Is there any medication you can take which will give you a good nights sleep?
By sharra1
@sharra1 (6340)
Australia
September 8, 2008 11:45pm CST
I am having a great deal of trouble sleeping lately. I have had problems with sleep for the last 2 years, ever since I came down with chronic fatigue syndrome, but lately it has become worse and I do not know why or what to do about it.
When I first got sick I was always tired no matter how much I slept but at least I slept even if it was not quality or deep sleep. Now I am having trouble staying asleep for more than an hour or two and if I get too many nights in a row like this I find life really hard to cope with. I get snappy and irritable and just lose my temper at the silliest things and I get tension headaches that just will not go away no matter how many pain killers I take. I have talked to my Doctor about this but he says that tension headaches are just part of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, so are sleeping problems.
I asked him about sleeping pills but he talked me out of them. He says they are bad and addictive and do not really improve the quality of sleep. That may be true but they might help me get more sleep than I am getting at the moment. Broken sleep is really bad. I need to get a block of at least 3 or 4 hours to be able to function reasonably well. I have found that anything less than that is almost useless.
The only thing I have found that gives me a reasonable nights sleep is alcohol. I do not have to get drunk, and I prefer not to, sometimes just pleasantly tipsy is enough. It is not something I do very often but if I have a few days in a row where my sleep is really bad then all it takes is a couple of glasses of bourbon to give me a sound sleep. This is probably because of the effect of the alcohol on the painkillers. I do enjoy the odd drink but not sure about the effect on my health. I don't suppose a couple of glasses is all that harmful to the liver.
Does anyone know of any medications or natural herbs or something that can actually help promote sleep? I do not want to take something that will knock me out so much I cannot wake up but I do need to get more sleep than I am getting at the moment.
6 people like this
22 responses
@pedestrain (137)
• Singapore
9 Sep 08
I guessed you are having insomia. You better see a doctor. But if i cant sleep, normally i would go to the kitchen and drink some hot milk and eat some biscult. Normally for supper. Because the enthusiasium inside me just cant hold.
When you get insomia , i think you will feel excited. I dont have that frequently but when i gets excited for a upcoming event which holds few days later, i could not sleep.
Hey, you were sick. So it will be naturally normal you wil feel tired. Dont worry.
By the way, are you ageing ? only old people would have insomia. They sleep late and wake up very very early. I dont think medication can solve the problem entirely, i recommend you go for consulatation. No offense, but i think you should go mental consultation. I guessed they will teach you how to sleep . Or maybe hypmotise you .
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
10 Sep 08
Actually I am not that old, just 52, not old enough to be having aging problems any way. No the problem is that I have chronic fatigue syndrome and that illness has sleeping disorders as part of it.
For 2 years I had the other sleeping disorder where I slept for 12 or more hours, even though I still woke up tired it was much easier to cope with. For the last 2 weeks I have had the sleeping disorder where I either cannot get to sleep or cannot stay asleep. It is not quite like insomnia which is not getting to sleep, it is broken sleep. I will got to sleep and wake again an hour or two later.
If that happens too often then it is just as bad as not sleeping.
@xing1985 (5)
•
12 Sep 08
Does anything what cause you cann't relax you brain to have a best rest comfuse you? If true, I think the effictive way to solve this terrible problem is to find the root and do something to finish off. Now the frist thing you must to do is to make youself have a peace mind to think and feel so that you can analyze what
make you like that. I believe you will have a great sleep again. Best wishes to you!
@nickventere (1420)
• Zambia
9 Sep 08
Just some advice, you will get a lot of useful information here. However, it will be prudent of you to cross check this information with your doctor or the general practitioner near you. I take medication as a very sensitive matter.
2 people like this
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
9 Sep 08
I quite agree with you. I take medication very seriously as well. I will be careful and if this current sleep pattern does not get any better I may have to go back to the Doctor for sleeping pills.
I really don't want to but I am finding that my irritation levels seem to have become saturated and I am getting grumpy with my partner for things that never used to bother me and I do not like it. I have always been so patient and never grumpy or irritable but this has changed in the last fortnight since my sleep got really bad.
1 person likes this
@fluffleshark (810)
• Ireland
9 Sep 08
Oh I do sympathise - I had the same problem for years and years. I was prescribed sleeping tablets but as you say they are just addictive and you need to take more and more of them for them to work.
Eventually I discovered melatonin tablets. (They were recommended to me by a family friend who is a doctor.) Melatonin is the hormone that regulates sleep. These work like a dream (excuse the pun!) and are very safe to take. You should be able to get them from a health shop.
Best of luck!
@angelie1281 (30)
•
9 Sep 08
I suggest you take some vacation... a time to relax... get some spa treatment so your mind and body can relax... partying, drinking wont do good for your health. I hope this can help you.
2 people like this
@rodelbulan (594)
• Philippines
9 Sep 08
I dont know what your faith is but I just pray for 30 minutes and I have a great and great sleep... Hope I can be able to help you some more but that is THE BEST THING that I can share...
2 people like this
@alena824 (376)
• Philippines
10 Sep 08
Have you ever tried virgin coconut oil? I know, it's oil and you may find the taste not really pleasant (or you would, it depends) but it has been known to promote good sleep. In fact, it is recommended for diabetics who usually wake up at 3 am to pee. I had a friend who began taking VCO and she was happy to report she no longer woke up at 3 and was able to sleep straight after taking VCO. You take 1 to 2 tablespoons of VCO before bedtime and it perhaps it will allow you to sleep better. It also has a host of health benefits like keeping your blood sugar and cholesterol in check. Remember, this is good oil because it is from a plant and not animals. You can read up on the subject if you want to know more. Good luck.
1 person likes this
@rogue13xmen13 (14402)
• United States
9 Sep 08
Well, if you had allergies, or have allergies, believe it or not, most allergy medication puts people to sleep.
1 person likes this
@rogue13xmen13 (14402)
• United States
10 Sep 08
Yes, I know, I am very familiar with it. I, too, had Eczema. You mostly have to use ointments, liquids and gel medications for it. Have you tired Advil, Tylenol, music, white noise, tea, coffee, exercising a lot, things to reduce stress, meditation, turkey, milk, water, anything and everything to get yourself to go to sleep because sadly, if everything that you have tried has failed, you might want to take sleeping pills, and some of those pills can be very dangerous.
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
9 Sep 08
Yes I read every day. My problem is a medical one and no one know how to cure it. Chronic fatigue syndrome has many symptoms and one of them is sleeping disorders. In my case I have both kinds of sleeping disorders, one is broken sleep which means that I keep waking up during the night and the other is sleeping for over ten hours and still being tired.
At various times I have had both. At the moment I am having seriously broken sleep which is making life quite difficult. I am not sure there is anything my Doctor can do. I have no wish to take sleeping pills unless there is no other solution. I know someone who cannot sleep unless he takes a pill and I do not want to end up like that.
I just thought that someone here may have tried a natural supplement that is not harmful but helps sleep.
1 person likes this
@shana123 (2095)
• India
10 Sep 08
hi sharra how many years old you are? It happens like this when you are very depressed mentally and you seem to be very normal but you cannot find that your have depression or is there any chance in the food habbits try to have good food and have milk and sleep you will automatically get sleep avoid to sleep in the day because that will also make you feel sleepless during your night time if your staying at home do some work or if you donot work at home just do any exercise there are lot of reasons for sleeplessness you just keep trying all such things and if your in a lonely place that would also be a reason for this sleeplessness sort out the best if needed take a councelling process nothing is going to harm you.. keep rocking
1 person likes this
@austere (2812)
• Philippines
9 Sep 08
good for me..
i can just close my eyes and dose off..hehe well, never had i taken any medication or anything to fall asleep. i am a sleep lover..so i easily fall asleep whenever i want to.. nothing much of a problem for me.. i can just lie down and then i am dreaming.. doesnt happen every night though.. there are nights when my ind is so active, that i would want to sleep but cant.. good thing is i really try to sleep and somehow able to do is successfully.. takem me at most 15 to 20 minutes before being able to sleep.. but nothing more than that..
i can just close my eyes and dose off..hehe well, never had i taken any medication or anything to fall asleep. i am a sleep lover..so i easily fall asleep whenever i want to.. nothing much of a problem for me.. i can just lie down and then i am dreaming.. doesnt happen every night though.. there are nights when my ind is so active, that i would want to sleep but cant.. good thing is i really try to sleep and somehow able to do is successfully.. takem me at most 15 to 20 minutes before being able to sleep.. but nothing more than that..1 person likes this
@austere (2812)
• Philippines
10 Sep 08
i am really sorry to hear that.. and it fears me too. i dont sleep at the same time.. my work requires me to sleep at different times in a day depending on my shift.. and my body clock is already disoriented..but i hope i wouldnt have the same problem...
1 person likes this
@NonaSaile (924)
• Philippines
9 Sep 08
I know of a very simple concoction that is very effective to me, and which I never tire of recommending to friends: ginger brew. Ginger is known to have detoxifying and calming effects. And the brew is very easy to make. Just cut up a few pieces and boil. I use honey for sweetener. Add water to reduce spiciness according to taste. When it's for getting me to sleep, I add milk. I testify it gets me sleepy within thirty minutes. I hope you give it a try. :)
2 people like this
@chandrikas (47)
• India
10 Sep 08
Do's
Drink a glass of hot milk before you go to sleep. You can have badam milk which gives drowsiness and also good for health.
Wash your hands and legs before going to sleep.
Try this small yoga exercise. Lie down...close your eyes...inhale deep breath and exhale with your mouth. Repeat this slowly for 10 times. Now...inhale deep breath with your mouth and exhale with your nose. Repeat this also slowly 10 times. You will start yawning once you finish this. After a minutes time you can repeat the above exercise and this will definitely relax your nerves and put you to sleep.
Have some melodious music played softly at your bedroom. Switch off the night lamps as they disturb sleep sometimes. Or have a blue color zero watts night lamp.
Avoid watching TV late night and instead read some books. Try to avoid late night phone calls and also stop using the computer atleast an hour before you go to sleep.
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
10 Sep 08
Well I can try this. I do tend to read before going to bed and I do relaxation exercises. Even when I go to sleep ok I am awake again 2 hours later and some nights I cannot stay asleep longer than 2 hours at a time.
I am told it is called sleep maintenance insomnia. I do not know why I keep waking up. I do know that I snore. I often wake up with a dry mouth which means I have been breathing through my mouth even though my nose is not blocked. I have no idea how to stop this.
@switlyf (649)
• Philippines
10 Sep 08
yes there are a lot of sleeping pills you can take but personally i will advice you to try drinking warm milk before going to bed.Its not right to depend your sleeping with those medication because time will come that you are so immune to the chemicals and that won't have any effect anymore.
there are some vitamins that when you take them before going to bed will help you sleep much better, my officemate told me about that.
i once have that problem but thankfully i got over it by meditating before i sleep. you should try that too...happy mylotting! cheers!
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
10 Sep 08
Calcium induces sleep so take calcium supplements or drink a big glass of milk or ice cream - anything with lots of calcium in it. I have tested it and it worksl ike a charm so I always take my calcium supplement at bedtime. It doesnt' make you go to sleep , but it makes you very very drozzy and you fall asleep.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
10 Sep 08
Things I use that are natural:
chamomile tea
warm milk
melatonin
On the Melatonin, my doctor told me to start with 3 mg and increase it by 1 mg daily. When I get to the first morning where I wake up groggy, reduce it by 1 mg. That should get you a restful sleep where you don't end up too tired in the morning.
1 person likes this
@SynthEtika (40)
•
9 Sep 08
Hello there sharral...
I'm very sorry to hear about your trouble sleeping. From experience I can say you better not getting any medication at all even if prescribed.
Unless you want to spend the rest of your life getting tablets to go to sleep, while is true that they can help you,
in the long run they are not good. If one day you should find yourself without your tablets you'll be clocking and not sleeping.
You can try running or walking a few hours before going to sleep, reading is also good and camomille is very usefull.
I've heard also about valeriana but I consider it to be a medication also.
Instead of alchool I would advice weed (maryj), maybe I shouldn't say that but it work miracles :-)
Ultimatelly, when you go to sleep at night and you are laying in the bed, try to check
what your brain is doing, what is thinking, not you, but your brain. Maybe he is thinking about something or maybe
signing a song or something (it happen to me sometimes) say it loud whatever is saying
and take a deep breath. Maybe the first time you gonna have to do it a couple of times, but if you can make your brain
still for a minute or two, there is not reason you shouldn't fell a sleep.
I really hope I've been of helf, take care of yourself and good luck ;-)
@Manojknair (603)
• India
9 Sep 08
Have you heard about Yoga ? its very good and ancient method of treating any disease. try to search in net you will find very good documents on it. its not a medicine but a daily practice of exercise
1 person likes this
@atmenterprises1 (4)
•
9 Sep 08
Eat healthy, take vitamins (liquid)and work out as much as possible!!
ATM
