Members Nancy Drake Posted June 25, 2020 Members Report Share Posted June 25, 2020 Does or has anyone taken a sleeping aide (pills) to help ease the depression and anxiety to get a restful night sleep? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Selma0409 Posted June 25, 2020 Members Report Share Posted June 25, 2020 I do take antidepressants and sedatives from time to time to help me sleep. I know I have to eventually deal with this without it but sleeping is something I have a lot of trouble doing because my mind can't seem to rest. The memories are really hard to shut down. I also take melatonin to help me regulate my sleeping schedule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guests Guest Sue4 Posted June 25, 2020 Guests Report Share Posted June 25, 2020 The first 3 weeks after my husband passed I didn’t sleep more than 3 hours a night. It’s 6.5 weeks now. Sleeping pills make me groggy all day the day after so I don’t take them but, I agree nights are very very difficult. I’ve been trying a combination of treatments and herbal remedies that eventually help me sleep for 5-7 hours. I have a sleep app with calming sounds and my diffuser is on with lavender essential oil in it all night. I drink chamomile and hibiscus tea one to two hours before going to bed and I take melatonin. And I cry .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators KayC Posted June 25, 2020 Moderators Report Share Posted June 25, 2020 I do. My doctor offered it right away but I didn't take him up on it, thinking it a temporary bandaid to a permanent problem...I was wrong. All I did was make it harder on myself trying to tough it out...I had a long commute (100 miles/day) to my job and sleep was essential...but elusive. I finally got help for it, and used it for a while. Then last year I asked my doctor for it and got back on it, this time permanently. I take 50 mg Trazadone once 1/2 hour before bedtime. I usually sleep four hour, pee, then go back to sleep and if I struggle going back to sleep I take a benedryl (I have allergies) as if I take another Trazdone it wipes me out the next day, besides, the Rx is only for one/day. I am so relieved to finally be getting sleep! Makes it much easier to function. I have GAD and it's hard to shut my brain off at night, my anxiety increased after George died as I don't have him to snuggle up to and you know how it is, trying to face life alone all the time, this helps me cope. I tried the melatonin, soft music, etc first, didn't help me enough. I would do lavender but don't like the smell. 11 hours ago, Selma0409 said: I do take antidepressants and sedatives from time to time to help me sleep. I know I have to eventually deal with this without it but sleeping is something I have a lot of trouble doing because my mind can't seem to rest. The memories are really hard to shut down. I also take melatonin to help me regulate my sleeping schedule. Welcome here, I hope you'll continue to come here, it helps to know you're not alone in your feelings, etc. Maybe you'll start a thread and post your story when you feel ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Missy1 Posted June 26, 2020 Members Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 Sometimes night are worse than mornings, but both are very painful. The insomnia makes it difficult to deal with the extreme emotional state we are in, it’s exhausting. Also nights are quiet as in there are no distractions, we are in our head thinking about our grief. It’s also dark, which can affect our mood. I take an over the counter sleep aid, it has helped me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members foreverhis Posted June 27, 2020 Members Report Share Posted June 27, 2020 Yes, I have an anti-anxiety medication that helps with stress/anxiety and helps me sleep. Regular sleeping pills give me a horrible hangover for several hours the next day. I also take an anti-depressant, which I've long taken at 1/2 dose for my auto-immune conditions. When my love died, my doctor simply doubled my dose to the lowest clinical amount for depression. Nights are still very difficult. The house seems even more empty then. I have yet to be able to just "go to bed" easily. I still start my night on the sofa with some old TV show or movie as background movement and sound. Then, of course, I wake up a few hours later and have to stagger upstairs to crawl into bed for a few more hours of sleep. The real irony is that today is our anniversary, so I scheduled my 10 year screening colonoscopy for yesterday. When the doctor's office offered that as a makeup date (postponed twice due to covid), I jumped at it figuring I'd feel so crappy (hah-hah) that I wouldn't be able to torture myself for the the days preceding our day. Last year was my first without him and the days before it ended up being as bad or worse than the day itself. Well, that worked and I was so exhausted that last night I actually went to bed in our bed at a reasonable hour. Granted, it was in part because of the residual of the sedation and in part because I took a tiny dose of my anti-anxiety drug. So I slept and slept and slept with no alarm set. What happens? Some freaking telemarketer/pollster calls at 7 am! Well, there went that. Rats. Oh well, at least I get more sleep on average now than I did at the beginning. As with so many things, nearly everything actually, time seems to be the only thing that helps a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators KayC Posted June 27, 2020 Moderators Report Share Posted June 27, 2020 foreverhis, anniversaries can be tough...not sure I'd want a colonoscopy on one but I understand your thinking! I hate colonoscopy preparation! My GF took me in for mine a few months ago, good for five years now. I'm so sorry a telemarketer called so early, I hope you let him have it! I've had them call at 4 am! Don't know where they call from but we're on the west coast, many places in the US are three hours later but still, 4 am?! Glad the day is behind you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jwahlquist Posted June 27, 2020 Members Report Share Posted June 27, 2020 On 6/24/2020 at 7:32 PM, Nancy Drake said: Does or has anyone taken a sleeping aide (pills) to help ease the depression and anxiety to get a restful night sleep? My doctor prescribed both antidepressants and sleeping aids. They have helped me get more sleep and have less depression and anxiety. I don’t feel like the old me but I feel better than I did. Being able to sleep does make a difference in how I feel during the that is for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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