Sleep Thread — Hygiene, Supplements, Medication, etc.

[MikeA]

Thought it might be helpful to have a dedicated sleep thread if OK with the admins. Idea is to briefly share what you find helpful. Some on other forums refer to their "sleep stack".

Lately for me, one hour before turning in:
400 mg magnesium
50 mg zinc
50 mg 5-HTP
3 mg timed-release melatonin
cup of chamomile tea

Knocks me out good for 4 hours. Then a bowl of cereal or almonds and tiny bit of Ambien. Hopefully cut the med soon. A few months back used 900 mg valerian root before switching to 5-HTP. Will alternate those every couple months. I also try to limit electric (blue) light for at least a couple hours before bed. Exercise obviously helps.

 

[Sound Wave]

I am taking L-Tryptofan instead of 5-HTP and melatonin. If I take melatonin I wake up after 3-4 hours of sleep. L-Tryptofan converts to 5-HTP -> melatonin in our bodies.

In addition I listen to rainfall sound via my iPad connected to a quality (!) active loudspeaker. Don't use crappy speakers with sound masking! http://rain.simplynoise.com

 

[Relic Hunter]

I was prescribed REMERON as a antidepressant but found it was more a sleep aid than anything. I do not use it every night as I do not want to build up a tolerance to it. It does not seem to make me sleepy but somehow allows a deeper sleep and thus not wake up as often.

 

[MikeA]

@Sound Wave: That's not the first time I've heard about waking up on melatonin. Interesting. Will experiment.

@Relic Hunter: Seems like tricyclics like Remeron get high marks from many as a sleep aid. Studies point to weight gain as the most prominent side effect. Suspect that's due to overeating (carb cravings) rather than lowering of base metabolic rate. Research inconclusive there.

 

[Martin69]

I take 30 mg Remeron every evening and it gives me 8-9 hours sleep.
But I was always a robust sleeper, so maybe I could also sleep without.
Sleeping is my best relief from T. Still struggle more during the day.
I have not gain any weight since eating is still sometimes difficult because of anxiety and depression.
So Remeron/Mirtazapin helped me a lot.

 

[MattK]

I usually don't have much problem falling asleep on non-work nights. That's because I won't even attempt to fall asleep until I am very sleepy. To the point where it is a big chore to even get up and walk over to the bed. This usually isn't too late because I generally wake up before 4:30 am every morning for work. So waking at this hour makes it so I just can't really night owl. I also avoid naps during the day as they make it morfe difficult to fall asleep. Also ever since I got tinnitus, I stopped drinking caffeine.

So falling alseep on weekends isn't hard for me. In fact sleeping through the night isn't hard either. Work nights, though, is a different story. I have a very hard time falling asleep on work nights and I wake up several times a night. I think it is from the stress of worrying about getting enough sleep and the stress of knowing I'll have to wake up soon. I do my best to make myself sleepy.

Every night I take 3 mg of melatonin in the form of an under the tongue dissolvable tablet. Also sometimes I take L-theanine and 5-htp with it. This will all be about 30 minutes before bed. Then I'll lay in bed and try to read something fairly dry. But, even with all this, it can be a real challenge for me to fall asleep and stay asleep on work nights.

So I basically go through a cycle of being super tired during the week and then try to play catch up on weekends.

 

[patty]

Thought it might be helpful to have a dedicated sleep thread if OK with the admins. Idea is to briefly share what you find helpful. Some on other forums refer to their "sleep stack".

Lately for me, one hour before turning in:
400 mg magnesium
50 mg zinc
50 mg 5-HTP
3 mg timed-release melatonin
cup of chamomile tea

Knocks me out good for 4 hours. Then a bowl of cereal or almonds and tiny bit of Ambien. Hopefully cut the med soon. A few months back used 900 mg valerian root before switching to 5-HTP. Will alternate those every couple months. I also try to limit electric (blue) light for at least a couple hours before bed. Exercise obviously helps.

I see you use magnesium. I just purchased Natural Calm that contains 325 m Magnesium and calcium. It's a powder that you mix with water. The magnesium helps with sleep, do you think? I do drink the chamomile tea and use melatonin, is timed-release better? I take Trazadone and would like to add supplements for better sleep. Thanks.

 

[patty]

I am taking L-Tryptofan instead of 5-HTP and melatonin. If I take melatonin I wake up after 3-4 hours of sleep. L-Tryptofan converts to 5-HTP -> melatonin in our bodies.

In addition I listen to rainfall sound via my iPad connected to a quality (!) active loudspeaker. Don't use crappy speakers with sound masking! http://rain.simplynoise.com

Just purchased some l-tryptophan and going to try it tonight. Can I ask what amount do you take? The capsules I have say 500 mg. Thank you.

 

[MikeA]

I see you use magnesium. I just purchased Natural Calm that contains 325 m Magnesium and calcium. It's a powder that you mix with water. The magnesium helps with sleep, do you think? I do drink the chamomile tea and use melatonin, is timed-release better? I take Trazadone and would like to add supplements for better sleep. Thanks.

Yes magnesium is known as a calming mineral. I've tried Natural Calm. They do have a noticeable effect. But you might want to experiment and try the one without calcium. See what works better for you. They say magnesium and calcium should be balanced but I hear they compete in absorption.

My opinion and what I've read is that timed release melatonin is better for sleep. Standard melatonin is said to be better for combating jet lag. But as mentioned above some say taking melatonin makes them wake up after a few hours. YMMV.

Sounds like 1,000 to 1,500 mg is typical dose for L-tryptophan. You may want to check that though.

Nearly 11PM so I'm breaking my hygiene rule about blue light late at night. Sleep stack is starting to kick in so it's lights out for me...

 

[Sound Wave]

My L-T tablets are 300mg. It says to take 1-2 pills per day but I have only been taking one about 30-60 min before going to bed.

 

[Sjoerd]

So falling alseep on weekends isn't hard for me. In fact sleeping through the night isn't hard either. Work nights, though, is a different story. I have a very hard time falling asleep on work nights and I wake up several times a night. I think it is from the stress of worrying about getting enough sleep and the stress of knowing I'll have to wake up soon. I do my best to make myself sleepy.

It seems you have a work related stress situation going on...! The best advice that I can give you....---> go for evening walks (30 to 60 minutes, at least every other day) at a decent pace. After a while you will notice that walking clears your mind. It will give your body some physical fatigue without wearing it down and getting your self all hyper.

Walking is one of the best and easiest anti anxiety, anti stress and sleep promoter there is. Repetition is of key importance!

Walking also promotes good brain function :
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16862541

 

[christine kauhane]

I drink 8oz of sleepy time tea and I'm out for the night 8+hours....

 

[Kathi]

I take a low dose of Xanax 3 x's a day. I haven't had caffeine since November. I put my relaxation podcasts on at 9:45 and I'm asleep by 10:00 on work nights. I sleep a solid 7-8 hours. When I wake up I do my relaxation exercises and then start my day.

 

[jojo]

May have to try Remeron

 

[MikeA]

I drink 8oz of sleepy time tea and I'm out for the night 8+hours....

Wow. Good for you. The last time I slept that well was a few years back after spending all day watching a volleyball tournament on a very sunny beach in southern California. Reasoned it was the abundant sunlight (serotonin) and exertion walking around in the sand. I was born in Honolulu and have assumed for some time now that living there would work quite well for me in these "later" years

 

[patty]

I take 30 mg Remeron every evening and it gives me 8-9 hours sleep.
But I was always a robust sleeper, so maybe I could also sleep without.
Sleeping is my best relief from T. Still struggle more during the day.
I have not gain any weight since eating is still sometimes difficult because of anxiety and depression.
So Remeron/Mirtazapin helped me a lot.

I wish my doctor would have prescribed me Remeron instead of Trazadone. I think it's because he thought I would gain weight, I don't know. Last night upped my dose to 100 m as prescribed and took a fall using the rest room. Luckily my husband was there to pick me up. I was so out of it I couldn't move. Had a bad night with little sleep.

 

[ItalianMan]

I take a low dose of Xanax 3 x's a day. I haven't had caffeine since November. I put my relaxation podcasts on at 9:45 and I'm asleep by 10:00 on work nights. I sleep a solid 7-8 hours. When I wake up I do my relaxation exercises and then start my day.

May I know which are these relaxation exercises you do in the morning after wake up ?

 

[cowdodge]

How many people get up in the morning and still feel tired. When I wake up its about 5 oclock in the morning and I just want to get some more rest. But between the t's and the anxiety its just almost a waste of time and my anxiety goes up as I try to lay just there. Right now my eye lids feel like they need to be shut down for 15 or 20 minutes but then I wake up and the t's are a screaming. Oh what to do???

 

[Kathi]

May I know which are these relaxation exercises you do in the morning after wake up ?

If you have iTunes search for Yasmine Buriak's "Journey into Relaxation"--she has about five or six relaxation and meditations. My faves are "Relaxation Room," "Autogenic Relaxation" and "Progressive Relaxation." Her voice is very nice! If you don't have iTunes try search her on the web.

I hope you like her as much as I do. I've really learned to relax over the past few months.

 

[Leah]

Thanks Kathie was looking for new music.

 

[Leah]

I wish my doctor would have prescribed me Remeron instead of Trazadone. I think it's because he thought I would gain weight, I don't know. Last night upped my dose to 100 m as prescribed and took a fall using the rest room. Luckily my husband was there to pick me up. I was so out of it I couldn't move. Had a bad night with little sleep.

Sorry.

 

[ItalianMan]

If you have iTunes search for Yasmine Buriak's "Journey into Relaxation"--she has about five or six relaxation and meditations. My faves are "Relaxation Room," "Autogenic Relaxation" and "Progressive Relaxation." Her voice is very nice! If you don't have iTunes try search her on the web.

I hope you like her as much as I do. I've really learned to relax over the past few months.

Thanks Kathi, I'll try ...

 

[Poonam Tiwari]

Can sleep without any disturbance for 7 hours without any medicines or sounds. Made a small success...?Is it compulsory to get Neuromonics...Does it help?

 

[Jeff Collins]

I tried Neuromonics at a cost of $5600 and did not receive and did not receive and relief from it. The audiologist said it would work for me but after using it for over a year and numerous visits to the audiologist, I gave up. My suggestion is to try a masker to provide some relief. That is what I am considering now.

 

[Jari]

Dear readers

Lots of people with tinnitus are having trouble falling asleep. I just wanted to share what I do when I can't sleep because of it:

- Lay on your back with your noise pointing to the roof.
- Make sure your arms are next to your body.
- Then stretch all your muscles as hard and long as you can. (Making fists and squeeze really hard, flex your belly, chest, arms and legs. Don't be too soft, make it look like you're going to explode, but don't exaggerate).

Just hold it untill you can't hold no more. This should simulate a very exhausting activity done such as running a few miles or coming back from the gym. Most people feel exhausted and dizzy after doing such activity and the best part is; you're already in bed! So you can just close your eyes and try to feel your muscles relax and you should feel an urge to sleep.

I hope this helps you, as much as it helps me!

 

[Dennis MacDonald]

I take 5mg Melatonin and .25 alprazolam just before going to bed. I put on the TV to the news or HGTV, set the timer for 60 minutes and focus on the TV until I'm gone. It's really weird as I actually know when I lose consciousness. The volume of the T goes to zero and I revel not having it for a few seconds a day. Also odd is that when I awake in the middle of the night for a potty run the T is screaming and I am able to completely ignore it and go back to sleep. I think it's because I am brain dead during this time. Just wish I could ignore it during the day like this.