What sleep aid/medication works best for you?

[wm_hess]

I too use Melatonin when needed. I normally might use it once a week. I use on 1/4 of a 1mg pill sublingualy.

Here is an article from MIT http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2005/melatonin.html that states that overdosing (greater than 1mg) will stop working after only a few dosings. They pinpointed the best dosage for adults over 50 as .3mg http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2001/melatonin-1017.html. It found that the typical 3mg dosage found in health food stores is LESS effective, and actually can lead to lowering body temperature. It also has the ability to give you the 'hangover' feeling the next day.

-Bill

[49er]

I too use Melatonin when needed. I normally might use it once a week. I use on 1/4 of a 1mg pill sublingualy.

Here is an article from MIT http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2005/melatonin.html that states that overdosing (greater than 1mg) will stop working after only a few dosings. They pinpointed the best dosage for adults over 50 as .3mg http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2001/melatonin-1017.html. It found that the typical 3mg dosage found in health food stores is LESS effective, and actually can lead to lowering body temperature. It also has the ability to give you the 'hangover' feeling the next day.

-Bill

Bill,

Thank you so much for this link.

As one who is 58, it looks like I definitely need to heed this advice if I decide to try melatonin again. I have never taken more than about 2gm but maybe that is why it still has never worked for me.

49er

[Todzo]

Tonight I was at the gym for an hour and a half cycling and carried a heavy load about a mile and a half.

I do find that long term exercise helps me sleep.

I also used a well known vitamin to enhanse circulation. Good circulation during sleep seems to be a key.

[49er]

Tonight I was at the gym for an hour and a half cycling and carried a heavy load about a mile and a half.

I do find that long term exercise helps me sleep.

I also used a well known vitamin to enhanse circulation. Good circulation during sleep seems to be a key.

Todzo,

Exercise has had zero effect on my ability to stay asleep on the pap machine. Totally different ballgame at least for me.

49er

[Todzo]

Tonight I was at the gym for an hour and a half cycling and carried a heavy load about a mile and a half.

I do find that long term exercise helps me sleep.

I also used a well known vitamin to enhanse circulation. Good circulation during sleep seems to be a key.

Todzo,

Exercise has had zero effect on my ability to stay asleep on the pap machine. Totally different ballgame at least for me.

49er

Right now it takes over two hours of activity (cycling, walking, ...) of which about 30% is aerobic or a bit above to tire me out to be effective as a sleep aid. In the future this ammount will not be enough.

Last summer about six miles would do to be satisfying as exercise. But 12 miles would be a sleep aid.

These things take time and effort to be effective in the way I mention and the ammounts will be differant for each person.

[49er]

Tonight I was at the gym for an hour and a half cycling and carried a heavy load about a mile and a half.

I do find that long term exercise helps me sleep.

I also used a well known vitamin to enhanse circulation. Good circulation during sleep seems to be a key.

Todzo,

Exercise has had zero effect on my ability to stay asleep on the pap machine. Totally different ballgame at least for me.

49er

Right now it takes over two hours of activity (cycling, walking, ...) of which about 30% is aerobic or a bit above to tire me out to be effective as a sleep aid. In the future this ammount will not be enough.

Last summer about six miles would do to be satisfying as exercise. But 12 miles would be a sleep aid.

These things take time and effort to be effective in the way I mention and the ammounts will be differant for each person.

Todzo,

With all due respect, you do not know how much exercise I do on a daily basis. It is not minimal. And by the way, on days I have done 3 miles, such as exercising on the treadmill or walking outside, I had some of my worst nights on the pap machine.

The issue is what works for you may not necessarily work for someone else and that needs to be respected.

49er

[Todzo]

Tonight I was at the gym for an hour and a half cycling and carried a heavy load about a mile and a half.

I do find that long term exercise helps me sleep.

I also used a well known vitamin to enhanse circulation. Good circulation during sleep seems to be a key.

Todzo,

Exercise has had zero effect on my ability to stay asleep on the pap machine. Totally different ballgame at least for me.

49er

Right now it takes over two hours of activity (cycling, walking, ...) of which about 30% is aerobic or a bit above to tire me out to be effective as a sleep aid. In the future this ammount will not be enough.

Last summer about six miles would do to be satisfying as exercise. But 12 miles would be a sleep aid.

These things take time and effort to be effective in the way I mention and the ammounts will be differant for each person.

Todzo,

With all due respect, you do not know how much exercise I do on a daily basis. It is not minimal. And by the way, on days I have done 3 miles, such as exercising on the treadmill or walking outside, I had some of my worst nights on the pap machine.

The issue is what works for you may not necessarily work for someone else and that needs to be respected.

49er

So the exercise did have an effect. Thanks for sharing.

Seattleboy49 asked us what works for us as a sleep aid and so for his sake I posted what I have found that works for me.

I see no reason that you should attack my posts as you do.

In my explanation, done to be more clear I do say that it is an individual thing. I say what works for me as Seattleboy49 requested.

[sickwithapnea17]

klonopin helps a lot it is supposed to increase GABA and modulate the GABA alpha receptor. I don't know why other meds that modulate GABA like Sonata or ambien aren't as effective, but it's a great med for me

[49er]

Tonight I was at the gym for an hour and a half cycling and carried a heavy load about a mile and a half.

I do find that long term exercise helps me sleep.

I also used a well known vitamin to enhanse circulation. Good circulation during sleep seems to be a key.

Todzo,

Exercise has had zero effect on my ability to stay asleep on the pap machine. Totally different ballgame at least for me.

49er

Right now it takes over two hours of activity (cycling, walking, ...) of which about 30% is aerobic or a bit above to tire me out to be effective as a sleep aid. In the future this ammount will not be enough.

Last summer about six miles would do to be satisfying as exercise. But 12 miles would be a sleep aid.

These things take time and effort to be effective in the way I mention and the ammounts will be differant for each person.

Todzo,

With all due respect, you do not know how much exercise I do on a daily basis. It is not minimal. And by the way, on days I have done 3 miles, such as exercising on the treadmill or walking outside, I had some of my worst nights on the pap machine.

The issue is what works for you may not necessarily work for someone else and that needs to be respected.

49er

So the exercise did have an effect. Thanks for sharing.

Seattleboy49 asked us what works for us as a sleep aid and so for his sake I posted what I have found that works for me.

I see no reason that you should attack my posts as you do.

In my explanation, done to be more clear I do say that it is an individual thing. I say what works for me as Seattleboy49 requested.

Todzo,

I am perplexed by your comment because exercise didn't have an effect on my sleep on the machine.

I am sorry if you feel I was attacking you but the reason why I reacted the way I did was I felt you were making no attempt to understand my perspective or to appreciate my frustrations. Instead, I felt like you were continuing to push your view and acted like I was doing something wrong in not exercising enough when you didn't even know my situation.

49er

[JohnBFisher]

klonopin helps a lot it is supposed to increase GABA and modulate the GABA alpha receptor. I don't know why other meds that modulate GABA like Sonata or ambien aren't as effective, but it's a great med for me

Klonopin had known side effects of feeling foggy, which you have complained about. As I've noted, no one medication is a panacea for everyone.

[Todzo]

Todzo,

I am perplexed by your comment because exercise didn't have an effect on my sleep on the machine.

Look in your own responses to me following “and by the way”...

I am sorry if you feel I was attacking you but the reason why I reacted the way I did was I felt you were making no attempt to understand my perspective or to appreciate my frustrations. Instead, I felt like you were continuing to push your view and acted like I was doing something wrong in not exercising enough when you didn't even know my situation.

49er

I simply wanted to explain that to get the “sleep aid” effect I needed to push past “normal” to “about twice normal” or to the point where legs, knees, or general fatigue levels were telling me it was time to stop.

I am working on writing better and I hope in the future to not offend you.

[Sir NoddinOff]

klonopin helps a lot it is supposed to increase GABA and modulate the GABA alpha receptor. I don't know why other meds that modulate GABA like Sonata or ambien aren't as effective, but it's a great med for me

Klonopin had known side effects of feeling foggy, which you have complained about. As I've noted, no one medication is a panacea for everyone.

If I recall correctly, SWA, you recently started using klonopin, therefore it's still early honeymoon days for you. Many members have had to wean themselves off of it after long term usage (some even short term usage), mostly due to side effects, increasing dosage requirements and so forth. One was long time member AVI123 for example (if my memory serves me correctly). If you decide to continue nightly usage of Klonopin I personally think it would be wise to consult with your sleep doctor or your GP, as others have mentioned.

[49er]

It would be nice if a caffeine free chocolate sleep aid existed. If it didn't work, at least one would get to experience the joy of having chocolate.

49er

[ems]

It would be nice if a caffeine free chocolate sleep aid existed. If it didn't work, at least one would get to experience the joy of having chocolate.

49er

How about a caffeine free vanilla sleep aid? I'm not a big chocolate fan. Maybe chocolate chip? Maybe caramel?

[Queen of Darkness]

Ambien is the best by far. You won't even know what hit you.