Have you tried Benadryl? I've been an insomniac since I was 16, and continue to have problems with it. Benadryl has helped sometimes. Antidepressants were also helpful, for a number of years. Some of the older tricyclics are very good at regulating sleep. I'm seeing ads now for other medications that are intended to treat long-term insomnia, besides Ambien. And a $50 copay sounds insane.
If your pharmacy plan is as aggravating as mine Lunesta probably has the same co-pay cost as Ambien, but I find that it's good if you have problems staying asleep, which is my problem. My insomnia is caused by the Effexor that I take (I'm trying to wean myself off that so hopefully I won't need Effexor or Lunesta eventually). Other than that, I got nothin' for you. :-(
I used to listen to music every night when I went to bed (don't have a stereo anymore), although sometimes I could listen to it for 3 hours before I actually fell asleep (but that's probably because I tried to sleep after a 12-hour day). I guess that'd be a good idea to try. Or watch a boring movie ;)
I might try something along those lines -- my problem isn't feeling sleepy, but rather getting my brain to shut down long enough to drift off. Thanks for the info!
No wonder I can never finish an audiobook. Seriously, I believe this. I try to listen to audiobooks, but they put me right to sleep unless I am driving or doing something else.
Ug, going to work without a decent nights sleep is the worst. Have you ever been to a sleep clinic? I took a course on sleep in University. Nothing big, but they did say that it's not good to lie in bed if you aren't falling asleep because you just get frustrated which makes it even harder to fall asleep. But once you do get up you should do only relaxing activities only. Like reading. I also read that it's good to cool down your body temperature because that's something that should happen naturally before sleep. It's sort of like tricking the body in to thinking it's time for bed.
Anyway, you've probably heard that sort of thing before, but since you were asking for hints I thought I'd pipe up. Those things have worked for me in the past. That and staying off the internet right before bed. If I'm on the internet I never get tired.
When I go to the doctor next month, I'll have to ask about a sleep clinic. No idea whether my insurance would cover it, but it's certainly worth a shot. :)
You and Greg are twins. Sounds like you are already getting lots of good advice. I'm having really good results with Rozerem, which is a new med for insomnia. It re-regulates your circadian rhythm, which is what both of you need. Expensive though. Sometimes, the best advice is to start all over again. You may need to stay up all night in order to get your cycle regular. Greg freely ignores all my advice. You are welcome to do the same. *hugs*
Ah, yes. "Circadian rhythm" -- that's what I meant. I've tried staying up all night before, and it sometimes worked. If I can't get to sleep tonight, I'll just do that. And when I go in for my physical next month, I'll definitely mention that to the doctor. Thanks!
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I'm seeing ads now for other medications that are intended to treat long-term insomnia, besides Ambien. And a $50 copay sounds insane.
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Sleep, stress & mental health issues ( ... )
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Anyway, you've probably heard that sort of thing before, but since you were asking for hints I thought I'd pipe up. Those things have worked for me in the past. That and staying off the internet right before bed. If I'm on the internet I never get tired.
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Sometimes, the best advice is to start all over again. You may need to stay up all night in order to get your cycle regular. Greg freely ignores all my advice. You are welcome to do the same. *hugs*
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