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Sleep medicines not working?

Posted , 2 users are following.

Truth8
Truth8

Many of us suffer from sleep problems and while most people think the inability to fall asleep is the only sleep disorder, but actually even restless leg syndrome and excessive sleepiness during the day can be indicative of underlying sleep problems.

A lot of times, the medicines we take stop working effectively. Increasing the dosage or changing the pill is hardly the solution. I would recommend trying other alternatives like working on getting your circadian rhythm right, practicing relaxation techniques and meditation. Some people have found ASMR helpful too. This science article outlines some tips and might probably help you know what kind of sleep problem you are suffering form, so you can tackle it correctly - https://factdr.com/health-conditions/sleep-disorders/

Do share your thoughts.

0 likes, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • john94307
    john94307 Truth8

    Posted

    For me, I have some respiratory and GI issues that I believe are causing my insomnia.  I have a pretty routine sleep schedule, typically 9:30 to 11:00 pm I will go to bed.  My issue is that I wake up early and am unable to fall back asleep once I wake up.  About 4 months ago, I was consistently waking up at 3:30-4:00 am with a racing heart and nausea.  This has subsided somewhat.  I now wake up between 5:00 and 6:30 am.  I typically get about 5 to 7 hours of sleep a night.  For whatever reason, I have not been able to sleep for an 8-hour period since my breathing issues began in January after the flu.  I was initially taking lorazepam (0.5 mg) at night, then switched over to Ambien (7.5 mg).  I try to alternate between the two so as to not develop tolerance.  I am now taking lorazepam again (but increased dose to 0.75 mg) and it has helped me to stay asleep. 
    • Truth8
      Truth8 john94307

      Posted

      Long term dependence on medicines are never good. The only way then is to increase the dosage and even battle side-effects. I used to get bouts of breathlessness when I had the flu, and strangely it would strike at the same time every morning. I circumvented that by waking up a few minutes earlier! The problem got solved once my flu subsided. 

      About your GI issues, do you make sure you eat at least 3 hours before hitting the bed? If your supper is heavy or carb-rich, even 3 hours is not sufficient to digest it, specially if you have GI issues.

      When you wrote about waking up at specific hours, I got reminded of the TCM body clock. They say each body part detoxifies at a specific time, and if you wake up at a fixed time every night, you probably have issues with that organ. I do not have the authority to comment on Chinese medicine, but you can look it up. You might find something helpful! 

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