Drugs to Improve the Quality of Sleep.

[mgrady3]

I'd not suggest coffee/espresso in the morning first thing for people; been there done that. I know it works well for some people but its harsh on your stomach and you can just as easily wind up co-dependent (some sleep aid at night and coffee immediately in the am).

Exercise is one thing that may seem counter intuitive in the morning but tis a good way to get your body and mind functioning quickly. I know some people's schedules can't fit this in but it helps a lot of people. Eating a healthy diet, getting enough exercise, staying hydrated, keeping a semi-normal sleep schedule, and avoiding excess of stimulants is a solid path towards better sleep but this in and of itself can't help everyone.

If you've got underlying issues with depression or anxiety there's only so much that a good diet and exercise can do (although maybe thats all some people need).

I have yet to find any drug or sleep aid that I found to whole heartedly improve the quality of sleep I get. Any number or combination of things (weed, benzos, alcohol, anti-histamines, remeron, trazadone, z-drugs, kava, melatonin, valerian, etc...) can knock me out but none of those, at least imo, improve the quality of sleep I get. Some help me sleep with the least bit of detriment to sleep quality but none really improve it. I guess if i had to pick anything I'd say melatonin was the least harmful but even with melatonin I don't really see my sleep improving.

I find clonazepam or temazepam, or both to help me the most. I've done what I can to keep my tolerance down and I don't feel that they are too detrimental to sleep quality so over all they are helping. Certainly not a long term solution but it works for the time being and I'm well aware and acting to control the issue of tolerance/addiction.

 

[Doug2113]

My issue with the exercising is chronic pain. I can't even attempt to twist my back, even slowly, to try and pop it until my meds have fully kicked in in the mornings. Also, I've found painkillers help me sleep better because of the amount of pain I'm in while I'm out. I just recently learned this, but my mom told me I moan in my sleep. Kind of an alarming thing to hear.

 

[Atheus]

Everyone's got such a different experience with melatonin, and not just here, but on every other site, and with everyone I've talked to who's used it. I've heard everything from stimulant effects to sedation to mood enhancement to dreams which resemble DMT trips... does anyone know what it actually _does_ to the brain?

Just be careful with 5-HTP I had the most horrific nightmare whilst taking the stuff, I'm not normally affected much by these normallytheses , in that I have them but they don't upset me. Clearly no point trying to describe this one, bit worse still I was away from home.

The positive effects you get in the first couple of weeks seem to fade quickly IME, some people have talked about 2 weeks on and 2 weeks etc, just be aware its quite a potent substance even though they sell it in Holland and Barret!

Similarly with this one, I'd love to increase my seratonin levels in a sustainable healthy way, but it's stories like this that put me off. Did they do long term studies on 5-HTP before it became available to the public?

quick-fix sedative-hypnotics, specifically the hypnotic benzodiazepines

Really? Even low dose Diazepam? I did not know that... Thanks! That might explain why I can hardly drag my sorry arse out of bed in the morning these days...

 

[dickbutt]

lyrica seems to kind of work, but it only works for a few days for me.. then i start getting poor quality sleep again