooby, I know exactly what you mean about the toll it can take on your life. It's amazing how much work your body does when you're sleep and how important it is to your mental and physical health. And patstab, I know exactly what you mean about just wanting to wake up in the morning and feel rested.

When my sleep problems got really bad, I tried a lot of stuff that's supposed to help create an environment conducive to getting a good night's rest. Nothing worked. I didn't have a problem going to sleep, but I couldn't stay sleep. Often it was more like a quick nap or two than real sleep. I've watched the sun come up many, many times.

A few years ago, I was up for about 3 days straight. I was exhausted and mean as hell so I went to my doctor and begged for some help. She prescribed Ambien. I don't like taking drugs unless I absolutely have to and I'd read the stories about people doing crazy stuff in their sleep after taking Ambien, but by that point I was willing to try it. $100 for 30 pills and it did nothing for me.

I went back, and she gave me some Lunesta samples. The morning after I took the first one, I wanted to jump for joy. I probably did. lol I realized it had been so long since I'd woke up feeling refreshed and ready to hop out of bed, I had literally forgotten what that felt like until that morning.

Unfortunately, I couldn't take Lunesta for the rest of my life. If my insomnia is caused by an underlying health issue, we haven't found it. The only thing we're sure of is that stress makes it even worse. I keep toying with the idea of talking to my doctor about a sleep clinic, but I really only think about it in the middle of the night when I'm laying there looking crazy instead of sleeping.

I really feel for anyone that has chronic sleep problems. Sleeping well seems like it should be so simple if you're not in pain or sick. When it's a chronic problem it's not good for our health and it wreaks havoc on our quality of life.

[suesinfl]

Pink and Pat
I hear you guys. It seems like no matter when I go to bed, I never feel like I've had enough sleep. Even on the weekends when I can sleep later, I find myself up by 7 a.m no matter what time i go to bed. My alarm is set for 6 a.m. during the weekdays and not set on the weekends unless I need to be up early.

I do take 10mg. of Lexipro for anxiety about 10 p.m. and I think that is what helps me go to sleep and takes the "edge" off of life. I do know that the more stressed I am, the less I sleep and then the cycle repeats itself. I also know that the lack of sleep makes me more prone to illness. i sometimes wish that i would have a cold,etc. because then I sleep more, not better, but more. Sounds crazy, I know.

[Genuine GA Peach]

a big part of the not sleeping problem is that your mind doesn't get a rest. You are thinking for 20+ hours for many days in a row (I'm on day 7 right now).

[Deleted]

Oh well, the valerian, melatonin thing worked for a week. I give up! I get sick of being up all night with myself!

[Deleted]

Good morning!! ;D

[Deleted]

LOL! Well, i have had more carbs lately cuz of the mixer! But , yeah i have tried altering the diet and all that stuff.

[Deleted]

Oh thanks lone! There are worse things in life that's for sure. It is more annoying than anything. I really am not a big eater. I can be happy eating once a day and i usually don't eat a big supper because i lay awake with a stomach ache so that doesn't seem like a big problem. I have never noticed any difference one way or the other with what i eat. I did try to modify caffeine but i do like my morning coffee. I could probably give that up but i really enjoy coffee. I don't eat after 6 pm anyway. Maybe i should try some warm milk.

[kadee79]

Honey works as a mild sedative. Take about a tablespoon just before you lay down.
Getting a regular schedule will help too..3 meals a day, even if they are very small & a couple of snacks....go to bed at a certain time & DON'T get up before the alarm!
It takes awhile for it all to fall into place...like at least a month.

I used to suffer too but after I retired and got a "normal" schedule, wasn't skipping meals to do other things and started going to bed at the same time every night...I seldom have a problem any more. Once in a great while I will be up but either a melatonin or some honey works.
And buy organic or honey from a local bee keeper...the other stuff in the stores has too many things filtered out of it to even call it honey!
If I wake up in the middle of the night & think I'm going to stay up...I eat one oatmeal cookie and have a drink of water and go back to bed! Sleep soon comes.

[moxie]

Sleep has NEVER been an issue for me. I get too much sleep if anything.

"I usually blaze a bit of weed if I can't sleep, though it doesn't happen too often."

Is it 4:20 yet?

Black cohosh is WICKED! IMO I tried it one time and was really dizzy after I took it.

[moxie]

"Maybe i should try some warm milk."

Horlicks...ask the Brits.

[Artemis Windsong]

This works for me for now. I use a drop of Castor Oil on each eye lid. I top that off with one of those sleep masks and ear plugs. In the summer I use a fan for ambient noise.

If I wake up at 2:00 or so a.m. I take a Benedryl. I have a script for zolpidem that I use 1/4 of 10 mgs. when I'm in a bad cycle of insomnia. The script requires at least 4 hours in bed. It's one of those pillow pills like Ambien.

My insomnia triggers are over exercise. Noise. Travel. Unresolved stressors. It's taken me 5 yrs. in a separate room to get over my DH's snoring. My DD's snorning insomnia was solved with one of those air flow machines for her DH. She must like being sleep deprived because she is on a volunteer ambulance service. Nothing good happens after midnight.

[Deleted]

BTW, Junior Seau who committed suicide was found to have ambien in his system on toxicology. They announce he had "no drugs or alcohol" in his system, but btw, he did have ambien on board. There have been other reports linking that to problems. It is not a completely benign drug.

atlantablackstar.com/2012/06/01/speculation-that-misuse-of-ambien-may-have-played-a-role-in-junior-seaus-suicide/

[dom]

A glass of milk and breath. Or just breath and breath again. Keep on breathing. Gently, steady and slowly just concentrate on your breaths and nothing else.
Are you asleep yet ?

[Deleted]

No, but i feel i am ready to give birth! Hee hee ho ho! BTW, my little lamb, what happened to your avatar? That is making me dizzy?