quote:

Originally posted by Warhorse:
My wife swears by THC gummies, 20mg strength, Indica strain. Sleeps like a baby!

THC or CBD? One gets you high, the other doesn't.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
My wife has trouble getting to sleep these days. I know we have more than a few members who have the same problem. Can anyone recommend a non-prescription sleep aid? No Ambien or anything like that, and not for use every day. I think if she could get one really good night's sleep a week, she'd be OK.

She tried melatonin and it was ineffective. Any ideas? Thanks

This is a fantastic product I use.

It's a shot in the dark as it's not clear why your wife can't sleep. It could be some chemical imbalance sixed with supplements, or stress, or other conditions like tinnitus. Below are things I have tried and worked for me.

1) For my tinnitus, YouTube has lots of raindrops video that at 10+ hours.

2) 2) Starting from the scalp on her head, have her concentrate on that part, take a deep breath, hold it, and tense up that part starting with the scalp. I know there's not much muscle control there. But it's just a warm up. Hold for a few moments, then exhale and relax.

Then you spread down to the next part down like your head. Take a deep breath. Tense up the scalp and your whole head. Feel your teeth clench, your jaws tighten. Hold your breath and tension for a few moments, then breath out and relax.

Take the same staps to include your shoulders, then your chest and upper arms, then add your stomack and lower arms. Then your upper legs, your lower legs, until you're holding your breath and your whole body is clenched including your toes. Usually, by this time, you're tired and sleeping as you exhale.

3) If she has a busy mind, then she has to think back to a time when she was very sleepy. Have her mind go back to that time, remember how your body was fatigued and tired, where you were lying down, remember the temperature, how your blanket felt against your body. Your mind starts remembering how you felt and it takes on the same feeling. It's similar to remembering something sad and you start to feel sad.

Sometimes, I had to think back to a time when I was trying to remember a time when I was sleepy. Engaging your mind this way crowds out whatever thoughts may be pushing themselves in the forefront of your mind.

quote:

For my tinnitus, YouTube has lots of raindrops video that at 10+ hours.

Have you seen the one youtube video about the ear massages and prodding that help reduce tinnitus? It works really well for me. Let me see if I can find it.

Figured this one out trying to cheat my way through the Bible reading.

Listen to the Bible on Youtube. Guy named Alexander Scorby I think. If you weren't asleep before that, you will be shortly. AND you are downloading the Bible into your subconscious. Win win.

Wife uses Tylenol PM on those nights when the ability to fall asleep is impaired.

The trusty SF medical trust advised Benadryl vs the PM medications so that seems like a good path, but I will say the TPM works well for her.

Also have relatives that use the Indica THC gummies, you can take about a 1/4 bite and it should be sufficient enough for good sound sleep without the high that comes with THC based gummies, all swear by them and in their mind, it's better than ingesting the chems in manufactured meds from Pharma.

The tips about changing lifestyle make sense such as no internet scrolling before or in bed, tv, no caffiene/sugar after 7 pm or so, maybe getting out walking and some exercise would help.

Good luck on finding a solution

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:

Also have relatives that use the Indica THC gummies, you can take about a 1/4 bite and it should be sufficient enough for good sound sleep without the high that comes with THC based gummies, all swear by them and in their mind, it's better than ingesting the chems in manufactured meds from Pharma.

From what I've read about those. The Legal Delta-8 & Delta-9 variant gummies. There's not a ton of oversight / Lab testing done on those. So I'd look for a manufacturer that that has independent testing done.

I had read some stuff about not really knowing exactly what you're getting or what's in them. But that may have been more on the vape side. Just going from memory. But a few guys I train BJJ with I've heard them mention 1/4 gummy treats them way better than prescription or OTC sleep meds.

If you are not morally or religiously opposed, a 3 oz glass of red wine a half hour or so before bed is very inducive to sleep.

Para, we've been dealing with this problem with my wife. We were referred to a very bright, knowledgeable NP at a sleep clinic, and she's had prescription drugs from a psychiatrist.
So I've done a lot of reading and research in medical literature on this, and have concluded that (1) there are no safe, effective OTC drugs, including Benadryl (look up anticholinergic burden) and melatonin.
Research indicated the safest prescription sleep aids, especially for seniors, are drugs in the dual orexin receptor antagonist (DORA) class: Belsomra, Dayvigo, and a few others. They are not addictive, are better at prolonging sleep (everything can get you to sleep, what do you do when you're wide awake at 3 a.m.?), and have few side effects. Somnolence is the main side effect, and that is dose-dependent.
Unfortunately this class of drugs is not used widely, so many primary care docs are not familiar with it.
They only know about benzodiazepines (e.g. Ambien, Ativan), and are afraid to prescribe them for regular use.

The other thing we've learned in the sleep clinic is that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) has better evidence of long-term effectiveness and safety than medications. There is a VA online course, but if you can find someone locally who deals with this, I think it would help your wife a lot.

A giant thanksgiving lunch does it for me, about 3000 calories.
Turkey, pumpkin pie, three veggies .

25 minutes later,
Out. !
Never fails.


I've never tried it at 9: p.m. though.

Get a good workout and then take some CALM @ 2 hours before bed. No electronics after the calm.

Calm reference, it's just magnesium and calcium, available at costcos and many local stores: https://www.amazon.com/Natural...lement/dp/B000WVYB8Y

Good luck! Like all things, it might or might not work for her, but sleep is a critical thing, and it's worth a try. BTW, don't overdue the calm, and it might make your bowels loose.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
My wife has trouble getting to sleep these days. I know we have more than a few members who have the same problem. Can anyone recommend a non-prescription sleep aid? No Ambien or anything like that, and not for use every day. I think if she could get one really good night's sleep a week, she'd be OK.

She tried melatonin and it was ineffective. Any ideas? Thanks

Para, sorry your wife is dealing with this.

I'll share, two years ago I developed insomnia and couldn't get to sleep. I would lay there all night tossing and turning and looking at the ceiling. I tried every OTC drug & supplement I could find, went to my own doctor who prescribed things like trazadone, Ambien, etc. and nothing worked.

I then went to a psychiatrist to see if he could figure it out. He prescribed stronger things with no results. Even tried CBT-I with no effect.

Finally, I was playing Dr. Google myself and found an article on sleep apnea causing insomnia. I did a home sleep test (lofta.com) and it showed I had severe sleep apnea. Ordered a CPAP and was able to fall asleep the first night and have been sleeping ever since. No more insomnia and it was solved the first night with the CPAP.

I hope she finds relief.

My wife uses Costco's 'Kirkland Sleep Aid'. It works for her. However, it makes me feel weird and lingers the next day so I don't use it.

I use Ibuprofen PM the Store brands
and they work for me

I know this is “Over the Counter” sleep aids, however, I need to add a cautionary story about ‘Ambien’!

My Internist, an MD, prescribed Ambien for me.

I took it about 8:00 one evening and slept for eight hours straight! Now, my wife is disabled following a hemmorhagic stroke complicated with dementia and requires 24 hour care (I cannot provide that due to back surgeries, being on a walker and complicated by being 83 this year.

Now, to make a long story longer, my wife’s caregiver told me the next morning that I got out of bed around 2:30 am, went to the kitchen and proceeded to cook some Chinese food and ate a quarter pound of English Stilton cheese, finally returning to bed around 5:00 am.

Ok - here is the problem: I have absolutely no memory of getting up, much less of cooking and eating! She was afraid to try to arouse me and just let it be!

It need not be said that I disposed of the Ambien after reading that one of the side effects may be somnambulism (sleep walking with amnesia - or, in my case, sleep-cooking). I pass this event to the group simply as a caution should you be prescribed Ambien…

My wife is a troubled sleeper and uses these, it allows her to sleep through the night and wake up without “brain fog” she would get with Benadryl.

https://sugarbearpro.com/produ...7K-xPEBoCMYUQAvD_BwE

I've always had trouble falling asleep, for the last couple of years I've been taking CBDMD brand sleep aid, no THC in it, just the other stuff that's not high inducing. works well, signed up for once a month shipment of 30 capsules, auto-pay discount totals around $23 per 30 days. well worth it to me.

I've found that listening to an Audible book is the best sleep aid. Rather than get frustrated from tossing and turning or drugs, I listen to a book. I set a timer so it doesn't drone on all night either. I used to try the TV but the flickering light and desire to see what was on the TV was counterproductive.

I also try not to drink or eat close to bedtime so I don't have a bathroom run early on.

I've been using Melatonin gummies. 10mg about 30 minutes before you want to zonk out.

I take one Magnesiun Glycinate and 3 Valerian Root or 3 Tryptophan. No side effects feel great in the morning.
I avoid caffeine like the plague unless I have a long drive and need the alertness.