Sleeping Pills

Have you tried sleep hygiene principles or realaxation techniques?

General tips for sleeping better (often called 'Sleep Hygiene')

The following are commonly advised to help promote sleep and are often all that is necessary:


- Reduce caffeine - do not have any food, drugs, or drinks that contain caffeine or other stimulants for six hours before bedtime (see above). Some people have found that cutting out caffeine completely through the entire day has helped.
- Do not smoke within six hours before bedtime.
- Do not drink alcohol within six hours before bedtime.
- Do not have a heavy meal just before bedtime (although a light snack may be helpful).
- Do not do any strenuous exercise within four hours of bedtime (but exercise earlier in the day is helpful).

Body rhythms - try to get into a routine of wakefulness during the day, and sleepiness at night. The body becomes used to rhythms or routines. If you keep to a pattern, you are more likely to sleep well. Therefore:
- No matter how tired you are, do not sleep or nap during the day.
- It is best to go to bed only when sleepy-tired in the late evening.
- Switch the light out as soon as you get into bed.
- Always get up at the same time each day, seven days a week, however short the time asleep. Use an alarm to help with this. Resist the temptation to 'lie-in' - even after a poor night's sleep. Do not use weekends to 'catch up' on sleep, as this may upset the natural body rhythm that you have got used to in the week.

- The bedroom should be a quiet, relaxing place to sleep.
- It should not be too hot, cold, or noisy.
- Earplugs and eye shades may be useful if you are sleeping with a snoring or wakeful partner.
- Make sure the bedroom is dark with good curtains to stop early morning sunlight.
- Don't use the bedroom for activities such as work, eating or television.
- Consider changing your bed if it is old, or not comfortable.
- Hide your alarm clock under your bed. Many people will 'clock watch' and this does not help you to get off to sleep.

Mood and atmosphere - try to relax and 'wind down' with a routine before going to bed. For example:
- A stroll followed by a bath, some reading, and a warm drink (without caffeine) may be relaxing in the late evening.
- Do not do anything that is mentally demanding within 90 minutes of going to bed - such as studying.
- Go to bed when sleepy-tired.
- Some people find playing soft music is helpful at bedtime. Try a player with a time switch that turns the music off after about 30 minutes.
- If you cannot get off to sleep after 20-30 minutes - then get up. Go into another room, and do something else such as reading or watching TV rather than brooding in bed. Go back to bed when sleepy. You can repeat this as often as necessary until you are asleep. (I found this really helpful! Don't stay lying in bed, getting increasingly frustrated and anxious!)

Relaxation techniques

These aim to reduce your mental and physical arousal before going to bed. Relaxation techniques may help even if you are not anxious, but find it hard to get off to sleep. There are a number of techniques. For example, progressive muscular relaxation has been shown to help promote sleep. This technique consists of tensing and relaxing various muscle groups in sequence. See separate leaflet called 'Relaxation Exercises' where it is described more fully.

Your GP or a counsellor may be able to recommend a tape or CD that takes you through deep breathing exercises, and other methods to help you relax.


Daytime exercise

Regular daytime exercise can help you to feel more relaxed and tired at bedtime. This may help you to sleep better. (However, you should not do exercise near to bedtime if you have insomnia.) If possible, do some exercise on most days. Even a walk in the afternoon or early evening is better than nothing. However, ideally, you should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on five or more days a week.

Moderate exercise means that you get warm and slightly out of breath. You do not need to go to a gym! Brisk walking, jogging, cycling, climbing stairs, heavy DIY, heavy gardening, dancing, and heavy housework are all moderate-intensity physical exercises. See separate leaflet called 'Physical Activity For Health' for more details.

Although exercise to improve sleep is often thought of as 'common sense' - there is some research evidence to back this up. One research study looked at some older people with primary insomnia. The study compared a group of people who embarked on a programme of moderate intensity exercise to a group who did not exercise. After 16 weeks, on average, the 'exercise group' had a significantly improved quality of sleep, a reduced time taken to fall to sleep, and an increased time spent asleep, compared with the group who did not do exercise. (See references at the end for details.)

http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Insomnia-Poor-Sleep.htm

I have periods when I sleep very badly (thank God, I have not had problems for a while).
I have never tried actual sleeping tablets, although I have tried herbal remedies. They seemed to work okay, although they seemed to make me feel a little hazy in the mornings.

Have you spoken to your doctor about your sleep problems?

Some sleeping pills have serious consequences, please be careful brotha InshaAllah. Tried Chamomile'Tea?

When you have a spare few days try sleeping at a set time (like 11pm) and waking up a set time (6 or 7 am) regardless of if you slept or not. The first night you may lay awake and only end up sleeping an hour or 2, but that's ok because you will be more tired for the next night. Within a day or 2 your sleep pattern should be less chaotic insha'Allah.

If you are going to take sleeping pills, you really should have them be prescribed by a qualified and competent doctor. I myself take Trazodone because it is the only thing in the entire world (including other sleeping pills) that is at all close to being sure to get me to sleep.

format_quote Originally Posted by Yahya Sulaiman

Trazodone

trazadone can cause priapism (rare but very serious side effect) I hope you are aware and has the same anticholinergic side effects found in your regular old allergy pill like benadryl ..unless you are taking it for depression, that is an odd choice for a sleeping pill and an odd choice for depression. I am writing this because that is a very bad option for the OP hopefully his physician wouldn't prescribe it.

for the OP--Sleep hygiene was discussed here before in a different thread and that is what people should try first. I hope people are also aware that taking any sleeping pill will cut down on your REM sleep and you'll have a rebound effect after stopping, that is even addiction doesn't develop in the process which is a bigger misery to deal with.

Try staying awake after fajr and do rigorous exercise (running a mile or two)- I guarantee you'll be knocked out by isha time provided you do the same thing everyday!

format_quote Originally Posted by ProfessorSunday

Yes, I am a little worried about the addiction issue. Nope never tried it...what does it taste like?

It tastes nice, what it does is it helps u relax n sleep. Camomile has glycine which is known for its soothing effect on the nerves. Twinnings has a good range of organic tea. We usually get camomile with honey/ or Camomile with vanila or pure camomile.

Some of us, vale's lily, don't have any choice at all. I said I have tried everything and I mean it, and nothing else works. However, every physiology is different. Our reactions to drugs (at least seen collectively) are probably as unique as our fingerprints. That is why I encouraged medical diagnosis and recommendation. In person, I mean.

format_quote Originally Posted by Yahya Sulaiman

and nothing else works

this always works wonders

both in the kitchen and to the back of the head

disclaimer: I am not advocating violence-- just wanted to interject with my own brand of humor..

Now there's something that will inhibit REM! :P

How many hours sleep a night do you manage on, Yahya Sulaiman?

format_quote Originally Posted by glo

How many hours sleep a night do you manage on, Yahya Sulaiman?

It varies too much and too unpredictably to even estimate, except that it's less than average.

format_quote Originally Posted by ProfessorSunday

I was sleeping fine today but I tried to wake up but I couldn't wake up? It was like a dream but I couldn't wake up? It wasn't a nice feeling. This never happened before.

I have no idea what you're talking about.

Well I was sleeping. I was trying to wake up but I couldn't wake up. I did some research and its called sleep paralysis.