Question by Miharu R: How can I get to sleep without sleeping pills?
Why can’t I fall asleep without a sleeping pill?
Okay so I wake up at 6:30 AM and I go through my school day etc…. and it gets down to be 11:00 PM and I lay there for about a hour and I can’t sleep at all. I’ve never slept a day in four years without a sleeping pill except when I stay at my friends. I try and try put I just won’t fall asleep at all. Please tell me why this happens and how to fix it.
Best answer:
Answer by Ada
This may seem a bit off the wall, but I have suffered from a problem like this as well. For about the last 7 years. I’ve tried ambien as well as unisom.
Ambien has most of its users on the brink of hallucination, so…..it was a bit too strong for me. Unisom is much like tylenol pm, in that it makes you feel drunk and very groggy in the morning.
My all time preference is medical marijuana, indica’s in particular. It’s way better than pills and you don’t have to worry about that groggy feeling in the morning. Cannabis allows me to relax and fall asleep. However, in most places its illegal.
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Sounds serious to me, if you have to depend on sleeping pills for 4 years ? Have you seen a therapist or a psychiatrist ? You are addicted to sleeping pills by now. Long term sleeping aids should be given sparingly along with anti-depressant.
Why ? you must be a high achiever, in other words a Type A person.
Anxiety brought on by your demanding school work, and your mind probably doesn’t rest at all.
Anyway I also have occasional insomnia since I was in college, mainly anxiety and added academic pressure kept me toss and turn.
Now I’m not in school, it’s the job that keeps me awake from time to time.
I’d tried various methods, for I don’t like to take any chemical addictive sleeping agent.
For me meditation and regular exercises everyday work the best, there are many kinds as you are aware, the one that works for me is a mindful meditation, I find the most comfortable position in my comfy reclining couch and I close the room door and keep a low night light. I cover my eyes with a bandana, I quietly mentally repeat peaceful words I’d leanred from an Indian yogi. It took me several months to stay at it for 30 minutes to one hour. I also do mini meditations during the day at work even for 5 min to refresh my cluttered mind.
I walk briskly after supper at least two hours prior to bed, I don’t watch TV I even turn my phones off at 8 PM.
When I return from walk, I do my towel bath quickly, and ready for 30min-one hour meditation. I usually fall asleep after 15 min -1/2 an hour. I get up and head for bed. On weekends my meditation can last an hour at a time. Do I sound like a freak ? no. I’m in med profession, practice Integrative Medicine.
Self help with a guidance is the key to combat your insomnia in the long run.
Hope you discover secrets that work for you, for we are all very unique being.
Marijuana. You *do* know that you are addicted to sleeping pills, right? You might need to get help for that…
Try to meditate before you go to bed. It will clear your head, relax you and make it easier to fall asleep.
I’ve had sleep issues for years and I can tell you from experience that you do sound like you have grown dependent on sleeping pills – even if they are over the counter. I’ve collected tips over the years for falling asleep naturally – just wrote an article about it:
http://healthmad.com/conditions-and-diseases/steps-for-getting-a-good-nights-sleep/