Sleeping problems.

fancicoffee13

fancicoffee13

Senior Member
Location
Texas
Earlier this year, I started finding it hard to fall asleep. I waited a couple of hours and still wide awake. I have never had this problem before. So, I decided to buy OTC sleep aides. I tried melatonin, didn't help. I tried another one called Sleep 3 and it has 3 sleep aides in it, but last night it didn't help at all. I am a healthy 70 year old. Just wondering if this is just accepted part of getting older? I like getting my 7-8 hours of slleep which is what I am used to. I am not used to 5 hours of sleep. I don't know when it is time to see a doctor about this or what is stronger that is OTC.
 

JustBonee said:
Tart Cherry Juice helps sometimes .... it's a melatonin aid without taking pills.
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But, melatonin didn't seem to help by itself. So this juice helps melatonin work, like make it stronger?
 

Lewkat said:
If it continues, consult your doctor. Might just require a simple life adjustment.
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At one point, I almost decided to take a pain med, prescription tramadol to help me go to sleep. Don't worry, I didn't start going down that track. I think that would start a whole new problem.
 
I think melatonin is more for when you fall asleep but wake in the middle of the night. You take it then. Valeria is more for falling asleep in the first place.
Do you have to get up at a certain time? If not, follow your clock. Don't fight it because it makes it worse. Reading always puts me out. Or, I set the timer on the TV and watch news, not a show. News knocks me out.

Disclaimer: I ain't a doctor.
 
hearlady said:
I think melatonin is more for when you fall asleep but wake in the middle of the night. You take it then. Valeria is more for falling asleep in the first place.
Do you have to get up at a certain time? If not, follow your clock. Don't fight it because it makes it worse. Reading always puts me out. Or, I set the timer on the TV and watch news, not a show. News knocks me out.

Disclaimer: I ain't a doctor.
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Hey, I love that idea. I will give it a try. I like reading, it tends to make me sleepy. May try that sleepy time tea along with it. Thanks
 
fancicoffee13 said:
But, that's a tea. What's in it to help you sleep? I clicked on the link, it appears to just be a soothing tea at night.
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Chamomile and valerian. Other ingredients are mostly for flavor.

I suffered from insomnia for most of my life. (Surprisingly, it's much better now.) Nothing ever helped, walks, baths, sleep aids.... Melotonin made me feel weird the next day.

The best thing I could do was lie in the dark and try to rest my eyes and my body, and MAYBE fall asleep. Also, not worry about what lack of sleep was doing to me, as worrying just kept me awake.

We are all different, so try different things. Good luck!
 
I am age 80 going on 81. I have a similar problem with sleep. I take half a Xanax pill (dose = 0.25 mg) occasionally. It does wonders for sleep. At this minimal dose taken only occasionally (i.e., not every day) it is not addictive. My doctor prescribes this. The cost is zilch.
 
Besides the cherry juice, walnuts are said to be (possibly) helpful. I eat over a pound a week on my oatmeal. If nothing else, they are good for you.

My experience with Diphenhydramine HCL (Benadryl) is that it might help on one night but then the following night it becomes even harder to fall asleep so you are tempted to keep taking it. And it is said to negatively affect memory. So I rarely take it now, as in maybe once every few months.
 
hearlady said:
Valeria is more for falling asleep in the first place.
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It is called Valerian, and is helpful for sleep, I found;
However, be aware that one must be a bit careful with it, if you get depressions. The same relaxant effect on the central nervous system, that it has that helps sleep, could possibly exacerbate depression in some of us.
 
I'm taking three otc sleep aid (WinCo generic) every night. Sometimes I get through the night, or like last week, woke at midnight (bed was 9:30 pm) so futzed around for 2 hours till second dose hit.

It's really rare that happens, but I know from my last hospital stay, I've got some sleep apnea and probably should see a doctor....
 
Fancicoffee: Do you nap during the day? Nap time is included in the "recommended "7 to 8 hours" of sleep.

My husband use to complain about difficulty falling alseep - his doctor told him to include afternoon "dozing in front of the TV" in the recommended 7 hours of sleep.
 

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