Sleeping tablets
 

Does anyone on here use sleeping tablets? My sleep is so staggered at the moment, and I can't get to sleep unless I'm literally too exhausted to keep my eyes open, even if I am feeling quite tired or yawning - it just doesn't happen! Just wanted to get your view on whether sleeping tablets are worth the money as I really need to get some sort of sleeping pattern back!

My mum has been on them for years. She doesn't seem to be able to get to sleep until 2am every morning. I can't remember what she was like when she first started taking them :)

Ah my sleep is constantly turned the wrong way around. Quite often I'll find that it's 6/7am in the morning and I haven't actually been to sleep yet, but by then it's too late to try and squeeze in a tiny bit of sleep as I usually have uni at 9am. I've just got home from uni in the past half an hour but all I want to do now is sleep. If I put it off until tonight I'd be up all night again, I can see it already! Oh well, no uni until next Tuesday now!

I have a terrible sleeping pattern, sometimes I go to sleep after 5am and I have to get back up at about 8/9am.

I wouldn't ever take sleeping tablets though, I wouldn't want to end up addicted or dependent on anything like that so I just accept I'm a night owl and deal with it :laugh:

Are you taking medication to help weight loss? Some of the diet stuff they make is basically amphetamines - which will naturally mess up your sleep.

I think I must be the same :hugesmile I literally come alive at night, I think that's why I enjoy clubbing etc so much because I get a boost of energy before I've even started drinking, no matter how tired I am.

I used to self medicate haha, for the past year I've had awful insomnia but don't want to take anything for it, I got some stuff from holland and barret but haven't taken any. It's getting better slowly.

Nope, has all been natural! I think it's just my addiction to Netflix and inability to stop watching something mid-way through a series :hugesmile: Deep down I'm probably really tired, just in denial so that I can carry on watching :sleep:

You could try herbal tablets. They're not dangerous.

Yep I'd agree with Vanessa, herbal tablets are fine but I wouldn't take anything else personally and I am a terrible insomniac. It's finding ways to switch off that needs to be the focus, but it's easier said than done I know :(

- that's given me an idea for a thread tho! - :pipe:

I have sleeping tablets, but I take them very sparingly. I go through patches of not being able to get to sleep and I'll eventually have one because I'm exhausted. I might not take another for months. The doc prescribed me 28 about this time last year, and I still have about 20 left in the pack. I like to have them though just in case, and I'm never tempted to kick the arse out of them.

..Lewis, have you tried any relaxation techniques/rather than thinking about medication..?...

I get to sleep ok but after about 3 to 4 hours im wide awake and cant get back. Years ago when I was camping my friend gave me 3 sleeping tablets said they were a low dose and id need 3. Jeez I could barely get up to go to the loo and had a fuzzy head the entire weekend. Not good and I don't sleep well @ all but wouldn't take them again u less im desparate.

I've taken tamazepam and zopiclone in the past, wouldn't recommend either. Don't have a problem these days though thankfully. I do feel for people with insomnia, it is horrific

If I have been on the sauce for a week and I am having my first night off I hit the Night Nurse or I cant sleep but after that I find that no caffeine and 1 hour of vigorous exercise and a 1 dog walk plus getting up at 6am will guarantee you a good sleep.

And they are sh!t.

Yeah I take proper sleeping tablets because my insomnia is insane...Wont tell you what brand as im not into promoting drug use lol.

My sleep is quite dodgy, sometimes I cant sleep for days. Its got better in the past few years though, but generally if I'm not asleep by about 5am I just take a couple of codeine..which tends to knock me out. Cant do that really at the moment though as I dont particularly like medicating myself when I am pregnant, despite midwives telling me codeine is safe

You have to ask yourself

What exercise are you taking
What is your caffeine intake
What time do you get up

If you are getting up at 12 , doing f all and drinking coffee and coca cola past 9pm then you only have yourself to blame

Training soldiers rarely have sleep problems, just like they rarely have weight problems...

So he needs to join the army LT, is that what you're saying? :think:

Oh I don't think I could, knowing how ****ing clumsy and dopey I can be, I'd overdose myself.

I think I am. I hear they are recruiting in Russia right now.

:joker:

I've heard that it's easy to become somewhat dependent on sleeping tablets. And it's probably best to avoid them.

Maybe try other things to get your sleep pattern on track, like cutting out teas and coffees, consuming less sugar plus cutting out drugs if you take them while clubbing.

Try going to bed at the same time, also reading is a great way to tire out your mind, it could even be something as simple as watching the stuff on tv or laptop that's keeping you energized. So maybe view the programs you want in the evening and forego looking at shows when it gets too late.

yes looking at screens is not conducive to sleep, a book however is

For someone with insomnia this just makes me think insomnia can start controlling your life even more if you have to schedule your sleep and abide by certain rules.

It does. I attended counselling (had my last ever session yesterday!) and one of the things we worked on was my problems with falling asleep. I have a time that I set an alarm for every day and I force myself to get up then regardless of how little sleep I've had. Eventually, you reset your body clock and you start becoming exhausted earlier because you're getting up so early and going all day. Also made an effort to cut out caffeine (i.e. fizzy drinks, rarely eat chocolate or drink coffee/tea) and making sure that when I get into bed, I am going there to sleep; not look at my phone or read a book or think about my problems - I do all that before I get into my bed and then just go there with an empty mind. It's worked wonders for me. Insomnia was ruining my life.

This is my biggest problem! If I haven't got anything planned I'll spend most of the evening in my room, lying in bed and writing essays/watching netflix (mostly the later :hugesmile:). The main use for my bed isn't for sleeping anymore and that's usually why I find it so easy to slip into the early hours of the morning without realising.

Try Sominex from any chemist Half a tablet only or you'll feel lousy the next day. They are anti-histamine basically, of the drowsy kind and non addictive. I got the tip from a woman who worked for BA on long haul flights. She said Melatonin is the best thing but we can't buy it over the counter like they can in the USA.

can u just ask for them?

Try ASMR, It's like a sleeping tablet, but free and more tingly and awesome.
(Google it)

try going for a run

Melatonin isn't really supposed to be for anyone under pensioner age though. I tried them and all I felt was laying there for 2 hours, fell asleep for 20 minutes and woke up with a hangover off them.

Im sorry but natural stuff just don't work on most people.

Gimme the valium anyday.

Yes they're on sale as a sleep aid.

Melatonin is used to counter jet lag and used by adults of all ages.. My 6 year old niece who is severely disabled and blind is prescribed them for sleep as she's not aware of darkness , so her natural melatonin doesn't kick in. I agree for severe sleep disorder drugs work best. Short term and to establish a sleep pattern yes. Been down that route, Temazepam, Valium etc. in the past but they are hell to get off if you become addicted as I did. They were doled out by Doctors like Smarties at one time. If I can't sleep I never get up, never put the light on and don't look at the clock.

If you're going to use sleeping tablets only use them for a short while just to 'reset' your sleeping pattern if you know what I mean. Like use them for a few nights to get to sleep around the time you want to be a sleep and then try to hold off on them. Like others have said, you don't wanna be dependent on the things.

You're probably better off doing that first and try improving your sleep hygiene at the same time. That basically means no caffeinated drinks, napping, etc.

Oh I agree with you 100% about the docs handing them out like smarties they used to give me like 56 zopiclone a month and that went on for 2 years when the recommended time is a one of 2 week prescription.

They create addicts, come to think of it we show sew lol coming off them is not a good feeling.

:joker: It took me many months at a time to get off many addictive drugs I was prescribed. Slowly was the only way not to go nuts all over again! I had a horrible breakdown and ended up in a Psychiatric Hospital many years ago. They did everything bar plugging me into the mains. Eventually a suitable chemical clog combination got me out of there but they were all highly addictive. The new anti-depressants thank goodness are nowhere near as hard to get off as the old nasties.Not hard at all really. I would go down that route rather than use sleeping tablets for any long period of time. Is anyone allowed to nowadays? They do generally get sleep sorted out. I do enjoy being a fruit loop! :dance:

i never sleep im like a vampire lol. never took sleeping tablets i should try them but i dont agree with tablets and drugs but i probably should