Help me sleep!!!

[Sunrise81]

Okay, so I take 50mg of melatonin a night (I started out with 1mg and slowly worked up to this over a year). Well, for the past month, the 50 mg hasn’t done jack shit. It used to work great. Now I’m back to dozing off & on and getting MAYBE, a combined, 2-3 hrs of sleep per night. I tried taking 60mg’s but it didn’t do shit. What other all-natural (that can be found in either like Walmart or a health food store) meds can I use? Is there anything else I can try, like a certain meditation or whatever? I’m so exhausted all the time. I can’t do this much longer. Please help!!! 
 

Thanks y’all!! 

 

[chchtwo]

Okay, so I take 50mg of melatonin a night (I started out with 1mg and slowly worked up to this over a year). Well, for the past month, the 50 mg hasn’t done jack shit. It used to work great. Now I’m back to dozing off & on and getting MAYBE, a combined, 2-3 hrs of sleep per night. I tried taking 60mg’s but it didn’t do shit. What other all-natural (that can be found in either like Walmart or a health food store) meds can I use? Is there anything else I can try, like a certain meditation or whatever? I’m so exhausted all the time. I can’t do this much longer. Please help!!! 
 

Thanks y’all!! 

@Sunrise81 Over the counter, there is Doxylamine Succinate (antihistamine), which is most commonly used nowadays in night time stuff for sleep and with things like Nyquil.  Some bad stuff came out about diphenhydramine (Benadryl-antihistamine), so not good for long term use, but that used to be king.  Melatonin never even registered with me.  Useless, however I do know of many that are helped by taking it.  That chemical that's in Turkey is sold as a supplement (L-tryptophan), but I have no experience with it.  Others are Valerian Root, Passion Flower, and Magnesium. 

I've been through traditional prescription sleep aids, benzos, the works.  They work on getting sleep, but none of them seem like long term solutions and many of them don't necessarily feel like refreshing sleep, or I get addicted and/or tolerance goes through the roof.  I currently take Trazodone for sleep, which is a SARI (antidepressant, but I don't use at antidepressant dosages).  I've used it for years now.  It's the only thing that makes me tired and able go to sleep and wake up feeling like I got good, natural feeling sleep.  There are no tolerance/dependency issues like with benzos and others and it is not a controlled substance.  It is something you have to take every night though.  If you want to quit, you do have to taper off (like SSRI's).  The medicine is only prescsribed to me for sleep, so I get to take a low dosage (easier to taper off).  When I am sleeping really well, I'll start lowering the dosage, so I always stay as close to 0 as possible.  It takes a couple of weeks to get used to, but at first it will just make you feel a little weird.  It's a well known medicine  (it was in the top 25 most prescribed medications a few years ago).  As you can see, I highly recommend it.

Other than that, keeping a similar schedule daily helps.  Create a little ritual before you get in bed (like put a ring up in the bathroom or jewelry box, brush your teeth, take your glasses off) that you do every night.  Then there is the most important one  .  .  .   Exercise!

I've gone through all of these stages to arrive where I am now.  Always searching, medicating, trying different things for at least 20 years.  Melatonin, Benadryl (10 yrs), doxylamine, Ambien, benzos, benzos, benzos, trazodone.  I hope you are succesful in your journey and if I can do anything additionally, just pm me.  I know how you start to feel.  It can get really bad.

Best regards,

chctwo

 

[2earls]

That's what I use - Doxylamine whatever @chchtwo said. Worked great for a long time, but as with most everything drug related, I now often need additional help. I get the Costco brand, I think it's just called "Sleep Aid" Kirkland.

I love to read and that always puts me to sleep. Staying asleep can be difficult if you have any type of dependance, but I refuse to take these expensive ass pks in the middle of the night. You gotta draw your line in the sand somewhere.

 

[Sunrise81]

@chchtwo and @2earls, thank you both sooooo much!! I will definitely give that antihistamine (the other one...not Benadryl) a try! I’m at the point of trying anything cause I’m so tired. 

I’ve also been on sleep aids before. Ambien didn’t do a single thing. Trazadone helped me fall asleep but not stay asleep.

Thank you both again, soooo much!! 
 

Oh. And I did want to ask about the Benadryl thing you mentioned: what did they find out about Benadryl, and what were the long fern use effects that were just found. Thank you!! 

 

[chchtwo]

It was just for long-term use.  It was my answer for 10 years (a little long-term, lol.)

Long-term use of Benadryl often affects mental cognition, especially in the elderly. Confusion, periods of inability to focus or concentrate, and anxiety are some symptoms experienced, as are agitation, moodiness and impatience. Depression and fatigue may also be evident. Some individuals have complained of hallucinations, nightmares and coordination problems.

I never felt anything like that in my usage.  My body just turned on it and it stopped working the way it had for a long time.  I don't believe it unsafe, but to take it for that many years should be a no go.  Also, Benadryl is an important antihistimine that is used for special reactions, but in my case, I get special reactions from taking it, so I kind of eliminated it as a possibility for me.  Maybe the best would be to rotate periodically.  That was tough to type.  I am embarrased to say on this serious subjuct, I have consumed 7g of mushrrooms and this is starting to not work too well.  I really hope this helps and you're great!  I can't read it anymore.  Gonna go do my thing.

best regards,

chctwo

 

[chchtwo]

That's what I use - Doxylamine whatever @chchtwo said. Worked great for a long time, but as with most everything drug related, I now often need additional help. I get the Costco brand, I think it's just called "Sleep Aid" Kirkland.

I love to read and that always puts me to sleep. Staying asleep can be difficult if you have any type of dependance, but I refuse to take these expensive ass pks in the middle of the night. You gotta draw your line in the sand somewhere.

Yes, I really should have put reading in my list.  Good one @2earls .  That has been a go to off and on in my life.  I can't be a "blow you out of the park" book,  Then I get into binge reading.  Just a decent size novel with a story that develops through the book.  Even some non-fiction, something that intrigues you or could help you in lfe.  Those are the best because they arent usually books that you need to read fast.  It makes your brain stay engaged as necessary to appreciate the content.  That's when my eyes start to gives hints of needing to close (the mini driftoffs). 

Anyway, sorry about yesterday.  Bad timing (depending how you look at it).  Like I said before, just hit me up if you have any questions or need additional info.

Cheers,

chctwo

 

[2earls]

Yes, you have to avoid the page turners that keep you up all night, but they are not that easy to find so I won't really mind if the reason I'm kept awake is a great book.

The one I am reading now is a perfect sleep aid. It's terribly boring and fairly long. Since I can't read more than a few pages without falling asleep it's lasting for months. Would actually really look forward to a page turner after this.

@Sunrise81 I don't think the Doxylamine is a antihistamine, as far as I know it's just a sleep aid. Benedryl did used to make me drowsy, but the other stuff is just as effective and way cheaper.

 

[DoomKitty]

Doxylamine is a first-gen antihistamine. Also anticholinergic so will cause all the long-term cognitive problems associated with those.  Seroquel and reading are what i use to get the z's usually.  Also use lights without blue spectrum at night so no stimulation from that.  Got orangeish lights in the bedroom and F.lux on the computer....

 

[Sgrbr420]

Melatonin should not be increased over time, 50mg could potentially mess your sleep cycle up worse.

https://www.healthline.com/health/melatonin-overdose

i would suggest flexerol but long term use has its side effects and scaling that up like you did with melatonin will kill you. 

Relying on anything to sleep everyday is a bad idea.  If you need to do this,  you should switch frequently between drugs to keep tolerance from building to any one thing, or combine a low dose (1-5mg) of melatonin with a low dose of something quick acting.

Being active as much as possible mentally and physically and eating healthy in a regimented fashion everyday is your best long term fix.

Or have kids... you will never be not tired again (lol j/k not really)

 

[2earls]

Aaaaah @DoomKitty so now my cognitive issues are explained! 

No really, this has me thinking because I have been noticing lately that other nasal congestion treatments that used to work well for me are now ineffective. Could it be that I have unknowingly built up immunity from my sleep aid? I have been taking one a night for many years now.

I really need to get out here and post more so I can learn stuff.

 

[2earls]

I'm sure you are right @Sgrbr420, but regimented and I are not close companions. I am working on trying to go to bed at the same time every night, but so far I have been unsuccessful. 

I really posted this just so I could ask if your screen name stands for Sugar bear?

 

[Sgrbr420]

@2earls yes sugar bear

Also important to regiment waking up and eating. In my non expert opinion if you find yourself up till 4am and the alarm is going off at 6am you should get up with the alarm instead of sleeping in, and also dont go to bed early to recover.

Likewise not eating anything 2.5-3 hrs prior to bed can be helpful and watching out for sugars and caffeine after 1pm is another step. 

 

[Sunrise81]

@Sgrbr420, first I just gotta say u saw the first line of the last post (sgrbr’s) and thought you were calling @2earls sugar bear.  

Thanks for the advice on the melatonin. I didn’t take it last night b/c I was thinking about what you said. And even though I still woke up a few times during the night, I’ve slept better than I have in a LONG time and woke up actually rested!! 

About the Benadryl thing...I’ve taken that about the past 6 months, just one each day in the morning cause we have bad allergies here. So I’m gonna slowly stop taking it so I don’t get sick from allergy overload. Lol. 

Thank y’all so much for all the suggestions!! I’m gonna try everything and see which works best.

 

[Sunrise81]

Wanted to add one more thing...I have a kid...who’s autistic (along with others like adhd), so I’m def exhausted from him but his sleep is so whacked cause of him not being able to control his energy or anything really. So, having kids does not always constitute a good nights sleep. It’s usually the opposite.

 

[DoomKitty]

@Sunrise81 Have you tried weighted blankets or compression clothes for your kid?  If you haven't already, they can work wonders for the sleep of lots of people on spectrum.  Weighted blankets especially.   I know heaps of non-spectrum people who use weighted blankets as well to help with sleeps and/or ease RLS that can cause sleeplessness. 

 

[Sunrise81]

@DoomKitty, I’ve been wanting to get my son a weighted blanket but he won’t keep blankets on him, whether he’s asleep or awake. I read somewhere about a weighted vest, but I’m not sure if that’ll be the same as the blanket. Cause the blanket is equivalent to deep-pressure stimulation. Which I already do with a bean bag chair, a body pillow and then just squeezing his arms and legs. But yes, I do agree it helps...when it’s used. Used being the key word which rules out my kid. Lol. Thank you for the info! 

 

[DoomKitty]

@Sunrise81 Weighted vests are amazing but would be heaps uncomfortable to sleep in.  At least the one i have is.  I love weight on my upper half but not my lower so i use a small weighted blanket over my torso.  My fave thing to use though is a life sized stuffed squid (8ft from top of head to longest tentacle) I made.  The body of the squid is filled with plastic pellets which is what a lot of weighted blankets get their weight from.  So its perfect in that the weight is just on my torso if i lay it on top of me, plus its something to hold/squeeze which is helpful, plus its easy to push off and on as needed which is waaaaay better at times than a blanket.  Bonus points for being a cephalopod.  Jettproof sells a different sort of compression sheet thingie for sleeping but i haven't tried it.  Sadly SO MUCH stuff thats good for people with sensory issues is sooooo expensive.  Anyways, take care and good luck with everyones sleep in your house!