No sleep or sleep meds

Hi am not an authority on this but hope you get some helpful feedback. I have not slept through one night for 4 years ,,,, some nights worse than others, since C.Diff and a host of other issues. I am older and retired so can cope by nap the next day in afternoon for half to one hour.
I had similar question as yours, and what I now do - as I fall asleep when light out... I don’t take any meds but when and if, say, wake up at 2am and cant get back to sleep, take half a pill (Clonazepam) and may sleep through on and off until 5.30 or so... depending on time I may take the other half... in between i put my ipad on pillow next to me and listen to half hour or less you tube videos for sleep, relaxation etc, and I would say 6 times out of ten they work! Fall asleep - yeah! But sometimes nothing and I count backwards from 100, try and relax, try “tapping” - last night up at 2am with fecal incontinence and back to sleep at 4.30.... thank goodness am no longer holding down a job! Anyway, maybe may be an idea about listening to you tube i choose something with NO background music, rain, thunder etc, and no white noise due to ear issues. Best of luck and agree insomnia is horrible! J.

I too do similar things. Listen to you tube sleep meditations, count backwards from 100, I’ve even done 1000 a couple of times. That helps sometimes. Fortunately, I too am retired, but I’m active, fitness oriented, and play golf many days per week. I hope I can get some feedback on my question because I just can’t believe no sleep is better than taking meds. Some meds, the Ambien-like ones, allow sleep but kinda feels like fake sleep.

Hi well I am basically a non-alcohol drinker, but sometimes will get talked into the tiniest glass I have with some Baileys Irish Cream and milk - its really not enough to count but I remember an old great aunt of mine sitting on the side of her bed at night reading the Bible and having the smallest glass of perhaps whiskey or such and only time she had alcohol - not condoning it but some people have a nightcap; also some people swear by a cup of warm milk or even a very light snack at night... over my lifetime I have been on and off with sleep issues, when working and raising children etc. was so darn tired I could have slept another hour or two but probably mid 40s it all changed. Apparently insomnia is quite prevalent these days - stress/pain/bladder... am also interested in “solutions”. J.

Fellow golfer here, have improved sleep since finding out about my vitamin D deficiency by blood test, now sleep five or six but always looking for more.

I still think sleep meds are better than no sleep . Without sleep I rebound into depression and anxiety really bad and have to take meds for that . Then I can’t function . So sleep meds are better for me .

I am starting to believe this to be true. I'm thinking of talking to my Dr. about Silenor or Lunesta. Both are suppose to help you sleep through the night. Silenor is non-addictive, being an antidepressant, doesn't help falling asleep. But get this, if you are prescribed 3mg of Silenor (doxepin) it cost >$100 a month, but if you are prescribed doxepin 10 mg its $11 a month! Check it out on GoodRX.

Stinking big pharma ripping off old, sick people.

Maybe just try taking an over the counter sleep medication like Unisom or Walmart brand Sleep Aid which has the exact same ingredient as Benadryl.....Unisom is stronger than Benadryl though....Worth a try

Hmmm hard to know that answer. sleep is important, i slept well when drinking a lot. however rarely drink the last several years. i had a friend who took ambien and lots of meds. and drank. she had blackouts while awake and middle of the night. i heard other friends mention nighttime blackouts with sleep meds.
Celestial Seasons tea used to have a tea called highland lullaby.
it would knock me out and sleep well. but cannot find it, maybe it was misused.
Exercise is still best for me to sleep and never matters if i do it late.
eating some carbs after evening workout is good for sleep too.
i do not have a weight issue , so late carbs ok.
if i find anything new will post it here.
2 hours a sleep day not good for me. , i add naps whenever possible. staying up and no naps maybe 3-4 hours sleep, but feels so tired and unhappy.
so i nap whenever. weekends etc.
will post if i find a tea like highland lullaby.

Do you have trouble falling asleep, or going back to sleep after waking during the night? I take Trazodone and Melatonin which help me fall asleep but haven't found an answer to getting back to sleep when I wake up in the middle of the night. I am fearful of taking stronger drugs, especially ones like Ambien where you can sleepwalk and be unaware of it.

What have you heard about Silenor? My sleep doctor has recommended several stronger meds but never this one, not sure why.