Insomnia

[CLARENCE 2015!]

I've had an issue with this since I retired... I can always fall asleep when I am tired- but it takes me forever to be truly ready to hit the sack! And I can't rise after 7am...years of Reveille left their mark
I'm reluctant to take Ambien as I don't want to get hooked....any one have some tips?

[Adam Griffin]

Cannabis - perhaps in a baked or oil-based form if you are not amenable to smoking. Ambien is downright awful - I've heard so many bad stories about it in addition to having a friend who used it for a period of time. He would send out dirty texts in the middle of the night to other people and one night, ending up walking out in the backyard and just chilling on the patio. Of course, he never had any recollection of these events.

If you have any sort of underlying heart condition, though, then cannabis may not be the best thing, either. Really the only risk of using cannabis in the short-term is an elevated heart rate and temporary palpitations for the hour or so preceding use, which could exacerbate an existing cardiac issue.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Cannabis? Seriously lol you kids and your drugs...

I've had insomnia on and off for nearly 20 years, considering I'm not yet 30, it's been a big part of my life. What works for me is to actually get up. Lingering in bed getting irritated guarantees you're not going to sleep. I used to take sleeping pills... they worked, but I hated feeling so groggy in the morning.

* don't stay in bed
* drink warm milk and eat peanut butter with it, the mix produces tryptophan ...
* well... there is physiological way to relax, but yeah...

[Sbane]

Cannabis? Seriously lol you kids and your drugs.

Just wondering...have you ever tried it? If you haven't, how would you know? Also, is Ambien not a drug?

Ambien will be more effective than cannabis, but with more side effects such as grogginess and more importantly sleep walking (and sleep driving in some cases which is scary). Cannabis in its oral formulation is going to be even more effective at inducing sleep but it's not a wonder drug. And if Clarence has a heart condition, he probably should not take it.

[Simfan34]

Nonsense advice.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I abuse melatonin. I didn't want to start on ambient because I have heard bad stories, and melatonin does well enough, even if it's effects can be placebo.

[Sbane]

Melatonin works best when your sleep cycle is messed up, thus leading to insomnia. If you go to bed at the same time every night, but can't fall asleep, it probably won't work since low melatonin levels is likely not the problem.

Nonsense advice.

And what is this based on? Just pulled it straight out your ass?

This is what I was basing my comments on.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7028792?dopt=Abstract

And as the study shows, it is actually CBD, as opposed to THC which gives Marijuana its hypnotic properties. Perhaps if we had rational laws regarding Marijuana, Clarence could get a CBD capsule and maybe it could work for him without the other effects caused by THC.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I hadn't thought of that. My schedule is all over the place - class beginning at 8am on Monday/Wednesday and 1:30pm on Tuesday/Thursday.

[Sbane]

Do you drink any caffeinated beverages in the afternoon or evening? I would definitely cut that out. Alcohol can ruin your sleep as well, but usually the second half of it. Also, don't exercise before going to bed and maybe try and read a book as opposed to watching the TV or being on your computer before you go to bed.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Do you drink any caffeinated beverages in the afternoon or evening? I would definitely cut that out. Alcohol can ruin your sleep as well, but usually the second half of it. Also, don't exercise before going to bed and maybe try and read a book as opposed to watching the TV or being on your computer before you go to bed.

I am a diet coke addict during the day, so yes, and I drink coffee on occasion, you have to as a law student, reading hundreds of pages of monotony a week and listening to lectures for hours on end. I am well aware of the horrible things alcohol can do to my sleep cycle. I don't expect to sleep well on nights where I drink

[Sbane]

Do you drink any caffeinated beverages in the afternoon or evening? I would definitely cut that out. Alcohol can ruin your sleep as well, but usually the second half of it. Also, don't exercise before going to bed and maybe try and read a book as opposed to watching the TV or being on your computer before you go to bed.

I am a diet coke addict during the day, so yes, and I drink coffee on occasion, you have to as a law student, reading hundreds of pages of monotony a week and listening to lectures for hours on end. I am well aware of the horrible things alcohol can do to my sleep cycle. I don't expect to sleep well on nights where I drink

For you, I think melatonin would work best since your body is just confused when it needs to go to sleep. The question was directed at Clarence actually.

[Torie]

I have never had a problem getting to sleep for some reason, be it a pot session before or not. I just switch out like a light, and wake up ready to take on the world (unless I have consumed a tad too much alcohol, and then I am a bit sluggish (one reason I am careful with booze these days). Always have. I wonder what in my genetic makeup blessed me at least in this department.

[CLARENCE 2015!]

Do you drink any caffeinated beverages in the afternoon or evening? I would definitely cut that out. Alcohol can ruin your sleep as well, but usually the second half of it. Also, don't exercise before going to bed and maybe try and read a book as opposed to watching the TV or being on your computer before you go to bed.

All of the above minus exercise may be problems...
Thanks for the tips

[memphis]

Benedryl. Fact: Unisom is the exact same drug in a different box. Next time you are at a store check the labels. There only seem to be about half a dozen drugs in the over the counter pain/cold/flu/sleep section of a pharmacy. Aspirin,Acetomenaphan, Ibuprofen, Caffeine, Naproxen Sodium, Dextromorphan. And yet the marketers have produced hundreds of permutations that take up an entire aisle. Impressive work!

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Benedryl. Fact: Unisom is the exact same drug in a different box.

Correct.  I've taken it.  Works like a charm

[King]

NyQuil has a new version of itself called ZzzQuil without all the medicine in it.  It works nice.

[memphis]

NyQuil has a new version of itself called ZzzQuil without all the medicine in it.  It works nice.

Also the same thing as benedryl in a different box.

[opebo]

I totally agree with the benedryl/nyquil idea, however there are a lot of things in most formulations that you don't really need. Here you can buy generic diphenhydramine over the counter by itself, super cheap and super effective.

That said I personally prefer 5 mg valium, but it is a bad idea if you have anything to do before say 8-10 hours after taking the pill.  Most of my episodes of 'not hearing the alarm' and missing a class or some other duty were due to valium - now I only take it on a day off, and then only rarely.

[Sopranos Republican]

I use this free application for my computer, called f.lux. What it does is it makes the bright blue light coming from your computer a more orange color at night. You can set your location so that it knows when to turn on. It's much better for the eyes, and there is much less of that burnt in image after you close your eyes.

[Oakvale]

I use this free application for my computer, called f.lux. What it does is it makes the bright blue light coming from your computer a more orange color at night. You can set your location so that it knows when to turn on. It's much better for the eyes, and there is much less of that burnt in image after you close your eyes.

^^^ Came here to post this. I can't recommend Flux highly enough.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Getting a very cozy, soft but heavy blanket works for me.  It might sound silly but being warm and comfortable is one of the best ways to coax myself to sleep.  Also, listening to relaxing music and trying not to think about stressful things before bed.

Excellent suggestion as well.....combine this with watch the Golf Channel rerun of tournament play and you'll be in a coma all night. 

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

No, never tried cannabis directly. I'm not anti pot, I just have no interest in smoking anything.

And yes, I know ambien is a drug, I was just being cheeky lol

[Simfan34]

I use this free application for my computer, called f.lux. What it does is it makes the bright blue light coming from your computer a more orange color at night. You can set your location so that it knows when to turn on. It's much better for the eyes, and there is much less of that burnt in image after you close your eyes.

^^^ Came here to post this. I can't recommend Flux highly enough.

Yes, seconded.

[fezzyfestoon]

Weed really is the best option. Plop down on the couch like an hour before bed, eat a few cookies or smoke a bowl, and you'll be out like a light before you even realize you're tired. And you'll wake up feeling great. I used to have a lot of trouble getting to sleep and it's the only thing that's worked for me and it works wonders.

[tmthforu94]

I use this free application for my computer, called f.lux. What it does is it makes the bright blue light coming from your computer a more orange color at night. You can set your location so that it knows when to turn on. It's much better for the eyes, and there is much less of that burnt in image after you close your eyes.

Thank you - I just installed it and already love it.

Like Duke, I'm also a Melatonin addict - I'm about ready to pop a few pills before sleeping as due to certain stresses that have occurred in the past hour or two, I have a feeling tonight will be a rough night sleeping.