Anything You Take to Fall Asleep?

Diet and Nutrition
1

Not sure if this is the right place to post on this. I know ZMA has been used, but I usually have a serving of protein before bedtime, so I think the calcium would block it (maybe the protein is the issue?) I don’t want to take anything habit forming, I know there are those teas which help you wind down too. I already use pre-workout drinks a couple times a week, I don’t want this to start to feel like I am taknig uppers and downers.

The problem is I am a pretty light sleeper. Lately my wife of 5 months and I have been going to bed at different times. She hates to go to bed if she is not dead tired, so she lately has been staying up when I am ready. She works from home, I drive to work, so I have to get up earlier than her. I also train with weights (obviously), she just does cardio a few times a week. On weekends, she also can sleep as late as noontime, me I can’t sleep past 10 normally. Different demands, I guess.

Anyways, when it is bedtime for her, she is too noisy in my opinion. It wakes me up then I have trouble falling back asleep. She gets defensive if I talk to her about it, thinking it is my responsibility if I can’t fall asleep. Geez, thanks for the concern babe! Of course, she’ll complain about how much she needs her sleep on weekends. During the week should be more important I would think.

So I don’t know, maybe I am lacking certain nutrients or something? I don’t think the pre-workout should affect me throughout the week.

2

Melatonin ~

3

[quote]JLone wrote:
Melatonin ~

[quote]
Melatonin is a hormone made by the pineal gland camera, a small gland in the brain. Melatonin helps control your sleep and wake cycles. Very small amounts of it are found in foods such as meats, grains, fruits, and vegetables. You can also buy it as a supplement.
What does natural melatonin do in the body?

Melatonin supplements are sometimes used to treat jet lag or sleep problems (insomnia). Scientists are also looking at other good uses for melatonin, such as:

-Treating seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
-Helping to control sleep patterns for people who work night shifts.
-Preventing or reducing problems with sleeping and confusion after surgery.
-Reducing chronic cluster headaches.

It may be that melatonin, when taken as a supplement, can stop or slow the spread of cancer, make the immune system stronger, or slow down the aging process. But these areas need more research.

In most cases, melatonin supplements are safe in low doses for short-term and long-term use. But be sure to talk with your doctor about taking them.

Melatonin does have side effects. But they will go away when you stop taking the supplement. Side effects may include:

Sleepiness.
Lower body temperature.
Vivid dreams.
Morning grogginess.
Small changes in blood pressure.

If melatonin makes you feel drowsy, do not drive or operate machinery when you are taking it.

During health exams, tell your doctor if you are taking melatonin. And tell your doctor if you are having trouble sleeping (insomnia), because it may be related to a medical problem.

In adults, melatonin is taken in doses from 0.2 to 20.0 mg, based on the reason for its use. The right dose varies widely from one person to another. Talk to your doctor to learn the right dosage and to find out if melatonin is right for you.
Where can you find melatonin as a supplement?
[/quote][/quote]

Good point, I have read about that before. I wonder if it is safe to use in a program that includes pre-workout energy drinks? I could take the melatonin on days I don’t take stims.

4

Hey man, just be careful with Melatonin since it is a hormone and it might mess your system up if you go overboard with it. Take it from personal experience here.

I too am a light sleeper (especially during weekdays), and the fact that I work out at night doesn’t help.
I’ve tried a lot of things, but most either didn’t do much or did too much to the point I was dragging ass on the next day.

Here’s what worked:

  1. Magnesium, around 400mg-500mg with my last meal (which is around 2 hours before I hit the sack) - I bought the Magnesium + Zinc + Calcium combo and have become a huge fan of this;
  2. L-Theanine, close to bedtime as well
  3. Dramin B6 - I do understand this is a OTC drug for nausea but it knocks me out everytime and keeps me from waking up. I do not use it everyday.
  4. Melatonin, try keeping it between 1-1.5mg - sometimes even less. I’ve taken up to 3g and that is unecessary and crazy. This is another one I do not take everyday and continued use fucks me up. There are several studies saying you don’t really need more than 1mg per night.

The list goes on however this is what has worked for me. Just keep in mind sometimes adding supplements is only a half measure and will not address the real issue. Maybe you should try slowing down as it gets close to bed time - watch some boring tv, read a book, stay away from cellphones and computers, dim the lights and so on.

Good luck man.

5

I’m not sure how much of a fan of herbal tea you are, but valerian tea works astonishingly well for falling asleep (for me, at least) and tastes great (again, my subjective view).

Like the other posters, I’ve also found a quality magnesium supplement to be essential. Experiment first with the dosage to ensure that you don’t wake up with an explosive GI tract.

Also, it’s an obvious tip, but if your wife is too loud for you to fall asleep, try wearing comfortable earplugs (and don’t hold your different sleeping patterns against her!). Could save some marital challenges down the road. :slight_smile:

6

[quote]Brant2 wrote:
4. Melatonin, try keeping it between 1-1.5mg - sometimes even less. I’ve taken up to 3g and that is unecessary and crazy. This is another one I do not take everyday and continued use fucks me up. There are several studies saying you don’t really need more than 1mg per night.
[/quote]
@OP, I have found through trial and error that 2.5mg sublingual from “Source Naturals” to be the best. Normal doses range from 1-5mg per tablet at most vitamin stores and like all supplements some brands suck and some are consistently good.

I also think it is important to start small, as Brant said, and work your way up. 1mg is a good starting point if you buy a quality supplement.

EDIT:
I probably goes without saying but when I said, “work your way up”, I did not mean strive to take more over time. I meant that you should find the optimum dose that will put you to sleep but won’t leave you groggy in the morning or any of the other side effects.

7

I tried several things over the years and nothing seemed to work very well for me.
Recently I stumbled onto NyQuil ZZZQuil. You can buy it over the counter at any drug store, and is non habit forming.
Just like taking a dose of NyQuil, this is strictly for sleeping only. One cap full of this berry tasting liquid right before bed and I sleep right thru the entire night.
You may want to give it a try.

8

try Biotest’s z12 -has a lot of good reviews

9

I second the Valerian tea. I have sleepy time tea that has Valerian in it and a dropper full of Valerian extract and I sleep like a babay. The tea itself is called sleepy time, not my name…

10

Quick note - NyQuil ZZZQuil is just liquid Diphenhydramine, which is the scientific name for good old Benadryl,

A lot cheaper to just buy a 400 count bottle of Generic Benadryl at Costco!!!

I am curious to hear some more ideas, anyone have those crazy melatonin dreams from taking like 5mg?

Totally agree that it is one of those things to take lesser then suggested!!!

11

Explain these crazy dreams you speak of…

12

Ha Ha, it was just real vivid dreams, it was like you were in a cartoon, it was crazy!!!
I still take it on occasion, but the dreams are not like they were when I first started taking it, but I also only take 1mg caps.

I tried Ambien also and that stuff leaves you you groggy and hung over like, would not take it again.

I also tried Phenibut, but that is one you just take 1,000 mg at most and only do that once in a while.

I sympathize with the original poster on feeling like you do not get enough sleep or just have crazy insomonia.

I think Benadryl works really well, but I take it for my allergies so it does not work 100% to knock me out.

13

Progesterone is good for sleep and joints as well. Just throwing it out there. Not that I expect anybody to rush out and get any, though it’s very cheap and legal (transdermal creams). Wild yam has many of the same effects I believe. Not a lot of good info on this in men, but interestingly men have about the same amount as women during 1/2 the month & levels decrease with age. It also has an inhibitory effect on estrogen.

14

I am an extremely light sleeper as well. Suffered with chronic sleep deprivation for years. I swear, someone could cough across the street and I would wake up and be unable to fall asleep for the rest of the night. Imagine being in a college town, which is particularly noisy - needless to say, sleep was hard to come by.

In addition to everything that has already been stated here, the thing that impacted my sleep the most significantly was the use of ear plugs. And no, not those shitty foam ones that you can find at any store that constantly fall out, but the wax ones that you can mold to the shape of your ear canal. Something like these: http://www.amazon.com/Ohropax-Wax-Ear-Plugs-plugs/dp/B0006NXBVQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382075948&sr=8-1&keywords=Wax+earplugs

Seriously, give these a try. It’s amazing what a difference not waking up at every little noise can make.

Other things I have tried as well:
ZMA: good for crazy dreams, didn’t seem to help me fall asleep any faster though.
Melatonin 1-2mg: decreases the time it takes to fall asleep, allows for deeper sleep, but left me feeling drowsy/fatigued for the following day.
Kirkland Sleep aid: can buy this on amazon or at Costco. This stuff really works, it’s an antihistamine (like Benadryl). I only used it occasionally though (1-2x a week) because it often left me feeling sleepy and “out of it” the following day.
Biotest Z12: by far my favorite, I take a low dose (1 capsule) almost daily, and I may bump it up to 2-3 capsules on the weekend. This, in addition to the earplugs, has vastly improved the quality of my sleep

From my experience:
1 capsule - will help you feel slightly more relaxed, allowing you to nod off a bit easier. Wake up feeling refreshed.
2 capsules - will allow for a deeper relaxation, deeper sleep. Wake up feeling relaxed.
3 capsules - will knock me out, can easily sleep for 8-9 hours. Upon waking, you feel as if you have just awoken from the greatest slumber of your life.
4 capsules - have not attempted.

15

Z12 + ZMA

16

Z-12 all the way. I usually take 1 or 2 pills…very rarely 3. I have crazy, vivid dreams too. I feel like I recover better also.

17

Stay away from ambien, it is useless. In clinical studies, subjects slept LESS than those on placebo, but reported sleeping longer. Apparently it causes short-term amnesia, so you don’t remember laying awake as long.

Having said that, I took one ambien one night in Iraq, didn’t sleep a wink - just rolled over and over all night staring at the walls and ceiling. Next night, I took 2 Ambien and a flexeril, slept like a baby. Woke up feeling good, no groggy, hungover feeling whatsoever. My corpsman about had a heart attack when I told him. “Dude! Don’t do that!”

18

I like Z-12 but only use it sparingly (like once a week or so), as I find you develop a tolerance to it if you use it on a regular basis. Interestingly, it doesn’t help me FALL asleep. It just makes me sleep like the dead once I do fall asleep, and wake up like I was awoken from another world. (I usually use 3 or 4 capsules.) I’m a little groggy for a short time in the morning, but once I fully wake up I’m totally refreshed. No sleep-deprived feeling at all! I used it on the occasional night when I just haven’t been getting enough sleep in recent nights and just really need a good night’s sleep.

I use melatonin (4.5 mg) maybe 2 nights per week.

I find L-theanine works well, but again, only if not used too often, and for me it takes a lot (1,000 mg), which gets pricey.

I’ll go through periods where I’ll use 100 mg of 5-HTP every night, which is somewhat helpful.

I always take chelated minerals (including 500 mg of magnesium) before bed as well, but I can’t say that helps me get to sleep, as sometimes I have trouble nodding off regardless.

19

[quote]Damici wrote:
I like Z-12 but only use it sparingly (like once a week or so), as I find you develop a tolerance to it if you use it on a regular basis. Interestingly, it doesn’t help me FALL asleep. It just makes me sleep like the dead once I do fall asleep, and wake up like I was awoken from another world. (I usually use 3 or 4 capsules.) [/quote]

Agreed, Z-12 helps me stay asleep moreso than fall asleep. I also try and use it only 3-4/week.

As for ZMA, I take mine in the mornings now. For whatever crazy reason – and I initially kinda scoffed at other people reporting this – ZMA before bed and I’m having nightmares. I wanted to chalk it up to coincidence but easily five separate occasions by now, and I’ve had to situp and take notice. Also, this doesn’t happen with pre-bed magnesium only, go figure.

20

[quote]chillain wrote:

[quote]Damici wrote:
I like Z-12 but only use it sparingly (like once a week or so), as I find you develop a tolerance to it if you use it on a regular basis. Interestingly, it doesn’t help me FALL asleep. It just makes me sleep like the dead once I do fall asleep, and wake up like I was awoken from another world. (I usually use 3 or 4 capsules.) [/quote]

Agreed, Z-12 helps me stay asleep moreso than fall asleep. I also try and use it only 3-4/week.

As for ZMA, I take mine in the mornings now. For whatever crazy reason – and I initially kinda scoffed at other people reporting this – ZMA before bed and I’m having nightmares. I wanted to chalk it up to coincidence but easily five separate occasions by now, and I’ve had to situp and take notice. Also, this doesn’t happen with pre-bed magnesium only, go figure.

[/quote]

ZMA definitely causes some crazy, vivid dreams for many people. I tend to enjoy it.