[Jessica]

Well, I have a lot of problems sleeping, and have as long as I can remember. I'm sick and tired of staying up until 7am to sleep after a 20 hour day, especially since it means I waste the entire next day.

So, I'm looking to try a sleep-aid. Non-prescription, so I can see if I care for it at all. I have some room to test out a few different kinds, since I don't have any early morning obligations for a while.

Basically, I'm looking to see what brands/types people have liked and had good luck with, and what people have hated. I know it varies from case to case, but I also know that there are some brands/types out there that are just crap.

So give me a helping hand, I want to sleep. ;(

[SolanaLein]

Melatonin is a vitamin/supplement. It is a chemical in your brain that both improves your mood and helps you sleep. it is produced automatically in sunlight. Thats why people have seasonal mood disorder, because there is so little light in the winter and they dont produce as much melatonin. Ive taken this before to help me sleep. i totally recommend it, in small doses. You dont need a lot, 10 milligrams per night is more than enough for even a football player. If you're going to take it, take it right before you go to bed. do not drive or operate "heavy machinery" ;p after taking melatonin because it will put you right to sleep. This is my experience with it, at least. You might have to take it for a week before your body starts to really absorb it efficiently.

You should always ask a doctor before taking any suppliments. Melatonin supplements (like all vitamins/natural cures) can interact with medication or antibiotics and make you ill.

[Jessica]

Well, it sounds like a fairly good bet for me, since I usally only sleep once it gets light out, now. I can't seem to fall asleep in the dark.

I'm hoping to find a brand name reccomendation or two, since a lot of brands add in a lot of things that really aren't great for you, and I'm hoping to avoid that as much as possible.

[Altacia]

Lets see, I use Sominex.

Bought it at WalMart and it works quite well, You're supposed to take two pills just before you go bed.

I take one pill because the two really kicked my arse.




-Alt

[Fredrick]

Everytime I watch Martha Stewart on Food Network it puts me right to sleep. You should try that, sometime.

[Jessica]

Divyne, on Apr 28 2004, 04:58 PM, said:

Everytime I watch Martha Stewart on Food Network it puts me right to sleep. You should try that, sometime.

Food Network Canada cancelled her. :(

[Fredrick]

Haha, well.. Sorry. Although Foodtv without Martha is almost worth losing sleep over.

[Timelock]

Nyquil works for me..so does watching golf

[Rogue_forben]

Horlicks malt drink. 7pints of milk. Training skills in wastelands while reading a book. Staring at screen while not doing anything. Hitting your head (not advised).
Live near the sea. Buy a fart machine and laugh your self to sleep.

edi: Dont count sheep it never works.

This post has been edited by Rogue_forben: 28 April 2004 - 03:01 PM

[Nalea]

heheh. Well. We usually take NyQuil too, but I know Melatonin does work wonders, as does Sleepytime Tea If you like Tea that is. Um, there is something else we also tried that worked really well, Nytol. Its a good one too. Wont nock ya for a loop in the morning.

[Jareli]

I have a friend who drinks coffee to go to sleep. Yeah, she's weird.

[Tormod]

Rogue_forben, on Apr 28 2004, 11:59 PM, said:

Horlicks malt drink. 7pints of milk. Training skills in wastelands while reading a book. Staring at screen while not doing anything. Hitting your head (not advised).
Live near the sea. Buy a fart machine and laugh your self to sleep.

edi: Dont count sheep it never works.

I'd recommend Horlicks too.

Buy the chocolate version :)

[Bob]

SolanaLein, on Apr 28 2004, 09:31 AM, said:

Melatonin is a vitamin/supplement. It is a chemical in your brain that both improves your mood and helps you sleep. it is produced automatically in sunlight. Thats why people have seasonal mood disorder, because there is so little light in the winter and they dont produce as much melatonin. Ive taken this before to help me sleep. i totally recommend it, in small doses. You dont need a lot, 10 milligrams per night is more than enough for even a football player. If you're going to take it, take it right before you go to bed. do not drive or operate "heavy machinery" ;p after taking melatonin because it will put you right to sleep. This is my experience with it, at least. You might have to take it for a week before your body starts to really absorb it efficiently.

You should always ask a doctor before taking any suppliments. Melatonin supplements (like all vitamins/natural cures) can interact with medication or antibiotics and make you ill.

Well I've heard some people have seasonal mood disorder where they get depressed in the summer. How does that work?

[Roido]

Ok,first you need some one to help you
then you need a giant warhammer,give it to your friend thats helping and ask him to bash your head very very hard.


Then again,you can always try cooling your room abit,i fall asleep fast as hell in a cold room o0; ... but then you got to make sure some one warms it somehow later or half of your face can get paralized for a good few mounths :D

[Nigma]

go do things .. to tire yourself out.

[Roido]

Nigma, on Apr 28 2004, 11:17 PM, said:

go do things .. to tire yourself out.

We all know what you mean by that:(

[ElvenLynliss]

Valerian Root. They come in pills and it's an herbal sleeping aid. ^^ I use it... uhm, I guess it works but it doesn't make me feel drowsy so I'm like confused..I don't know.. You can try it though?

http://www.1001herbs.com/valerian/

This post has been edited by ElvenLynliss: 28 April 2004 - 09:32 PM

[Nigma]

Roido, on Apr 28 2004, 09:23 PM, said:

We all know what you mean by that:(

[MistMaiden]

ElvenLynliss, on Apr 28 2004, 10:31 PM, said:

Valerian Root. They come in pills and it's an herbal sleeping aid. ^^ I use it... uhm, I guess it works but it doesn't make me feel drowsy so I'm like confused..I don't know.. You can try it though?

http://www.1001herbs.com/valerian/

Valerian root smells bad (yes it's suppose to smell like vinegar) but works to make you relaxed. The over the counter ones like sominex and nytol are just benadryl relabled. Buy the generic and save money. 50 mg is usually sufficient but doesn't work on all people and can dry you out.
Ocean wave machines, hot baths, massage, eating turkey before bed time are other alternatives.
Yoga is great for slowing you down and deep relaxation breathing...my personal favorite. ^^

[ElvenLynliss]

It does smell bad x.x But it doesn't taste like anything though.

[Jessica]

Nigma, on Apr 29 2004, 01:17 AM, said:

go do things .. to tire yourself out.

That's the thing -- I can have an extremely long, busy day, and then come home and not be able to sleep until 7am anyways.

It's anxiety related, so I stay up and worry. If I lay down and try to sleep, I worry more, thus keeping myself up for even longer, to a point where I don't sleep at all.

And no, I will not see a psychaitrist about it. >=(

So anything that normally helps people get to sleep doesn't do much for me. I need something that'll MAKE me sleep, without me having to want to sleep, really.

[Roido]

I bet a good bash on the head with a hammer will do its job.

[Radical Edward]

Lots of Vodka, and those new "Chaser" pills I keep seeing on TV.

[Miraho]

Just watch nick at night.

Or go to walmart where everything eixts.

For quality low prices, every day!

[ElvenLynliss]

I heard that the non "sleep-aiding" pills that MAKE you sleep are really expensive. Willing to pay a lot for sleep? ;p Sux... Maybe you need a more relaxing, comfy bed?

[Nakio]

Bob, on Apr 28 2004, 09:55 PM, said:

Well I've heard some people have seasonal mood disorder where they get depressed in the summer. How does that work?

Only in Arizona, too much sun.

On the side note, I watch TV and I'm out lika' light. Sorry I don't know any sleeping pills for you, Chant :( Its just not in my cycle~

[Delen]

"Benadryl" is my solution for insomnia.

Melatonin and Valerian...don't do squat for me. I remember one time I was so desperate to fall asleep I took all the Valerian pills in the package plus some "Sominex" or something like that and still didn't manage to fall asleep till 8-9 in the morning the next day. "Benadryl" though is my bestest friend when it comes to fighting insomnia :p

[Green Fox]

When my body starts pissing me off by not letting me sleep, I force myself to stay awake 48 hours, and by the tim 8-9pm comes around the next day im so dam exhausted I could fall asleep anywhere anytime, that will ussually reset my schedule for a good 2-3 weeks before I have to do it again.

[Bob]

Nakio!, on Apr 29 2004, 06:56 PM, said:

Only in Arizona, too much sun.

I dunno it's sunny here in Colorado almost all the time...

[SolanaLein]

haha benadryl does make you sleepy.. once in school i had a cold and foolishly took benadryl before i went to school. i fell asleep on the gym floor, thats how tired i got ;p

I know this is non-prescription, but i wanted to say that i dont recommend the prescription AMBIEN for sleeping. It works but with horrible side effects. I took it for 2 weeks and it worked of course, but afterwards i felt like i was coming down off an addiction. Sweats, chills, crabby mood, dry mouth.. it sucked ;/