Can Not Sleep

[john999]

When you don't get sleepy until 5 am you might as well stay up until the regular time to go to bed and reset your clock. Your clock is now set to go to sleep at 5am and wake up at 1pm. You want to reset it. It is hard. I have had horrible sleep problems for years and I fight to try and stay on schedule even if I am half dead. If you sleep schedule gets switched from days to nights it is hard to get it switched back.

My other advice is to try and get some sun and talk a walk during the day. That helps to set you clock. We are animals that existed in nature by hunting during the day and hiding in caves at night. Our biology has not changed that much. Up until a few hundred years ago 99% of the population went to sleep when it got dark and woke up at dawn.

John

[red]

Just a udate, I spoke to va doc who told me he was certain it was the stess that I go thorugh that has stopped me from sleeping. He prescribed a new med, hydroxyzine. I picked it up yesterday afternoon, took 50 mg at 11:00pm and at 2:20am had not slept a wink. I took 50mg more and fell aseep within 20min and slept to 11:00pm. This is a non narcotic, non addictive med. I hope it will continue to work. Has anyone out there taken this, is so what results did you receive. Thanks.

[jvretiredvet]

I hope this works for you.

When you wrote "a new med, hydroxyine", I hope you mean a new medication for you. This drug, also known as Vistaril or Atarax http://en.wikipedia....iki/Hydroxyzine has been around for many, many, maannnyyyy years.

It is an early model of an antihistamine, and as such, has a major side effect of sedation. Other antihistamines commonly used for sedation are diphehydramine (Benadryl) and doxylamine. (doxylamine give me a hangover).

Again, I hope this continues to work for you. However, I suggest you look for some non-pharmacological coping measures.

Just a udate, I spoke to va doc who told me he was certain it was the stess that I go thorugh that has stopped me from sleeping. He prescribed a new med, hydroxyzine. I picked it up yesterday afternoon, took 50 mg at 11:00pm and at 2:20am had not slept a wink. I took 50mg more and fell aseep within 20min and slept to 11:00pm. This is a non narcotic, non addictive med. I hope it will continue to work. Has anyone out there taken this, is so what results did you receive. Thanks.

[red]

Yes, just a new med for me. Not suppose to be habit forming or have kind of narcotic in it..

[red]

Can you give me an example of non-pharmacological coping measures. Thanks