Looking for Sleep Medication Options

I have had the same problem. Have you ever tried melatonin? It's in the supplement section and is a bit gentler than pharmaceuticals. Works like a charm for me. It seems as though when people try it, it either really works well or doesn't work at all. Good luck!

I take an Advil PM. If it's been awhile since I slept, I take 2-then I wake up after a really good nights sleep. For the next couple of nights I take 1 and then my body seems to be back on track and I don't have to take anything ... until it starts again! It isn't addictive and it works great for me without making me groggy in the morning.

Good luck!
C.

Your body does get programmed to wake up, I think that is the hardest thing when everyone starts sleeping well! :)
Go get Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime tea that contains Valarian. It is naturaly. Sip it close to bedtime.
Can I say too this may sound weird but I fall asleep fast too but if I get up to use the bathroom I cannot fall back to sleep as easy, toss and turn and watch the clock go by. I went to bath and body and got some lotion for sleeping, has lavendar and chamomille in it. It is for sleep. It is AWESOME. I put it on my arms and around by my neck area. Since doing both of these things I sleep like a dream and am still coherant if I have to wake up with a child or something and can go back to sleep fine.

The big thing is if you have to wake up do not turn hardly any light on. I realize to take blood sugar you may have to see well but keep the light low and dimmer then normal. Exposure to light will give your body an indicator it is time to wake up so makes it twice as hard to go back to sleep. I sent some of the lotion to my ex mother in law and she said it helps her relax and sleep better at night so I guess aromatherapy works! :)

Try these two things then if that doesn't help see your Dr.
When I was going through a messy divorce I was restless, waking several times, stressed and the Dr did give me Ambien. It had no ill effects on me personally, however if I did wake from sleep it was not easy to go back to sleep easy. It basically helped me stay asleep all night though and feel rested in the morning, if I did wake up I wasn't all foggy or disoriented. I slept all night long and it was nice but for some people it has bizarre reactions.

I have used Tylenol PM before too, which is basically tylenol and benadryl combined, both of which wear off during the night.

Hi J.,

I like to use a product called Calms Forte by Hylands. It is a homeopathic and therefore non habit forming. I like to take it when my brain just won't shut off for the night and it works like a charm.
Good Luck!
M.E.

J.,
I've trusted Melatonin for a number of years to help me relax. It's a natural "sleep aid" so to speak. Anyway, I'd give that a try if I were you. Blessings, L.

1/2 a tylenol pm works well for me. Also, benadryl- I have to take 2. 1 chlor-trimeton. 1 sudifed/actifed. I would only take one of these/night, sometimes in combination with the tylenol pm. I'm pregnant with our 4th right now, so my nose is stuffed up too- these are the only things that get me sleeping through the night and mostly staying asleep. I wear ear plugs too, but that may not be an option with your 22 month old.

Hang in there! HTH!

My grandma was told by her doctor to take benadryl as a sleep aid. I tried it , and it works fantastically (as you have learned). I take just one pill, because two makes me feel like I can't wake up the next day. I just take it occasionally, so you should ask your doctor about taking it nightly.

Maybe a better long term solution is to try accupuncture. When I had a bought of insomnia, I did accupuncture and it was resolved almost immediately. I think it was only one treatment, maybe two at the max. Good luck!

I'm a true insomniac--so I have tried EVERYTHING...anyway I wouldn't do the benadryl every night or it will quit being affective for your allergies--your body will build up a resistance to it.
I echo the celestial seasonings sleepy time tea, it's fantastic and helps a lot. also try melatonin it is Over the counter and not very expensive and works for lots of my fellow sleep deprived friends. for a while a calcium supplement and a melatonin at night before bed worked for me.
melatonin helps naturally reset your sleep chemicals.
my body just doesn't make them.
I hallucinated on ambian--but lots of people love it. My dh thought it was feakily funny watching me run from creatures he couldn't see but we got me off that and now he just laughs about the turtle on the ceiling...
I'm on a prescription now--(no relation to ambian lol) try some of these other remedies first though then go to the doc, but like I said I wouldn't do the benadryl consistently. Tylonol PM with the tea for a couple of nights might be a good idea but the tylenol pm knocks some people out where they don't wake up...
hope this helps.

chammomile tea is also great, and spraying a light lavender scent on your pillow also helps induce relaxation and sleep.

Oh, I hear you! When my four (within 5-1/2 years) really all slept at last, I had the chance to sleep, too. I remember that what really surprised me was how tired I had been! I had just pushed through the day and not recognized the fatigue. Sleeping with (almost) no interruption was heavenly!

But it took me a while. And I'm the kind of person whose worries wake me up in the night, too. Why shouldn't they? I was up, anyhow! Actually, major worries still do. That means I have to deal with those worries during the daytime; I can't ignore them or, like the proverbial ghost, they'll come back to haunt me at night. Well, that's good for me.

I dare say you're getting plenty of exercise during the day! So I suggest that you keep track of what you're eating and drinking in the evenings. Have a good, healthy supper, but if you're having coffee, soft drinks, or anything stimulating, try cutting them out for a while. If you're a big snacker at night, try cutting back on that, too. A too-full tummy, like an empty one, is a sleep distraction. Some people do find a small glass of milk or a bit of string cheese a good thing to have just before bedtime. All this tracking is a non-medicated way to find out what might help your body rest.

Valerian is a long-standing herbal sleep aid that you can find in the vitamin section. It doesn't knock you out, but it helps you relax, and it isn't habit-forming. I think the capsule smells nasty so I pop it in my mouth fast and wash it down with water. Sometimes that gives me just the little bit of help I still need to sleep.

I have that problem as well--especially when pregnant (as I currently am!). Anyway, WishGarden Herbs makes a product called sleepy nights. They make a version for pregnant women as well that has been really helpful for me. It is a mix of herbs. It helps me fall asleep quickly, and fall back to sleep quickly as well if I have to be up in the night. My husband takes Ambien sometimes, and it really means if he needs to wake up before 3 for something, he can't. So, with young kids, I wouldn't recommend that unless DH is willing to take over the kiddos at night. Anyway, my midwife told me the sleep nights is safe to take on a regular basis while pregnant, and so I would assume it is fine when not pregnant as well.

Good luck, and enjoy catching up on sleep (I wish I could, lol)!

http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/conditionsitoq/a/Insomnia...

Hi J. - I'm right there with you girl! Here's an article I looked at just the other day about natural sleep aids and the pros and cons of each. Right now I am taking a calcium/magnesium supplement before bed and that has worked wonders to help me sleep all night, well almost all night. I cant actually remember a night in the past few years that I stayed asleep from beginning to end. I dont have any problem falling asleep but staying asleep after 4 or 5 hours is a challenge. What I had to re-train myself to do was to go back to sleep after waking up. I figured if I could teach my kids how do it, I could try to find some strategies that work for me.

I find that if I say a little prayer it helps me go back to sleep. I've journaled a couple of times when I was really bothered. Basically, if you wake up and your mind is busy, help yourself by working through those thoughts and setting them aside so you can go back to sleep.

You might also ask your husband to take "point" on listening for your child who has diabetes a few nights a week. I know he's a hard sleeper but there's a reason for that - he hasnt had to worry about anything but sleeping. Sometimes we just have to be able to turn off our "mommy radar" in order to relax enough to sleep.

Experiment with strategies that work for you and they will become more and more automatic - next thing you know you just might be sleeping better than your babies!

I had the same problem after I had my kids. I've had sleep issues for years but it was especially bad after I had kids. I can't take sleep aids as they affect my legs (I have restless leg syndrome) so I turned to natural remedies. I use Melatonin most nights, it really does help you FALL asleep if that is the problem. If I wake up repeatedly during the night I take Deep Sleep, a natural sleep aid you can buy at Vitamin Cottage, maybe some of the other places as well (Whole Foods, Sunflower Market). I take both of them if I am really struggling. The Deep Sleep is pretty pricey but it is really worth trying if you are having problems. Hope you can get some sleep!

Hi J.,
You are so young, do you really want to be on meds for the rest of your life? You are right about your body being used to waking in the middle of the night and if you have done this for more than 5 years it will take a while to adjust again! I reccomend exersize, walk with your little ones, put two in the stroller and one in a baby carrier while the 5 year old is at school, walk at least two miles. Or join a gym, 24 hr fitness has a deal where you get unlimited child care for $15 a month! Exersize hard so you are nice and tired! And try to have your own quiet time after the kids go to bed, no TV or deep books. Maybe a bath too. Remember, it is good for your kids for their mom to take care of herself, don't run yourself ragged, that does no one any good! This is a marathon!

I had the same problem after my kids started sleeping regularly through the night. I tried taking all kinds of medications but they only left me feeling really groggy in the morning. I don't know if this will work for you because your husband sleeps so deeply, but what I did was have my husband take over during the night just in case anyone woke up and I bought some earplugs. That way I knew that I could sleep and not worry about listening for my kids. It helped me more than anything.

I had a period like that. I got a travel size of Tylenol PM. By the time it was gone, I was back in the habit of sleeping all night again. If only the baby wanted to do that. When she's sick, Tylenol does it for her, but I'm not about to medicate her just for sleep. I liked the Tylenol PM because it's only Tylenol and Benadryl, so it wasn't habit forming or anything. My back hurts enough at the end of the day that the pain relief was a welcome side effect. GL! Hope you get some good sleep soon!

i just want to second the use of "Melatonin", "Calms Forte" by Hyland's, and one other called "Insomnia" also by Hyland's. these are all OTC and available at any specialty health food store. i am blessed to not have a sleep problem but on occasion i need a little help so i use one of these for a few nights while my body gets reprogrammed and it always helps. i do not like prescription medication so the fact that all three are natural or homeopathic and not addictive is comforting to me. the "Insomnia" comes in a - dissolve under your tongue - form which is great since i actually discovered this as a result of advice from my pediatrician. my 4 year old is not the best sleeper so when we go on vacation he recommended using this or the "Melatonin" since they are safe for children. be sure to take 15-20 minutes before you are ready for bed since if you take one then keep going i.e. picking up toys, doing dishes, etc. your body will stop trying to relax and kick into go mode again.

Good luck and happy sleeping!

Don't take the allergy meds every night - it definitely wouldn't be good for you. You should talk with your doctor - a variety of things could potentially be up with you. Thyroid issues can cause some of that stuff. You should also try taking the same measures as you do for your kids :) Take a nice bath, read a book, establish some sort of routine. Moms never take care of themselves enough. It's important to do that.

-use your bed ONLY for sleep/sex
-exercise in the morning or early afternoon (yoga or even turning on the radio and wildly dancing to a bunch of songs with your kids.
-try to accomplish one goal per day. (depression is a big sleep stealer, but if you meet a goal, you'll feel better. This can be cleaning one room or spending quality time with a specific child or carving out some cuddle time with your husband. anything to make you feel good.)
-a cup of (herbal) chamomile tea or warm milk just before bedtime

Most importantly:
-once your head hits the pillow...ONLY THINK ABOUT HOW SOFT AND COMFY YOUR PILLOW IS....if you drift away onto other things, force your mind to come back to your pillow. Your pillow is the only thing you can think about. It doesn't matter how often you drift, just come back to your soft pillow fast, every time. This will become a habit and you'll sleep better and better.

The average time for falling asleep is 7 minutes.

They say if you're not asleep after 20, to get up and do something for an hour and then try again. that doesn't work for me though.

If you do get some meds from a doctor, be wary - migraines are common side effects of prescription sleep aids.

I, too, have had chronic insomnia since I started having kids. I think I did before, but it was worse after I started getting up so much for them. My doctor prescribed ambien. I took it every night for 2 weeks straight, to get my body back on schedule. Now I just take it if I find myself not sleeping well, and then only for a night or two. It's not addictive, but it's not something you want to take every night.

My husband could also sleep through any sort of noise. But somehow, on those nights when I took the sleep aid, he told me (and himelf) that he would get up with the kids if they needed it. And he did. I think sometimes we just kind of program our brains to be heavy or light sleepers. So maybe that would work for you and your hubby?

Anyway, I'd talk to the doctor about getting some kind of sleep aid. It's not healthy for you to be sleep deprived, and interrupted sleep is as bad as lack of sleep. It's going to lower your immune system, make you grumpy and short tempered. It can contribute to other problems too. Your kids need a mom who's healthy and alert. So it's not just for you, its for them.

Hello there! I have a lot of suggestions to try that don't have side effects.

There are a lot of CDs that help promote sleep - they have them for children too, and I can tell you some of those even help adults. My husband often times falls asleep to our 3yo's sleepy time CD. You can find those here:
http://www.bellygifts.com/CDs-s/77.htm

Steven Halpern is a great CD to buy to promote sleep.

There are several teas that can help as well, to name just a few...
Yogi Tea Bedtime Tea, Natural Sleep Aid
Yogi Rest & Relax Tea
Chamomile tea

Aromatherapy:
Relax Wellness Oil or scent inhaler - this can be found here: http://www.herbalremedies.com/relax-oil.html
http://www.herbalremedies.com/scent-inhaler-insomnia.html

Lavender & chamomile is a great aromatherapy scent for sleep as well - you can use this in a number of ways.

You can get a diffuser, you can get oils (read instructions) and apply them to certain areas of your body, you can spray your pillow.

Homeopathy:
I highly recommend Calmplex 2000. You can find this here: http://usa.makelifebetter.com/ -- click on Products, and then Online catalog, and then click Homeopathic.

Also, look at the foods you're eating before you go to bed. There are some "super-foods" to help you sleep well at night.

Accupuncture.
NAET (many chiropractor's practice this technique and it does wonders to many ailments!)

Make your room a place of sleep. If you have a TV in there, take it out. What about calming colors? A candle to promote sleep? Incense?

Hope that helps you! Just remember, that it is all about conditioning yourself. :)

I have a very restless mind and sometimes toss and turn for hours before falling asleep. I LOVE melatonin. It helps me relax and shut off all the rambling in my head without feeling drugged out. Good Luck!

I used to feel your pain and sometimes still do, but it is definitely much better. I self-diagnosed myself as having anticipatory arousal (like drs and firefighters on call have). It sounds much more fun than it is! Anyway, it is like you will yourself to a higher state of consciousness so you can hear if someone needs you. Even as my kids got older, I could not stop the busy-headedness - everything from stupid songs, making lists, to worry. Many nights I felt like I never even slept. It got to the point where I dreaded going to bed.

I tried the prescription drugs and did not like how I felt on them. Tylenol PM was OK for a bit. Also, I still sometimes use a natural formula from a health food store (calcium and magnesium, melatonin, and other things are good to enhance sleep) as well as lavender scent.

Believe it or not, what helped me the most was a magnetic sleep system (rubberthane, magnetics, infrared for temp control)from Nikken. I knew I was sleeping better when people were talking about a horrible wind storm and my husband and I were clueless. I also found I was better rested even with fewer hours of sleep because I was getting into the REM cycles easier - even started dreaming and remembering my dreams again. I found it also helped with my arthritis which also contributed to not being able to sleep soundly, plus my husband doesn't snore (or at least I don't notice it). I can email you additional info on these technologies along with research studies if you are interested. Best of all, no drugs are involved.

White noise is also important to my sleep too. I have a great HEPA air unit that gives off negative ions.

Also, get the electromagnetic fields out of your bedroom. No TVs, cordless phones, alarm clocks, computers, etc. These are known to disrupt your sleep patterns. A dark room is best for your health too.

Know there is hope. I'd encourage you to try a variety of natural solutions before you go for the drugs. There are lots of tips on the internet including steps to take prior to bed (like not being on the computer like I am) to maintain regular sleep habits.

Let me know if I can share any additional info to help you.
Take care,
S.

I have sleep issues too. My doctor told me it's ok (safe) to take Benadryl every night but it will begin to lose its effectiveness over time. Your body will adjust and it won't make you tired anymore. Until then you may as well use it because it is the safest thing you can take for sleep. Who knows how long it will take your body and sometimes just the placebo effect works! I've tried everything under the sun from herbs, melatonin, OTC meds and every prescription med out there. Literally. The prescription that works for me is Klonopin. It sounds like your problem may not be as severe as mine but if you end up needing a prescription you might want to try it. I only take 1/4-1/2 mg per night and it works like a charm. I don't need it every night. It depends on what's going on and how tired I am. Not sleeping really affects everything so my advice is take what you need to. Unless there's a neurological problem (unlikely) it's a phase. There's a LOT going on with 4 kids I know!

Hi! I feel for you! You really need to see what I have found. It is a nutritional product that helps your body do what it is supposed to. The same products that help folks sleep could also help your daughter's diabetes! One of our glucose help products is about to be written up in the medical journals as incredibly effective. You REALLY deserve to hear about this!
Let me know if you are interrested....
J.

I'm a huge all natural herb person. I take a Herbalife supplement called "Sleep Now". It has the herbs Valerian and Lavender in it. It's safe and it helps me sleep really well without being zonked out. I'm able to wake up in the middle of the night if I need and go right back to sleep easily. If you want to check it out, I have a website www.shopherbalife.com/O.

say hello to my little friend......(ambien is awesome!!!!!!) of course its through prescription but it can help your body train how to sleep again. 1/2 of a pill does me in but lets me be able to function "if needed" I didnt want anything that would totally leave me out of control with 2 babes and a diabetic husband i feel that i need to be in control at all times incase something goes awry. Oh i love ambien.......

My doctor told me to go to a health food store and get Melatonin. Your brain actually makes melatonin. The production is actually greater when you are young and that is why kids sleep so well. He told me that 3-6 mg would help me sleep through the night but not be groggy in the morning. You said that you can get melatonin at WalMart, but they tend to buy in bulk and leave the vitamins on the shelf for a long time. You could actually go and get your hormones checked and progesterone helps you sleep at night.
My daughter and I both take bio-identical progesterone and it helps sleep also. Different meds work different for everyone but I hope you get some sleep.