Trouble sleeping use meds?

suziblues2000
suziblues2000 Posts: 515 Member
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
Has anybody used sleeping medication to help them sleep and if so, did it help?
Is there a good sleep med I can buy over the counter?

When I can't sleep or when I can't stay sleeping and wake up in the middle of the night I always find myself eating a bunch of crap at night. If I could fall asleep and stay that way I would be more healthy and rested plus not eat so much.

Thanks for any help.
sue

Replies

  • kellykat
    kellykat Posts: 180 Member
    Sometimes I'll use Tylenol PM if I can't sleep. It works for the most part.
  • xTattooedDollx
    xTattooedDollx Posts: 426 Member
    I had this problem. If I took Tylonal PM/Advil PM every night it'd stop working so I went to my Dr who ended up not giving me a Rx but told me to take 3,000+4,000 I.U. of vitamin D every morning. He told me it would start making me sleep. I thought he was insane! But it worked! I now sleep about 95% of nights all the way through.
  • khskr1
    khskr1 Posts: 392
    you can try some melatonin. Also get a GOOD calcium (perferably from a nutritionist, not target walmart etc). Getting the good minerals in your body will help tremendously!! The other thing I use is Bedtime tea from Yogi. It has valerian root in it.
  • Tiddle
    Tiddle Posts: 762 Member
    melatonin works (my mom swears by it)


    I have major sleep issues, was on Ambien for a little while, but I prefer nyquil
  • ThumperWabbt
    ThumperWabbt Posts: 82 Member
    I take 50 mg generic benedryl (active ingredient in stuff like Tylenol PM) every night... using Tylenol PM unless you also have pain is not usually recommended; there's no reason to filter a pain medication through your liver unless you have to.

    I'm on it for life, but it's decent for people who need a short-term fix, since it (typically) doesn't cause rebound insomnia. And it's cheap...a bottle of 300 at Costco is like $4.

    The Spouse Thingy uses melatonin every now and then, but it causes some strange side effects in me--rapid heart rate, feels like my head is going to pop--and when you feel like your head is going to pop, you kinds want to stay away to witness it...counterproductive at minimum ;) It works well for him, though.
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    I had alot of sleep issues when I had some major life stresses, Ambien worked for me, I still take it on occasion. YMMV
  • FireRox21
    FireRox21 Posts: 424 Member
    The generic additive that folks are talking about in TylenolPM is diphenhydramine. It is Benadryl. For the average person, 50mg is usually enough to aid in sleep. Like others have said, only take TylenolPM or AdvilPM if you have pain as acetaminophen is very hard on the liver when taking on a regular basis. The down side to taking Benadryl for sleep is you can build a tolerance/resistance to it's effects. You will eventually need higher dosages to help you sleep and/or the drug may not work when you need it to if you are having an allergic reaction to something.

    Also, be very careful if you take any natural sleep aids like valerian, melatonin, etc. These herbs can have severe interactions with some RX and OTC medications.

    The best advice would be to speak to your Doctor before taking any sleep aid, OTC or prescription in order to avoid unwanted side effects.
  • ThumperWabbt
    ThumperWabbt Posts: 82 Member
    The down side to taking Benadryl for sleep is you can build a tolerance/resistance to it's effects. You will eventually need higher dosages to help you sleep and/or the drug may not work when you need it to if you are having an allergic reaction to something.

    I've been on the same dose for 12 years; that's the benefit to Benedryl--in *most* people it causes no rebound insomnia. It should also still work for allergies it's typically used to treat, but that's a definite thing a person with allergies should consult with their doctor about, because there are many alternatives.
  • stfuandrun
    stfuandrun Posts: 106 Member
    I'll use some valerian root when I have sleep issues.
  • weaklink109
    weaklink109 Posts: 2,831 Member
    I discovered my inability to go to sleep and STAY asleep was eliminated when I stopped using caffeine in any form. I am so sensitive that I could drink my coffee at 6am--a mix of 70% decaf and 30% caffeinated--and I would get to sleep and wake up about 4 hours later and not be able to go back to sleep. Needless to say, THAT sucked!! I was working at the time and had an early shift. Driving to work with one eye open is not my idea of a good time.:grumble:

    I finally figured out what was going on when I got sick and didn't make coffee for several days and noticed I was sleeping like a baby.:yawn: Now I am completely decaffeinated. What I miss most is Chinese tea. I can drink decaf tea, but when you go to a Chinese restaurant, you are going to get caffeinated tea, so I have to pass on it.

    If you are consuming ANY caffeine, try eliminating it and see if you eliminate your need for sleep meds in the process.

    "Sweet dreams":yawn: :yawn: :yawn: :yawn: :wink: :smile:
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