Insomnia

[Phill]

Its ruined my life since high school. Last year and a half with 7 nights a week of 10mg Ambien was like being born again. Unbelievable energy. Lately it stopped working. Got switched to Atvian. It doesn't seem to do much of anything. I had 2.5mg 30 min ago and couldnt count sheep long enough. Wondering if taking another .5 is a bad idea, or if taking an Ambien is a good idea.

Any other long time insomniacs outthere? What worked best for you

[Plainview]

Get drunk then jerk off.

[Dhelihiker]

WEED

[4matic]

Ambien still works for me but I need to take breaks and my basic dose is 5mg. 10mg when I really need sleep. And, any caffeine during the day affects me. Even morning coffee.

[capulin overdrive]

Get off your ass and do something!

Go bang hookers and do blow all night, sleep will come sooner or later.

[mcski]

Benadryl is cheap and works for me. You might want to explore other health issues w your doc if the insomnia keeps up. Ambien builds up in system overtime iirc. No Bueno

[AK47bp]

Indica

[wooley12]

Don't think about what you did or about what you HAVE to do. Think about what you are going to do. Use visualization to practice skiing your favorite slope in your favorite conditions. Weed works too.

This is all over the net but it takes a few weeks of practice

[AK47bp]

Indica

Sativa makes my mind race so actually only Indica help me sleep, helps that lower back pain too.

[narc]

Try Quetiapine (Seroquel). This stuff knocks me for six, the first time I took it and must have overdone it because I woke up at 3pm the next day.

[Tuckerman]

Get drunk then jerk off.

Its Bro science.

[bagtagley]

And, any caffeine during the day affects me. Even morning coffee.

This was a painful realization for me. The only way I can drink coffee is if it's a small amount, early in the morning, and followed by liberal intake of weed. I drink a cup of black tea every morning, and it's as much caffeine as I can handle. I typically have to take a week off every once in a while, too.

[riser4]

Get drunk then jerk off.

And if you still don't fall asleep, at least you got drunk and rubbed one out.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Sativa makes my mind race so actually only Indica help me sleep, helps that lower back pain too.

You know I felt the same but then I tried some Shaman and for a Sativa it produces a high with none of the mind racing, no anxiety and has a very nice effect for chronic chest and back pain from injuries. I can work outside, run errands, exercise and if I'm tired I can take a nap or go to sleep. The strain really lives up to it's name, it's very medicinal.

[mntlion]

look on the bright side?

[Pegleg]

No great advice, other than to say I hear you. I've had insomnia for the last 8 years and it can be crippling. Mine comes and goes and seems to be related to my sympathetic nervous system being unable to calm enough to sleep; when I'm having an episode, I don't necessarily feel stressed, my thoughts aren't racing or anything, yet I can't seem to make that leap from drifting to actual sleep. I'll literally lay awake the entire night. There's nothing worse than the feeling of realizing your alarm is about to go off and you literally haven't slept a wink, for multiple days in a row.

I'm usually able to manage it with Ambien (5mg), the key being I only take it for a few nights and then I try to sleep on my own for a couple of nights. If that doesn't work, a couple more nights of Ambien, then try again. Usually within a couple of weeks I can get back to sleeping without it, until the next episode anyway (which usually happen a few months apart).

You might also try melatonin (the ones you dissolve under your tongue, available at Whole Foods, Vitamin Cottage, Pharmaca, and places like that). It's gentler than Ambien but it works better than any other "natural" product that I've tried.

Good luck, true insomnia sucks, and the advice to "just smoke weed," "get more exercise," etc. doesn't help with the kind I have. I get plenty of exercise, I've tried getting insomnia-specific indica strains from the medical pot shop, and it doesn't help.

[iceman]

I don't generally have trouble sleeping but sometimes when traveling I'll take a sleep aid for a couple days to try to re-set and avoid jet lag. Ambien doesn't do a thing for me, it's like I didn't take anything at all. But Lunesta knocks my ass out. Might be worth a try for those not getting results with Ambien.

[Beery]

If ur not acclimated to weed, I'd find some serious indica for the bad nights. If u never indulge it's going to work even better. Natures tranquilizer! I go through manic stages, and ambien only makes me feel weird. It could take a Valium, Xanax or some generic tranquilizer.

[GeezerSteve]

I deal with it sorta like PegLeg, although less Ambien (bite off 1/3 of a 10mg tab, place under tongue) along with a couple chewable melatonin. Just melatonin some nights, nothing some nights.

Best o' luck, Phill

[AK47bp]

You know I felt the same but then I tried some Shaman and for a Sativa it produces a high with none of the mind racing, no anxiety and has a very nice effect for chronic chest and back pain from injuries. I can work outside, run errands, exercise and if I'm tired I can take a nap or go to sleep. The strain really lives up to it's name, it's very medicinal.

Thanks. I'll check that one out.

I don't have insomnia, just one of those people that take an hour to fall asleep and wake up 3 hours later wide awake, toss and turn another 2 hours until the alarm goes off.

I found recently that if I use my indica vape pen an hour before bed I fall asleep in about 20 minutes and usually hit the 5 hour mark before the toss and turning.

Also can't use sleeping pills because they make me feel like shit the next day, would rather be tired than groggy and irritable.

[GeezerSteve]

Also can't use sleeping pills because they make me feel like shit the next day

I've never heard of Ambien doing that. Contrast OTC sleeping pills (antihistamine) hangover.

[AK47bp]

I've never heard of Ambien doing that. Contrast OTC sleeping pills (antihistamine) hangover.

Sorry I meant OTC pills. They suck

[gonzo_lives]

Benadryl works for me and is not addictive like ambien.
Doxylamine is the antihistamine in Nyquil and is a bit stronger.1/2 pill is enough.
Valerian also works

Meditation methods to observe your thoughts without following them is better than any drug.

[Gcooker]

Benadryl only works for me if I fall asleep as soon as I get the Benadryl haze going, if, for whatever reason I don't, I'm tossing and turning all night. Same goes for Nyquil/neocitron etc.

[GeezerSteve]

Benadryl works for me and is not addictive like ambien.

[ETA: According to 3 MDs who I have consulted on the matter and other sources], Ambien is not addictive and is less susceptible to habituation than other sleep aids. Mayo Clinic says:

It's unlikely you'll become dependent on zolpidem (Ambien). Ambien and similar sleep medications are effective and much less likely to be habit-forming than are some other drugs sometimes prescribed for sleep problems — for example, benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan) or temazepam (Restoril).