How bad is it getting addicted to sleeping pills?

[johno]

Get caffeine and sugar out of your diet, and wonders can happen.

GTFO with your crazytalk!!!

[Thud]

Terry B. brings up a good point. Get caffeine and sugar out of your diet, and wonders can happen.

That's like cutting off your pecker to cure an STD.

[Pinky]

I lay down and generally turn out the lights.

This is also a good idea.

Thud, when you say you "hate" going to sleep, it doesn't sound like you can't go to sleep as much as you don't want to or have trouble getting to bed. Have you tried structuring your evenings so that you have time to wind down a little before going to bed at a decent hour? This is something that I have trouble with (I try to do too much in the evenings), but it works when I do it.

Sonata also works well if all else fails. One of the nice things about it is that it's out of your system in about 2 hours. Unlike Ambien, if you're awaken at 4 am and can't go back to sleep, you can take Sonata and be fine at 7.

[Thud]

Thud, when you say you "hate" going to sleep, it doesn't sound like you can't go to sleep as much as you don't want to or have trouble getting to bed. Have you tried structuring your evenings so that you have time to wind down a little before going to bed at a decent hour? This is something that I have trouble with (I try to do too much in the evenings), but it works when I do it.

It's both. What happens is I get so tired after dinner that I fight off dozing in my reading chair or while tucking in my son, such that I either get in a 5 min power nap or just get a second wind, so that come 11-12 when I'd like to be crashing I'm UP and surfing, listening to music, doing shit I like to do and don't want to lay around with the lights out.

What I find is that with a Tylenol/Advil PM it extends the tiredness window, and it's harder to keep going into the wee hours, as is my wont.

I should also add that on those nights that I actually let myself crash at 9-10 pm it often turns into a 3 hour nap and I'm up at midnight.

[Kazuya Mishima]

What time do you get up?

[Holland Oates]

Weird.


Sounds mental. Get a sleep mask, a white noise generator, and get off the computer by 8.

The sleep mask helped to keep me from looking at the clock. I wake up for a minute, roll over, and lay there until I go back to sleep.

The white noise generator helps to keep the random noises throughout the day/night from startling me awake.

And these fucking phones and computer monitors have been shown to stimulate you more than relax. Try reading a fiction book or something by Seaahill

Sounds to me that you need to train your body to go back to sleep after waking up in the middle of the night. I dealt with this years ago. I just forced myself to lay there and relax. Eventually I'd doze off.

Good luck.

[Mickey O'neil]

Terry B. brings up a good point. Get caffeine and sugar out of your diet, and wonders can happen.

Have you done this, Kaz?

[kreator]

Something that's worked well for me for a long time is training and eating my largest meal at night. Given my job and location in NYC it's the one that makes the most sense.

I wake up around 8, at work by 9. Possible lunch swim workout. Leave work by 530, train any time between 7 and 11 depending on what's going on. Shower, eat around midnight, and asleep by 1am. Being at a computer right before I close my eyes has never bothered me.

I used to take ZMA with Valerian Root which I thought helped me sleep, but I stopped taking it and am sleeping even better. I have never had an issue sleeping with this schedule. The combined effect of being tired after training + huge insulin spike from big meal + consistency in sleep time makes me fall asleep within seconds, really.

The only thing that messes with my sleep is alcohol, if I have more than 2 drinks in a row.

[Holland Oates]

. . . The only thing that messes with my sleep is alcohol, if I have more than 2 drinks in a row.

Same here.

I've worked nights, days, evenings, and on call 24/7 over the last 15 or 16 years. My on call work schedule is work off a minimum of 10 hours and back on duty at 11 1/2 hours maybe 30 hours later with no set on or off duty time so I made my sleep a priority. I may miss a little family time but if I come in and I'm tired and grumpy I go to bed early. Hell I had to get up at 0330 to drive to Texas for my games last weekend so when I got in from work I ate dinner, got my shit together, and went to bed a little before 6.

Right now I get up around 0430 for work. I don't like to eat breakfast so I drink 24 to 32 ounces of coffee, maybe some a protein shake, a modest high protein lunch, and like kreator I eat a big dinner with lots of everything and crash. I limit my sugar and caffeine after 2 pm and I go to sleep a lot faster if I leave my fucking phone alone when I lay down. Gawddamn Angry Birds.

Sleeping pills make feel groggy all day the next day but my metabolism is fucked up. Benadryl makes me want to jump out of my own skin.

[Kazuya Mishima]

Terry B. brings up a good point. Get caffeine and sugar out of your diet, and wonders can happen.

Have you done this, Kaz?

Yes, and the effect is remarkable. I observe an increase in the ability to fall asleep in a relatively short time, as well as the perceived quality of sleep.

[Mickey O'neil]

Terry B. brings up a good point. Get caffeine and sugar out of your diet, and wonders can happen.

Have you done this, Kaz?

Yes, and the effect is remarkable. I observe an increase in the ability to fall asleep in a relatively short time, as well as the perceived quality of sleep.

Any increase in energy after the initial withdrawal? I have thought about this for a while, and actually tried it once, but never was able to give up caffeine. I would like to try it again, hopefully successfully this time. I heard the benefits are worth it.

[Blaidd Drwg]

I've done both. The results were disappointingly subtle with zero change to my sleeping patterns. Dropping booze helped quite a bit but those who sleep is effected by coffee in the AM probably don't have an actual sleep issue.

[Kazuya Mishima]

Terry B. brings up a good point. Get caffeine and sugar out of your diet, and wonders can happen.

Have you done this, Kaz?

Yes, and the effect is remarkable. I observe an increase in the ability to fall asleep in a relatively short time, as well as the perceived quality of sleep.

Any increase in energy after the initial withdrawal? I have thought about this for a while, and actually tried it once, but never was able to give up caffeine. I would like to try it again, hopefully successfully this time. I heard the benefits are worth it.

Energy not so much. For me, the bigger payoff is less nervousness and better moods.

[Thatcher II]

Cut out all fluids 3 hours before you want to sleep. Drinking water stimulates production of distoxil which tells your brain to stay alert. If you're thirsty drink your own piss at room temperature.

[seeahill]

Cut out all fluids 3 hours before you want to sleep. Drinking water stimulates production of distoxil which tells your brain to stay alert. If you're thirsty drink your own piss at room temperature.

And then go shit in your hat.

[T200]

The only problem with addiction is running short of supply. But that is a TERRIBLE problem when it arises.