Sleeping pills

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tomomatic
tomomatic Posts: 1,794 Member
in Chit-Chat
I've been having a hard time sleeping lately. (Mostly stress related) Can anyone recommend a good over the counter sleeping aide that doesn't have too many bad side effects? Something that's not habit forming.
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  • hungrypotato
    hungrypotato Posts: 1,642 Member
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    ummm. Well recently I saw a commercial for zzzquil. Saying it's just for sleeping and non habit forming.


    http://zzzquil.com/liquid-sleep-aid/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=zzzquil&utm_campaign=ZzzQuil_Search_Desktop_Brand+Awareness|ZzzQuil-Branded&utm_content=srnme4JnC_17502783996_e_zzzquil
  • BeautifulScarsWECHANGED
    BeautifulScarsWECHANGED Posts: 749 Member
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    Herbs, Etc brand Deep Sleep. It's the ONLY thing my family uses.

    http://www.herbsetc.com/

    You can find it most health food stores. Trust me on this!
  • LaLouve_RK
    LaLouve_RK Posts: 899 Member
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    Same here... I take sleep-eze right now.
    I try to not take it every night... but as long as the stress factor is there, I guess I wont be able to get off those... yet... I dont feel any addiction... yesterday night my bf had to tell me : "did you take your sleep pill?"
    I really forgot about it coz I needed to sleep since I am on emergency calls tonight..
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
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    I used to just drink a case of beer. Worked every time..
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
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    I have had sleep issues since I was young. I've just learned to operate on less sleep than most. I don't beleive in medication, for the most part.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    I used to just drink a case of beer. Worked every time..

    ^ This. At least you know what's in it.
  • meltingmama1965
    meltingmama1965 Posts: 24
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    i take zzzzzquil works for me and not habbit forming
  • Megs081211
    Megs081211 Posts: 150
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    Have you tried taking melatonin? It's all natural and is naturally produced in the body. When I can't sleep I take benadryl it helps with my allergies and allows me to knock out.
  • hummingbird71
    hummingbird71 Posts: 298 Member
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    I take 1 Ibuprofen w/ sleep aide every night! I don't feel I HAVE to take them so I feel they are not habit forming, however if I don't I will toss and turn and not get a good nights sleep due to back issues. That is why I use the one that has some "pain releif" with it.
  • SamDanielleB
    SamDanielleB Posts: 71
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    Melatonin is helpful and natural, although i've found it makes me more drowsy in the mornings...
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
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    I've been having a hard time sleeping lately. (Mostly stress related) Can anyone recommend a good over the counter sleeping aide that doesn't have too many bad side effects? Something that's not habit forming.

    Bourbon.

    Seriously. I had major insomnia at one point, learned a lot of techniques to get over it. Now on the rare occasion where I can't fall asleep, a couple shots and a half hour of tv later, and I can sleep. My opinion is that this is far safer than any OTC or Prescription sleep aid.
  • atb0821
    atb0821 Posts: 458 Member
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    Midnite!
  • Jenn728
    Jenn728 Posts: 683 Member
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    You could try Calms Forte...you can buy this at Walmart or GNC. What I love most about this stuff is that if I am feeling anxious, I can take one or two....if I need help sleeping, I can take three or four. I never feel that creepy, crawly feeling and I don't feel heavy and hungover the next morning from it.
  • pinkledoodledoo
    pinkledoodledoo Posts: 290 Member
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    I would recommend Zzzquil, wine or pot... probably not all 3 though.
  • ChasingKatie
    ChasingKatie Posts: 331 Member
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    Natural Calm magnesium
  • greyt2bfit
    greyt2bfit Posts: 29 Member
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    slow walk around the block, followed by warm bath and chamomile tea, lavender mist bedding and either a tylenol pm or ibuprofen pm product
  • jonikeffer
    jonikeffer Posts: 218 Member
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    Two good options: Benadryl (generic name diphenhydramine) or melatonin.
    Benadryl won't hurt you, isn't hbit forming, some people take it all the time for allergies. However it can have side effects for some, including aggravating RLS (restless legs). It can dehydrate you a bit, drink more water while taking it. You would just have to try it and see if it did anything unpleasant to you. Diphenhydramine is one of the two types of antihistamines used in all the OTC cold/flu products, and also one of the two used in OTC sleep aids (like Tylenol PM). It's a lot cheaper to just buy a bottle of generic diphenhydramine than buy any of the OTC products branded as "sleep aids". :)

    If you don't like that, consider the natural supplement of melatonin. This is what our brain produces naturally to make us sleepy at night. Our brains make it as the sun goes down, and modern life messes that up because we have bright lights from TV/computers in our face until the moment we go to sleep. There are many strengths of melatonin, ranging from 750mcg to over 3mg. Try getting a low one, you can always double up on the capsules if it doesn't help at first. I've not experienced any side effects whatsoever from melatonin, and am not aware of any.

    Note, your body can get accustomed to anything you take nightly, even if it's not habit forming. Try to give yourself a break on the weekend or any day you don't absolutely have to get up at a set time the next day. It will just help things keep working for you.
  • BL_Mark
    BL_Mark Posts: 183 Member
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    Melatonin is helpful and natural, although i've found it makes me more drowsy in the mornings...

    AGREED! I've never slept well... I have weird dreams and sleep walking issues... I didn't know that that wasn't normal until I got married and my wife told me. Everyone in my family talks & walks in their sleep. So last year I started taking melatonin and have been getting the best sleep of my life! However, it does make me a bit drowsy in the morning but once I get moving, I'm fine.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
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    I have had sleep issues since I was young. I've just learned to operate on less sleep than most. I don't beleive in medication, for the most part.

    I will say, during really bad times I like to drink the Sleepy Time Extra tea about 30 minutes before going to bed. It defintely helps me get to sleep. It doesn't help me stay sleeping though. Worth a shot though.
  • mank32
    mank32 Posts: 1,323 Member
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    - melatonin, like 3 mg: some peeps see success if taken every day before bed, like a vitamin (not just 'as needed'). it helps your body regulate hormones for sleep.
    - catnip tea: a mild sedative. should be safe for anyone.
    - chamomile tea: ditto -- except if you have allergies in the daisy family.
    - valerian root: stronger; read contraindications carefully. do not take for too long. ppl rave about this but it is potent and should be used with caution.
    **exercise: i struggled with sleep from childhood up to a couple of years ago, when i started working out. now i don't struggle with it at all. wearing myself out physically is the best medicine for sleep i've ever found.
    **alcohol: kind of hate to admit it, but i consider alcohol a medicine in this ONE regard--i can count on it to put me to sleep, and often i will sleep more deeply and wake more refreshed if i've had a little before bed. but i rarely do this--usually i drink some alcohol and then go sing karaoke or something...

    i was on Rx sleep med for years on account of sleep disregulation due to fibromyalgia. the pills put me to sleep but i didn't sleep well, so i was always tired.

    my biggest problem in the past was getting TO sleep. i helped myself considerably by establishing a bed-time 'wind-down' routine: it involved meditation music (think chanting), low lights, scented candles, and yoga/stretching. that really helped. these days it's totally a non-issue. i get so much exercise that when i lay down at the end of the day i'm out after 5 min tops.

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