What does it take to get you to sleep at nights?

[AlienGirl]

Poll question: What does it take to get you to sleep at nights?

[enki23]

1. nyquil doesn't work. i wake up in the middle of the night with a buzz

terrible stuff. absolutely horrible. i find liquor works alright, however.

[AlienGirl]

3. Liquor isn't so good

Just a little bit makes me very wide-awake; if I have enough to make me sleep I feel awful the next day.

Tucker

[realisticphish]

2. staring at a computer screen for a few hours

always gets me to go to sleep


:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat

[chicagojoe]

4. A fattie. n/t

[Maine-ah]

41. LOL! Me too.

[miss_kitty]

5. hot bath, warm milk,

and a tiny doggy :)

[merwin]

6. Melatonin and classical music

[zann725]

37. Melatonin, Excedrin PM, Calcium (or milk), white-noise machines...

and sheer exhaustion. Always wished I was someone who could just drop off to sleep, no problem.

Nope. For me, it's "work"...always has been.

[Historic NY]

38. Melatonin, Tylenol simply sleep, a couple of stiff rum & cokes....

[Beaverhausen]

48. Melatonin and a "sleep machine"

I am a really light sleeper and that sleep machine's white noise really helps me. Now I can't fall asleep if a room is too quiet.

[zann725]

53. Me too. I actually have two...one on each side...to completely surround,

and block out outside noise. They're so peaceful. I take them with me especially when I travel.

[Ladyhawk]

7. Seroquel -- heavy-duty shit.

I'm not schizophrenic or bipolar, but I have severe, treatment-resistant depression and it's supposed to even my moods. It makes me go out like a light.

[AlienGirl]

9. Mmmm, seroquil

I'm about to go back on the med-go-round myself. So far Desyril sucks butt (it gives me a headache and does NOT make me sleep!) and Nortriptyline is useless.

The best stuff evar was Ambien, but I can't get anyone to give me more than a couple nights' worth. :shrug:

Tucker

[Mojambo]

8. Background Noise

I simply cannot sleep in silence.

I've slept with the television on since I was a teenager.

[Sannum]

10. Tylenol PM

[Philosophy]

11. I'm out < 5 minutes after my head hits the pillow

Then somehow I automatically wake up 5-10 minutes before my alarm goes off at 6:30 AM.

[driver8]

39. Me too -- it drives my wife crazy!

I will say that "I'm not tired" but will go to bed when she does. I am usually asleep in a couple of minutes. My wife will lay there and toss and turn and curse me.

[psychopomp]

12. I gave up trying to sleep early

I usually stay up very late, but when I have to sleep valerian and chamomile tea work wonders!

[Vektor]

13. Ambien

Weird ass vivid dreams from that stuff. I have major clinical insomnia.

[AlienGirl]

14. I wish I could get a prescription for that

I've been an insomniac since I was a kid.

What really scares me is my oldest son has insomnia, too. :scared: I hope he doesn't have what I do...I'm scared for him.

Tucker

[Vektor]

20. Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

I too have had insomnia since I was a kid. Since the doctor can only prescribe Ambien sporadically, and only for about two weeks at a time....well... it helps, but the rest of the time I don't sleep so well. It is highly addictive so constant use is not prescribed...

I know what you're going through - it sucks!

Best of luck to you and your son.

[jdots]

15. what is sleep ? is sleep good ?

It is my goal to bore you all to sleep.This reminds me of our trip to Fresno for the Moss Festival zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

[AlienGirl]

16. Moss? Tell me more!

[RadicalMom]

17. Not Ambien - it only works well for a short period for most people

I found after a week or so that it would no longer work at all. I've arrived at a combination of melatonin and a product called Deep Sleep, which is at the health food stores, and contains valerian root, california poppyflower extract,and several other thing. Take it nightly and most of the time, it works very well. Insomnia started for me when menopause became more noticeable.

[Vektor]

22. Ambien

worked real well for me, but you can't really take it longer than a week or two, due to it being highly addictive. During the duration I was on it it knocked me out cold, but as soon as the prescription ran out, I was back to insomnia. Melatonin gave the the most horrific, psychotic nightmares you could ever imagine - Lewis Carrol meets David Lynch meets Wes Craven. Yeesh. Maybe I will try this "Deep Sleep" you mentioned.

[RadicalMom]

29. The only whacko dream I've had was about a week ago, with Bush, no less

I had to attend some of his public events unhappily, and he followed me around like a love-struck puppy. I kept rejecting him, He kept trying to touch me, though not in an impure manner. That was all, but amourous advances from G.W. were a nightmare.

[Vektor]

30. HAHAHAHA

Oh, wow, that IS weird. Funny, but oddly disturbing. During the last two weeks of the election cycle, I was REALLY overwhelmed with stress, and was also up to my ears in GOTV related volunteer work, as well as work for my local Dem office, and could not sleep at all - this was the "Ambien period" in my life. During the course of those two weeks, the drug caused incredibly vivid, and astoundingly realistic, lurid, sex dreams about John Kerry.

I BEGGED for my doctor to never let the prescription run out, but he wasn't having it.

:-)

Oh, well, it was beautiful while it lasted.

[RadicalMom]

47. Ooo La La! Let's not combine our two dreams!

[Vektor]

51. That would be too scary -

I'll keep mine the way it is!
:-) :-) :-)

[RadicalMom]

54. Yours was MUCH nicer. How was he?

[Vektor]

60. Phenomenal!

Toe curling, air gouging, eyes-rolling-back-in-head, MIND BENDING.

Like a religious experience, really.

Ya know, sort of like what he's probably REALLY like, except not as good, 'cuz, ya know, it was only a dream.
:-)

I'll see you when the Ambien kicks in...

[RadicalMom]

61. Stop! You're affecting my breathing. I never thought of him that way.

Toe curling? Gosh I remember that. You're either younger than I am or you have that Viagra smile. No, Ambien. Gosh, if I was a smoker, I'd, well,...never mind.

[Vektor]

66. Yeah -

I needed to start smoking after those dreams - and I'm in the ballpark of about half Kerry's age...

But getting younger everyday - that man is like the fountain of youth. There's definitely been a spring in my step since I saw him at the DNC last summer.... :-)

[RadicalMom]

69. Money and power may be attractive to some, but I'll take handsome any time

and a good speaking voice. He's got that, too. Yup, that could be a pretty good romp. And well, I'm catching up in age with a lot of men I would have found attractive at your age. Still enough behind Kerry's age to make me content, though.

[Vektor]

70. I just love

...everything about him. The power and money aren't an issue, since there are a bazillion famous people that have all that and I don't care one iota about them. There is exactly one famous person who is my hero - and it has more to do with his astounding sense of integrity, and the warmth he exudes - I also love his beautiful voice. I've never been drawn to "rich powerful" men - they are quite often arrogant and boring.

Not Johnny, with all his intellect and depth.

He's just the cat's meee-yoooooowwwww.
:-)

[Seabiscuit]

18. A short visit to the DU Lounge.

[RadicalMom]

19. Easy there, Seabiscuit. A nice bucket of warm bran mash and some

oats will work as well as the Lounge. And a blankie. Don't forget the blankie.

[guitar man]

21. sleep? bah!

I don't actually go to sleep, I usually drink until I pass out! :)

[Wapsie B]

23. Surfing at DU

and my trusty CPAP.

[derby378]

24. A new Timex alarm clock

Great big green LED display. Built-in AM/FM radio. And it plays three different "nature sounds." I can listen to either ocean waves, a babbling brook, or nocturnal forest sounds while tucking in for the night. Hasn't failed to put me to sleep yet - no drugs needed.

And when the alarm goes off - I wake up to cathedral bells. Every DUer needs to at least check this clock out.

[Dervill Crow]

25. Klonopin, a nice warm pit bull to snuggle with,

and either a good book or my TV timer set to turn off after Law & Order or CSI (the original) or Without a Trace. I really wanted to boycott CBS, but I just can't give up CSI.

[Vektor]

31. I too have a snuggling pit bull

Greatest thing ever!

She's a sweet thing, that's for sure - however, she does snore and fart...

..but I love her anyway. :-)

[AlienGirl]

73. Klonopin is lovely!

I like Klonopin. It doesn't make me sleep but it stops panic attacks when I get "locked into" them.

Tucker

[Ivan Sputnik]

26. A white-noise CD

sometimes. My wife snores. :(

[Amaya]

27. Two glasses of wine and my blankie

[bmbmd]

64. One glass of red wine

and some thread-locking behaviour.

[Elidor]

28. Physical exhaustion is good for me

I like to wear myself out and limp home too tired to shower before I fall out. And sleeping under a waterfall is the very best of all. The white noise is superb.

[fortyfeetunder]

32. Talk radio or classical music

We once had one radio in the bedroom which spouse likes to listen to NPR in the AM. But at night I turn on the radio and tune into some good conversation (or classical music) and drift off within minutes. If there is silence in the room I cannot sleep well....

If I forgot to switch back to NPR before dawn, I was in the doghouse...I p'd off my spouse -to the point he put a second radio on our headboard.

Now what does not put me to sleep is jazz. I drive to that music so I dare not use it for sleeping...

[ZoCrowes]

33. No medication thankfully

I'll just put on a record and fall asleep to that. Once I'm out there isn't any waking my ass up.

[Huckebein the Raven]

34. I put on some Light Classical in the background

[TahitiNut]

35. I read for 30 -60 minutes. Melatonin occasionally (about 6 times/year)

:shrug:

[InvisibleTouch]

36. After half a lifetime of taking forever to wind down at night...

...I've finally managed to train myself to drop right off to sleep pretty much at any time of day or night. Probably has something to do with my late late hours, which have left me without any sense of circadian rhythm. Though I've found that when I really do need some help relaxing and winding down, a pleasant revenge fantasy does wonders.... :)

[B Calm]

40. Family Dollar & Dollar General sell a night time pain reliever PM

asprin. I take one of these an hr before bed time and sleep like a log.

[Liberal Veteran]

42. Valerian root which has the added benefit of...

...giving you REALLY REALLY VIVID dreams.

If that doesn't work, I pop a benadryl.

[Donailin]

43. books

i read myself to sleep at night. works like a charm.

[ScreamingMeemie]

44. Other, and I can't specify, or the thread will be locked.

:evilgrin: Well only some nights, when neither one of us can sleep. It's the best medicine...trust me. ;)

[terrya]

45. Reading...and sometimes...um..."taking matters in hand"

But I won't go any farther on the latter. :-)

[ScreamingMeemie]

46. We'd better be careful...we're turning this thread into one of those

"lockable" ones...;)

How are you Terry? It's good to see you! :hug:

[catzies]

49. Diphenhydramine hydrochloride. 50 mgs. White noise AND classical music

A completely dark room, and my little eye pillow ("Binky").

What is diphenhydramine hydrochloride? Generic Sominex. It's the active ingredient in Tylenol PM too, and several other OTC sleep meds.

[Cobalt Violet]

50. I've been taking OTC sleep aid this week.

I started a new job. My last job was 2nd and 3rd shift. My new job was 1st shift this week as it was a training week. I have no trouble falling a sleep but If I didn't take the pills I would have been up at 3:00 am worrying about traffic the next day. With the pills I have slept well. I will be going on 9-3 and 3-9 shifts next week so I don't think I will need them.

[blondeatlast]

52. Whenever I get a great book to read... about 5 minutes.

I will finish "The Children's Blizzard" before I die, but not before it's due at the library, I'm afraid.

[cags]

55. Fans. My DH and kids too. All winter long we each sleep with box fans

[Left Is Write]

56. I occasionally take Sominex.

For periodic bouts with insomnia.

[11 Bravo]

57. NyQuil or sex.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

58. I read until I'm drowsy, and if that doesn't work

there's always one of the Chlor Trimeton type allergy meds.

If I've been having trouble sleeping for a day or two, I try a remedy that I learned by accident: having a late dinner of homemade cream of turkey soup. Both turkey and milk contain tryptophan, and the result is a restful sleep full of vivid but pleasant dreams. :-)

[Withywindle]

59. Osco store brand Non-Aspirin PM

I have Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome, have since I was about 10 years old. I CAN sleep great naturally--when I actually get tired, which happens around 4 or 5 AM. Any earlier than that, I gotta use pills.

Alcohol actually makes me a little bit wired. Too much of that is BAD, because then I'm all drunked up with nowhere to go.

[Allenberg]

62. Waching television or a movie usually does the trick.

[Chalco]

63. A mask and ear plugs nt

[NashVegas]

65. Excersize (Yoga) - And Not Thinking About The Fact

I have to get up at 4:30 am.

[arismomkoofie]

67. Approximatly 2 hours of reading usually does it

Mostly I have to read until my eyes start to close, then I drop off. everyone else in my family seems to just drop off.

[trof]

68. quart of Scotch

more or less
;-)

[Sgent]

71. Reading until

I fall asleep with the light on and the book open.

That, or Seroquel which is persribed for my major insomniac bouts.

Ambien does nothing for me. I get a little tired and dizzy, but no sleep. 25mg of Seroquel knocks me completely out!

Unfortunately, Seroquel, though not addictive, loses its sleeping effectiveness if taken for more than a week or so at a time.

[laheina]

72. An act of God...

...alignment of the planets...

Oh well, I work better at night anyway.