Insomnia

[ReineSaranna]

Hi Everyone,

I have always had bad anxiety issues. Insomnia is a big issue for me. I guess I average at most 3 hours of sleep per night and it finally got to be too much because I am currently working crazy hours (I won't always have this many hours but I will for about another month). Anyway, the doctor gave me Restoril for sleep. I know therapy is better, but I can't do that until my crazy work schedule ends. Anyway.. I take the restoril and still don't fall asleep for hours. However, I am groggy the next day... In the past I've taken ambien and it knocked me out, but it makes me depressed. Is there a better med I could ask to try for sleep? I know some people are on antidepressants for sleep. Are there others for sleep besides trazadone? I've tried that and it didn't help me sleep either. Kind of like the Restoril, it makes me groggy but doesn't actually help me fall asleep. Any suggestions?

[scared&worried]

Hi there. From my own personal experiences, sleeping pills have done more harm then good. Most of them make me feel depressed or groggy the next day. Up until a few weeks ago, I was having so much trouble sleeping. I would be awake for 24-72 hours. Well for the past few weeks I have been getting 8 hours of sleep each night. I haven't been taking any sleeping pills. I have been getting regular exercise (even if it's only 20 minutes a day), and I have been doing progressive muscle relaxation exercises before bed time (many examples on youtube). My sleep issues are over. Give it a try if you haven't already! Good luck!

[MainerMikeBrown]

Reine, being assertive with your doctor can be key if the medication you've been prescribed isn't working out. It can be hard for many to be assertive with a doctor. But you both have to work as a team when it comes to finding the right pills for you. If you're not getting what you need from your doctor, you must tell him/her this, because you have the right to have a big say when working with a doctor.

[MainerMikeBrown]

For years, I usually wouldn't get to sleep until two hours or so after going to bed. However, when I got on meds, that was no longer a problem, even though I was on meds at the time that failed to calm me down.