Insomnia - I need sleep!!! Please help.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/melatonin-how-much-should-i-take-for-a-good-nights-rest/

I found this article from the Cleveland Clinic about How Much Melatonin to take.

Faith, this may be duplicative of previous advice but here goes:

• Try magnesium and melatonin.
• Get your bedroom dark and cold.
• Wear socks and use a heavy blanket. Sounds kooky, but proven by science.
• Create a routine: wash your face, read for a bit, put on moisturizer, whatever. Just create a ritual that tells your brain it's time for sleep.
• Buy a sound machine and listen to the sound of the waves or a fireplace.
• Remove your television, phone, etc. from your bedroom entirely. It's that blue light that makes it hard to sleep.

Good luck!

LiveLaugh - did you just have your surgery this month? So you still have drains? Since I had a BMX I obviously couldn't sleep on my tummy - but neither could I sleep on either side. It didn't sleep well for some time until I learned how to sleep on my back. I got there...slowly.

I use yoga breathing & meditation. But I agree with DATNY. If I can't roll over and go right back to sleep, I just turn low lights on and read. Sometimes I fall back to sleep, sometimes I wait until the next night.

I did use Lunesta (Zopiclone here in Canada) for almost 2 years and had great night sleeps of a a good 6 hours uninterrupted for most of that time. It doesn't seem to work as well any more so I stopped taking it. I am doing a sleep well study for cancer surviuvors who have trouble sleeping. Unfortunately, I seem to be in the control group. I will get the info for the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy program once I am done the 6 weeks. I'm hoping that will be a drug free way to help me sleep!

JRNJ - I am on Exemestane which has insomnia as a side effect so that probably doesn't help! Only another 2 1/2 years to go.... Sigh.

JRNJ - I started off with Letrozole which wasn't good. After just 2 weeks, I had developed neuropathy in my right hand.... Exemesatne has been OK, some achiness, night sweats and bad hot flashes but at least I can use my right hand again without it falling asleep!

For anyone who is usually a side sleeper but now has to try to sleep on your back for a while - I've been stuck with that position in the past (hip replacement recovery). What helped me was an extra pillow or two, mooshed or rolled up to have against the side of your head that you ordinarily sleep on. It kind of tricks your mind into thinking you are on your side.

I highly recommend trazadone and I've been taking it for years and I always sleep through the night. It's an old work horse and its cheap and it is not addicting. Below I have reposted Salamandra's post re: trazadone

Salamdra's post re: trazadone. "One first line of defense that I think most any doctor would feel comfortable prescribing you is trazodone. It's been around forever and is very cheap even without insurance. The pills are easy to split so you can find your own best dose. It's one of the first drugs I was ever prescribed, and one that I keep coming back to. Right now, 50mg is working great for me, but during worse periods I have gone higher (75,100,150 I think was my max). You should be able to feel the effects from the very first night to know if it makes a difference, though you might be too drowsy in the mornings for the first bit."

The sleep hygiene tips are very very helpful... re dark cold room. In addition if your sleeplessness is anxiety related - racing mind etc - neurofeedback is incredibly helpful in calming the mind. The system I tried is effortless, called NeurOptimal. It works w Right brain awareness, on a level that is not within consciousness. It basically uses sound and visuals to "mirror" the activity of the R brain. Once mirrored, the R brain can notice inefficiencies in its patterning and 'learn' to be calmer.

Yes very helpful/important but of course I get frustrated and do everything I'm not supposed to like get on my phone or watch TV.

JR same here, only had 3 hours of sleep last night so hoping I get some sleep tonight! Hoping you do too. I need to start exercising as well.

My wife has this problem near perpetually. She cycles through various remedies and prescriptions because the effect wears off after a week or two. Gravol, Benadryl, melatonin all can help. She cycles through various prescription sleeping pills. Also THC extract works from time to time. Gabapentin has sleep inducing as a side effect, and many use it just for that purpose. I discovered this when I had a neck injury, and began to research it. Deep sound sleep, but really groggy when I got up in the morning or night.

Really, the only thing that helped me long term was learning & practicing Yoga breathing and relaxation. I can usually get to sleep rather quickly now for the first time in 50 years just doing the breathing exercises. That along with making sure I get some exercise during the day. That not only works for my body but clears my mind. Should specify - exercise w/o ear buds or a cell phone or a TV on a treadmill - just focusing on moving & breathing.

Kat - check with your doc, but someone told me this tip & it was great. I was steroid pills to prevent nausea (and they worked like a champ) 2 the day before chemo, 2 more the day of chemo and two the day after chemo. They kept me WIDE awake. On day #3 (the day after), I took only one pill and the 2nd pill on day #4. It was a nicer, more even 'come down'.

Thank you for this info. I'm almost finished with my second year of Tamoxifen and my worst side effect is insomnia. I've had trouble sleeping for years but Tamoxifen has made it much worse. My dr suggested Trazadone and I was hesitant as I'm not familiar with it but I'm calling her Monday to get a prescription!

Cowgirl 13

lol that it is the go to drug right now for insomnia. It works for me too!