sleeping pills

[meteora]

what is the best sleeping pill out there? i have never taken any, but am thinking i should, but i am sort of nervous about it...

[sixpack]

I'm pretty careful about stuff like that, but I sometimes take Tylenol PM.  It mostly just helps my muscles relax and then helps me drift off.  I don't feel groggy in the morning, well anymore than I usually am.

[amers]

I'm pretty careful about stuff like that, but I sometimes take Tylenol PM.  It mostly just helps my muscles relax and then helps me drift off.  I don't feel groggy in the morning, well anymore than I usually am.

I take Tylenol PM Simply Sleep...the active ingredient is diphenhydramine (benadryl). I checked with my psychologist and he was fine with me taking that, but he warned me to make sure that I'm taking diphenhydramine because other over the counter sleep aids may contain other ingredients that are harmful or habit forming with longer use.  You can also get a generic brand with active ingredient diphenhydramine (such as the walgreens brand) without paying the extra dollars for the Tylenol name.

but my psychologist made the point not to take the regular Tylenol pm for long term use because it has acetaminophen in it, which in the long term could hurt your liver.  Simply sleep is also made my Tylenol, but different from the Tylenol PM because it doesn't contain the pain reliever acetaminophen.

He told me Benadryl isn't addicting and shouldn't cause rebound effects, the only problem is you build up a tolerance quickly.  I've found this to be true; I have been taking it for a few months and it is no longer as effective as it once was.  I also only take it if I know I can get like 7 hours of sleep in, otherwise I sometimes feel groggy.

I'd also add, you might want to check with your doctor to make sure...I don't know your medical history and don't want to tell you something inaccurate.  This is what I've done, but, it may be different for each individual.

Hope this helps.

[tigerpaw]

Well i wouldnt consider todays meds as sleeping pills, however my seroquel has cured my insomnia and i sleep like a baby.

[studdmuffin]

i take ambien every now and then. my psychiatrist told me that diphehydamine causes more dui's than prescriptions meds because it stays in your system so long. i do get very high quality sleep when i take it.

[GoodOlWalt]

I do know that Tylenol PM has helped me in the past. But you have to remember that frequent taking of tylenol can have adverse effects on your human filtering systems. Approach with caution.

Also if you think you may have a mild case of sleep apnea, sleeping pills complicate that by relaxing the back of your throat.

[sjay]

I'm certainly not an expert, but I would recommend taking melatonin. It's the substance that our bodies naturally produce when the sun goes down in order to induce sleep. You can get it where vitamins are sold (in Canada, at least).

I personally find that if I take it an hour before bed, and keep to a regular routine (a hot shower, some chamomile tea...) that it significantly improves my sleep without leaving me groggy.

[Scott Irish]

Sominex works really well. it makes me drowsy within 20 mins and asleep soon after. next morning there really isnt any drowsyness other than standard morning tiredness.

[AruroGotti]

If your needing an aid just to fall asleep and stay asleep, there is no sense in taking tylenol PM..Its just benadryll with an extra half gram of the 0103 thats hard on your liver

if some natural melatonin will do the trick, I would stick with that...and I only suggest you take half the recommended dose, back when I would use benadryl I would use 1/4 the suggested dose and sleep like a baby...Anymore then that and I would wake up groggy...Tylenol PM i would stay clear away from

[zxsuxr]

Calms Forte by Highlands (Homeopathic)

Works very well, although it doesnt make you sleepy, or knock you out.  It helps you relax which will cause sleep to come more natural.  This same brand also has a product called "Insomnia" which helps control all those nervous twitches we all get while trying to sleep w/anxiety. This product doesnt have any side effects like morning grogginess.

[tmicrowave]

I take benedryl, for some people that isn't strong enough. another good over the counter one i tried was UNISOM

[ainsecuregirl]

My shrink prescribed me Seroquel, for my anxiety and if I can't get to sleep. Now I wouldn't advise this as a first line of treatment because it is a sedative, I would instead try Tylonel PM as others have suggested, etc., but if you just find that nothing else works, you might ask for this. Caution, however, because this will make you groggy and still sleepy in the morning. I've been told that it goes away after a few weeks, but maybe something like Ambien would be better. Seroquel definently gets the job done however.

Megan

[jasonibs9]

I don't suggest taking any sleeping pills if you don't have to.  that should be a last resort for anyone.  Your brain will figure it out on its own. It could be going through something right now and is adjusting ... Let it do its thing.

[cutebutpsycho]

Hi everyone!
Despite my difficulty with sleeping, my psychiatrist doesn't want me on sleeping pills. I'm inclined to agree with him. If you need something, I would stick with natural stuff--like melatonin or Calms (I think it's Calms and then Calms Forte, am I mistaken?)--and you can get them in the US as well.
I have been on Klonopin for anxiety/sleeplessness and Ativan for the same thing. But I'm going off of Ativan (SLOWLY!) because I've built up a resistance to it for the most part. It doesn't help me sleep anymore and it makes me tired all day, so I'm going to stick with it for occasional anxiety but otherwise I'll be done with it!
People (like my therapist, my mother, and my psychiatrist) all recommend more exercise, sunlight, and waking up earlier to help with sleeping better. But I don't wanna! I suppose I'll do it anyway....
I agree with not taking sleeping pills if you don't have to, but I understand the desire. Not being able to sleep sucks! Make sure you've exhausted all other options first, and definitely talk to a doctor/mental health professional before starting an 'actual' sleeping pill.
Good luck sleeping--as you can tell from my post time (it's after midnight here!) I'm pretty sleepless myself.

cutebutpsycho

[margu]

start with natural remedies like natural calm, which you can get from amazon. it helps me sleep.