DIfficulty sleeping

Sue - when you say "sleeping pills do not work" - do you really mean prescription pills such as Ambien? I ask because my husband has had insomnia since he was 13. He is a VERY light sleeper and the slightest thing wakes him up most of the night. He can finally get some good sleep in the morning hours. He had a terrible time on our overnight flights to Europe as well and was almost sick the first few days from lack of sleep. I finally got him to ask his doctor for a prescription and he recommended Ambien. He uses this on the plane and gets a decent 4-5 hours of sleep. He also takes one for the next 2 nights and it really helps him to get on track. From then on the physical rigor of our trip combined with the relaxing dinners out at night make him sleep really well.

And if you've tried this and it doesn't work for you I hope others can give you some help. I know it has been a hard thing for my husband to deal with these many years.

Kent & Karen...Thank you for your suggestions. I really appreciate it. I'll check with my doc about the pills. He gave me Lunestra to try awhile back and another one (can't remember the name) and they didn't help me sleep at all. Oddly enough Tylenol PM works but I'm a bit of a zombie the next morning.

Is your problem falling asleep or staying asleep? Ambien and Lunesta are probably better for the first problem, but the anti-nausea drug phenergan is a little better for the second (and its much cheaper than the other two). But of course, discuss these things with your doctor!

Tom...staying asleep. Anything wakes me up. I will ask the doc about that, too. Thanks!

I also have trouble staying asleep as any little noise wakes me up. I manage at home, but when traveling, I now take generic ambien 10mg. I fall asleep & stay asleep until morning. Sometimes I'll get up once during the night. I no longer wake because of every little noise in the hall or rooms around me. It's made a huge difference.

I, too, am a light sleeper. Noise or any light will wake me up. I always take a sleep mask (you can get them at any pharmacy), ear plugs, and a RX for Sonata. Ambien is also good, but Sonata is shorter-acting, so if I wake up during the night, I can still take one and get another 3-4 hours of sleep. It doesn't knock me out and I don't have a "hangover" with it. But the environmental issues (light, noise) are things you have to manage, too. I'm also picky about pillows, so bring something I can sleep on for every trip. Good luck!

Ear plugs are your friend.

I'm a very light sleeper - any noise will keep me awake (so does light, motion, or vibration - which makes it a real challenge to catch any sleep on the flight over...).

I have come to really appreciate ear plugs. My advice is to get some good ones (there are good ear plugs and useless ear plugs). Personally, I always go for the soft foam ones wih a high decible rating -- best I've found are the 33 db ones. They're comfortable enough (takes a little getting used to the sensation) but once you plug-up and the outside noise completely vanishes, it makes all the difference in getting a good night's sleep.

Only problem is getting up the next morning, since I cannot hear any alarm with them in. I count on my wife for that (she's not a light sleeper and never needs earplugs, but can be waken easily by important noises like an alarm clock or a fire alarm).

Good ear plugs....very worthwhile.

My mother sometimes takes Tylenol PM to help her sleep.

I bought the ear covers that people use at shooting ranges at a local outdoorsman type store for $20.00 and if I wear them with good ear plugs they block out snoring and other noises ! I am a very light sleeper and I travel with snorers and this is the only thing I have found to help me get some sleep. I was able to get use to the feeling of the ear covers quickly.

Car, have you really tried GOOD ear plugs, worn correctly?

I'm incredibly noise-sensitive. If I'mm trying to sleep, and somebody turns on a light switch in the house next door, it'll wake me up (well, in the room next door...).

I've found that GOOD ear plugs, worn correctly, will eliminate virtually 100% of all outside noise. It's an amazing sensation when the sound goes away....you can literally hear the blood coursing through your veins.

My suggestion would be to give them a try. I think the over-the-ear hearing protection should be unncessary if the ear plugs are good and properly worn.

My fvorites: "Orthomed" brand "earplugs in a jar" - sold in drug stores. Got a jar of 'em right here...I love 'em. Rated to 33 decibels - highest number I've found (and I've made a study of this). Don't settle for less than 30 DB.

I have listened to my MP3 player on light music to sleep when on business trips (my worst sleeping, because I am not used to being by myself in a hotel room) and that helps. For our summer trip, I took a white noise maker that either plugs in or is battery operated. It might not be LIGHT, but it's not too heavy, either. I prefer that to ear plugs, because I like knowing I can hear more if needed (like if someone entered my room.) I am a big fan of white noise, like fans.

Thank you Rose, Linda, David, Carol, Marie & Cate.

I see my doc on the 20th and will talk to him about Ambien and Sonata again. Tylenol PM works, but it really makes the next day rough up until the afternoon. White noise has worked for me, but I find that I much prefer quiet when I can get it. I may take the babbling brook tape. I appreciate the earplug suggestion. I had tried that awhile ago when my husband was snoring really badly. I appreciate the suggestion.

Thank you, folks, that certainly gives me more options. :)

Ask your doc about "Rozerem." It's supposed to have less side effects than most of the other sleep drugs.

Sue - looking at your posts again it seems that the sleeping aid issue is like the walking shoes issue. There is no one brand that works for everyone so you do need to try the various things yourself. When we were still trying different ways of getting my husband some sleep we had people who SWORE by Tylenol PM - said the same as you - that it knocked them out so much they felt really drugged. But the Tylenol PM did NOTHING at all for my husband so that is when we finally resorted to Ambien.

I do feel like a real "pill pusher" when I tell people that flying with my family of 4 we each took a different pill for the flight - my daughter still uses Dramamine, I used to give my son Benadryl, and Ambien for my husband. I have had a fear of flying so my issue was one of the axiety keeping me awake (and miserable) so I took Xanax (though I'm phasing out of it now that I've had so many fear-free flights). My husband also tried the Xanax but since he doesn't have any flying anxiety that also didn't work for him. Good luck! I know I am so grateful to have finally found something that works.

Hi Sue -
I have a similar problem. I do have to use a CPAP machine, and it makes my light sleeping very much worse! So my Dr prescribed a half Mg of Clonazepam nightly. Sometimes when conditions are tough, I switch to an over the counter Benedryl 25Mg (either a half or a whole one), and that allows me to sleep through the night. Good luck!