Insomnia. What seems to help?

I spoke with my pharmacist about this. I was worried about the interaction with the brain meds to prevent seizure which I have to take before bed. I really don'y like drugs, so that is why I'm wondering how I will feel after taking melantonin

I have the same issue: I can fall asleep but not stay asleep. I function pretty well during the day though. When I don't get the amount of sleep I need, I have a harder time getting going in the morning. By early afternoon though, I feel normal. After I eat dinner, I turn on the TV to watch the world news (6:30 pm), and then no matter how hard I try not to, I will fall asleep for an hour or so. When I wake up, I feel like I want to continue to sleep because I am groggy and sleepy but I wake myself up because if I continued to sleep (and assuming I'd sleep straight through), I'd end up wide awake and raring to go at 4:00 am! Actually, I've never tried it. Maybe I should! Or maybe it would screw me up even more!

Gloriejean Id be interested to hear the results As far as I know our bodies make it also but sometimes you need more I take 5mg at night along with my Tramadol works most times but I get into a pattern of sleeping good every other night this I dont understand

Hello - the 5 ml is what I am looking at taking. I guess I can say - even though I'm 7 yrs old - I'm scared to take something that will help to put me to sleep. Do you actually feel it taking effect on your brain? Also because I had a benign tumour removed from the surface of the mengionoma last August and there is a permanent indent in my skull, I wonder if the chemistry of my "cured" brain might react differently to the melanoma

Hey Marcella, 2 thoughts foryou, even though you function OK during the day, if you are not getting your full 7 or 8 hours sleep you are most likely still operating well below your optimum levels, so imagine how well you would feel if you did get better sleep! Also I know sometimes it can be difficult with family etc., but have you actually tried going to bed at 7.30 or whatever time you fall asleep? - if you did and you slept right through til 4am that would be your ideal sleep hours. then imagine how much you could get done in the wee hours of the morning not to mention extra health benefits from better sleep. I know from own experience I used to stay up til 10.30pm but would lie awake until after midnight. I tried a few bed times and now i am in bed by 9 these days (just outlast my 10 year old daughter) and usually wake around 5.30 and can do some work and things or go for a walk in the warmer months. I also found I felt heaps more energy during the day. We each have our own perfect sleep time zones!
regards
ian

Hi Ian, Thanks for the 2 thoughts. I should have mentioned that my sleep patterns are inconsistent. For example, last night I slept straight through. I fell asleep watching Saturday Night Live which was probably around midnight. I woke up I think at 8:30 am, turned on the TV, and dozed off again. The only thing different was that I didn't go work out yesterday, it's been raining all weekend, there's been flooding problems, and I saw 3 car wrecks within several miles of my house! I was planning on working out yesterday but when I saw the 3rd car wreck, I turned around and went home! I didn't want to tempt fate! It's great weather for sleeping I think. I really can't remember if I ever tried to go to sleep after falling asleep after dinner. Eating makes me sleepy. When I've really had a hard time falling asleep in the wee hours, sometimes i'd make myself something to eat and that would get me to sleep! Most people would probably NOT be able to sleep after eating but with me, it's the opposite.

Gloriejean hi Since you had brain surgery I would ask your Dr for clearance on that. I do drink a 1/2 glass of milk before I go to bed Milk and turkey have tryptophan in them which helps for sleep .

@gloriajean What did the pharmacist say? You are definitely smart to check on interactions, I always do also. My transplant team told me that melatonin would be OK for me to take with my other meds.
JK

@lioness I have heard that more than 3 mg often causes nightmares. Do you have any problem with that? Tramadol is for pain, correct?
@gloriajean melatonin does not make you suddenly feel like groggy, at least it does not for me. It is nothing like your typical sleeping pills, which I will not take either. I tried them once a long time ago and did not like them. I have also tried "sleep aids" that have the same ingredient as benadryl and it does make me sleep but even with a tiny dose of it -- half a pill --, I don't like the way I feel in the morning. The recommended dosage is 2 pills.
JK

@marcella1 Eating carbs make me sleepy. I rarely fall asleep unintentionally, as in when I am watching TV, but once in a while it just overtakes me, I can't keep my eyelids open, and there I go. Unfortunately one of the places I do fall asleep unintentionally is when driving, I have had a problem with that since I was in my 20s so I do often pull over and take a quick nap. I had to do that recently on a drive home that was only an hour drive. I got halfway and couldn't hold my eyes open so I pulled into a shopping center lot and dozed for about 15 - 20 minutes. When we go long distances my husband always drives and I generally do take a nap at some point.
Jk