Insomnia remedies what works for you

a reply to: tamusan

Ok. So you get a pass.
My comment still stands for everybody in this thread who gets more than 4 hours sleep per day.

originally posted by: Peeple
a reply to: putnam6

You absolutely under no circumstances and with no excuses are not allowed to sleep for three days.

Yes, Maam lol I'll try anything

Who knows you might be on to something here. What you say in jest, just might work the best.

It's been a long time since Ive done a stay up 48 hours much less 72 straight. So who knows a sleep pause or fast might be a way to reset the cycle if you believe in that stuff.

It's almost the weekend and 72 hours takes me to Sunday morning.

Pistachios are a good source of natural melatonin. If I'm feeling restless which is pretty often I eat some about a half or so before bed.

Go to LibriVox. Pick a subject. Find yourself a good narrator or two that have that "voice," whatever that is for you, set the volume low but still listenable and...

"How It's Made" or "Forensic Files" playlists work for me too heh.

Doesn't always work for me fast, but when I do have to wait at least I have something to listen to.

a reply to: Peeple

I only draw the line at 72 hours because I recognize that my mind is not so sharp after that despite having an overabundance of physical energy. I can't allow myself to do my job without sleep at that point. I suspect that I likely have some kind of bipolar # going on, but I am not about to take lithium or depakote.

Whoa, now we are just having a nice discussion here.

FWIW I get my 4-6 hours most days, it's just not overnight every night. #2 I don't take anything daily to sleep, even the Zrytec which does help my allergies and was discussed with my doctor doesn't make me sleepy at all.

I'd drop the Zyrtec too, but if I do it at the wrong time of the year, my sinuses are shot, and I would haveto try and sleep sitting up like John Merrick. I never had allergy problems till I turned 50 or so.

LOL, when I say supplements I'm talking about ginger, cinnamon, honey, ACV, turmeric, etc. ie things I'll cook with or add to tea or something I'm not popping pills left and right here.

I do try and take a magnesium pill and an omega-3 a day. Just because it feels difficult to get enough of those from just eating, sans gallbladder I just don't digest some things well. One reason I drink hot tea, I don't drink it because I enjoy wearing an old sweater and sipping on the tea, and contemplating the day in a rocking chair.

double post

originally posted by: Katatonik
Pistachios are a good source of natural melatonin. If I'm feeling restless which is pretty often I eat some about a half or so before bed.

I did not know that Katatonik but I love pistachios even more than almonds, that might be better than taking a melatonin pill occasionally and having such funky and vivid dreams. Definitely want to go the natural route if possible.

originally posted by: The GUT
Go to LibriVox. Pick a subject. Find yourself a good narrator or two that have that "voice," whatever that is for you, set the volume low but still listenable and...

"How It's Made" or "Forensic Files" playlists work for me too heh.

Doesn't always work for me fast, but when I do have to wait at least I have something to listen to.

I'll try that too, I listen to audiobooks all the time and I know what you mean about finding a voice. I'm a sucker for a woman with an accent, any accent from Jamaican to Irish, Australian to Hispanic, and the King's English to most of Europe.

Years ago I found a video of an Irish woman reading a story, it was so soothing and relaxing. LOL Id pay to have her call me every night

I'll try Librox, it sounds like it's up my alley especially if they do history and true crime stuff.

a reply to: putnam6

I'm a sucker for a woman with an accent, any accent from Jamaican to Irish, Australian to Hispanic, and the King's English to most of Europe.

OMG. We sound a little bit similar. An accent is often all it takes for me to be attracted to a woman.

a reply to: tamusan

Mirtazapine does work although SSRI's are rather dirty drugs I'd advise avoiding if one can help it. I'd class that particular one as a dirtier drug in my experience and wouldn't be suitable for someone with physical or dietary issues.

I've tried most of them in my quest for treatment unrelated to insomnia, they all cause too much damage in my case but I did tolerate mirtazapine for a long time due to it's ability to regulate sleep. I'm somewhat allergic to those drugs...

Peeple actually touched on something that works with insomnia OP, I wouldn't advise it personally because it's an extreme but sleep deprivation works short-term.

Cutting out things like sugar and no carbs a few hours before bed can help too, I slept better on a keto diet. But usually it's a culmination of the little things that do the most. Good sleep hygiene techniques like comfortable bedding, no artificial light, only using the bedroom for bedroom related tasks, little to no electronics, good air flow... Things like that... Or the nutty one, 2-3 days in and get a bottle of something or whatever floats your boat lol again I wouldn't advise it but if it's timed right it's a little reset and gives a wonderful long sleep.

Desperate times and all that.

a reply to: RAY1990

Mirtazapine's pharmacology is different from that of SSRIs, SNRIs, or tricyclics. It is an Alpha-2 Receptor Antagonist (NaSSA).

I eat mostly meat, and the majority of my carbohydrates come from fruits and vegetables. I know all of the tricks for getting a good night's sleep, and they don't work for me. I don't eat bread or anything with added sugar. I also rarely eat anything that's been processed, except for cheese. Not the Kraft single type cheese, but something like real cheddar or Swiss. My definition of processed foods is broader than most peoples. I even consider store bought canned veggies to be processed.

I wouldn't take anything if I was consistently getting 5-7 hours of sleep without any help, but I believed it was bothering Putnam enough to make this thread and I offered what I view as the best last resort when all other non-pharmacological options have failed. 

i have similar issues. Never slept even as a kid. ALso have tinnitus. I can live on 3-4 hours of sleep and not be tired. very frustrating tossing and turning all night. I like to listen to long podcasts. Sasquatch chronicles and missing persons are good ones that talk for hours. Also use magnesium drinks . They help . Melatonin and benadryl use to work until my body got use to it. I pretty much just live with it. But try the magnesium,www.amazon.com...=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2AZSU8LHEMZPV&keywords=calm+magn esium+powder&qid=1662064103&sprefix=calm+magne%2Caps%2C207&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1
a reply to: putnam6

originally posted by: HODOSKE
i have similar issues. Never slept even as a kid. ALso have tinnitus. I can live on 3-4 hours of sleep and not be tired. very frustrating tossing and turning all night. I like to listen to long podcasts. Sasquatch chronicles and missing persons are good ones that talk for hours. Also use magnesium drinks . They help . Melatonin and benadryl use to work until my body got use to it. I pretty much just live with it. But try the magnesium,www.amazon.com...=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2AZSU8LHEMZPV&keywords=calm+magn esium+powder&qid=1662064103&sprefix=calm+magne%2Caps%2C207&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1
a reply to: putnam6

Yep just learned recently to take my magnesium at night about a week ago, Honestly coming off 2-3 weeks of feeling like crap generally might have had something to do with it also.

I love Sasquatch Chronicles used to listen all the time way back before they even had 100 episodes. I should pick them up again.LOL back when this was the exit music...



or this

Yep.... Medical cannabis is the ticket... I sleep from 10pm until 5:30 am every single night thanks to my little green friend. (and the fact that I work so damn hard every day)

a reply to: tamusan

Mirtazapine's pharmacology is different from that of SSRIs, SNRIs, or tricyclics. It is an Alpha-2 Receptor Antagonist (NaSSA).

It is and that's the selling point for a person like me but despite that I still had all the usual side effects. They wear off and I did tolerate them as I mentioned but there's other issues with them like water retention, over eating and dulled emotions if you're not treating something psychological.

I hope my post didn't come across as dismissive or anything Tasmusan! Just figured I'd chime in since I have experience on the drug and the issue.

I'd like to think anyone would want to go a more natural route with things in general wouldn't you? I was born way too late to suffer from mommy's little helper's or anything like that so pharmacologically speaking most people only have access to drugs that made you feel somewhat dirty when you take them anyways. Why would people subject themselves to that unless they're suffering?

I do understand the plight and the extremes people can go to, I've went to some myself there's other things that can work too but they're not discussions for ATS.

a reply to: tamusan
I doubt that. Mirtazapine is not only used as antidepressant, it's also used in trauma care. It does help with insomnia, I was on the stuff for two weeks after rediscovered trauma. It made me sleep but from the very first day I was not feeling like myself. Completely not knowing myself in the mirror. Never again. You also should not just quit it after taking it a while.

Sorry to say it but that's a real bad advice you gave. Recommend Baldrian instead. At least that's natural and does not # with the mood and self perception just for fighting insomnia.

a reply to: homerJ

I'm not even allowed to talk to patients about cannabis, but I'd be prescribing it if I could. It does make some people sleepy. I'm just replying to say that indica is associated with deep relaxation and reducing insomnia. And to stay away from sativa if sleep is the goal. 

I also want to add that if you do not want to go with just buying flowers to smoke or eat, a pure cannabis flower extract is much better than a THC isolate. The same goes for CBD. A full hemp extract is going to be better than a CBD isolate. There are numerous other organic compounds found in the flower and there is a synergy between them all.

a reply to: TDDAgain

I think that maybe you didn't understand what I wrote. I'm only telling him to talk to his doctor about mirtazapine after all non-prescription options have failed. You can buy Baldrian without a prescription so it would fall under the "all other options" category. But yeah, I agree that Baldrian would be better for him than mirtazapine if it works for him and I am sure he appreciates you for bring it up.

Maybe my use of pharmacological threw you off. I should have phrased that differently.

a reply to: putnam6

I take a long acting melatonin every night. About 3-4 hours before I go to bed, I take a 400 mg magnesium supplement. Magnesium relaxes your muscles. If I'm still having a tough time, I take a couple of benadryl along with the melatonin. For some people, CBD gummies help. CBD doesn't do squat for me, but it's worth a try. I actually have Delta 8 thc gummies. About half a gummy will usually zonk me out when nothing else does. If you're in a state where cannibis is still illegal, Delta 8 thc is a good alternative.

Make sure you're not doing screen time before you turn in for the night. Blue light keeps you awake. There are glasses you can get at WalMart or drug stores that filter out the blue light if you like to be on your laptop, phone, whatever. Hopefully these things help you. I have had insomnia for a long time, and find these things work to some extent.