Well, it didn’t last long.  After sleeping like a baby last night, here I am again at 1:45am sitting out on our deck.  After almost 3 hours of tossing and turning I decided to let Suz sleep in peace.  I’m pretty sure she woke up when I got out of bed, and it’ll cause her to worry once again.  She was so elated after my full night’s sleep yesterday, I was tempted to pretend to sleep the night through just to avoid her concern.  But I needed some fresh air — lying in that bed sleeplessly any longer was going to drive me crazy.

When insomnia first hit me several weeks ago I thought it was a temporary thing, and I turned to over the counter sleep aids.  I’m not a big fan of taking pills, but I read up on them and for occasional use most every authoritative site I researched said that they were ok.  However, for me — they weren’t.  For some reason, over the counter sleep aids caused me horrific nightmares — so bad that I’d awake screaming scaring the heck out of my wife and kids.  Also, for the entire next day after I took sleeping pills I was incredibly dazed, fatigued and confused.  It was even worse than after being up the whole night without any sleep at all.  Also, for almost a day after taking over the counter sleep aids I couldn’t drink enough water — no matter how much I drank my mouth remained bone dry.

I tried both types of over the counter sleep aids — those containing Diphenhydramine and ones containing Doxylamine.  Neither were good, but the second type did not produce side effects as severe as the first.  Right now, I’m so disappointed that my insomnia returned after a beautiful night’s sleep last night that I’m willing to try an over the counter sleep aid again.  I’m going to try a different brand containing Doxylamine than I tried initially a few weeks ago, and I really hope it works.  I really need at least a few hours of sleep tonight, or I’m going to be completely worthless at tomorrow’s (or today’s I should say now that it is 2:00am) staff meeting.  There is a 24 hour drugstore a few blocks down the street — surely the over the counter sleep aids aisle will be a lively place at 2am.  Maybe I can make some new insomniac friends.

Part of me is scared that pills will work ok for me — most of what I read warns about how addictive they can be.  Assuming they can work for me — what road will that lead down?  I really wanted to stay away from pills, but as they say, the best laid plans of mice and men…..

Having hope in Doxylamine,

Barnaby

Millions of Americans have occasional — if not chronic — problems when it comes to getting a full night’s sleep. Most commonly, those suffering from insomnia select from a variety of OTC (over the counter medications dispensed without a prescription) sleep aids. Which are the best sleep aids, and how does one ensure they are taken safely? Although much remains unknown about their efficacy and associated potential long term side effects, certain facts have been ascertained in relation to many of the most popular OTC pharmaceutical sleep aids.

Diphenhydramine is a very common component within many OTC sleep aids, and it is the active ingredient within brand names including Benadryl, Tylenol PM and Sominex. Those who use drugs containing Diphenhydramine can expect to experience side effects including, but not limited to, dizziness, extended drowsiness often lasting after the subsequent morning, memory problems and a dry mouth. Sleep aids containing Diphenhydramine should be avoided by those with cardiovascular issues, an enlarged prostate or glaucoma. Additionally, Diphenhydramine is not among the best sleep aids for pregnant or breast-feeding women.

OTC sleep aids utilizing the active ingredient Doxylamine are also currently a popular choice for those experiencing occasional insomnia. The most salient brand name using Doxylamine is Unisom, and potential side effects associated with this OTC sleep aid include prolonged drowsiness, dry mouth and light-headedness. Unisom and other OTC sleep aids containing Doxylamine should not be used by those with glaucoma, bronchitis, peptic ulcers or asthma. It is strongly advised that those taking any OTC sleep aid refrain from driving or operating heavy machinery until the effects have completely worn off.

Some of the best sleep aids contain natural supplements as opposed to chemically-based pharmaceuticals. The most common supplement used to combat insomnia is melatonin. Some swear by melatonin’s effectiveness, whereas others claim that it is far from being among the best sleep aids currently available. Much of the debate centers around potential side effects of melatonin which includes the reports of irrational behavior, depression, confusion and anxiety. However, some melatonin users do not report any of these adverse effects.

Whichever OTC sleep aid you select, it is important to closely follow the instructions printed on the bottle. Those with serious pre-existing medical conditions should only use OTC sleep aids under the supervision of their primary care physician. When used properly, OTC pills for insomnia can prove to be among the best sleep aids available.