I suffer from Insomnia, from as early as I can remember. I have tried alot of things like relaxation, not getting on the internet before bed time, reading a boring book, etc. I use Tylenol PM, (2) every night in order to get a good nights rest, even though I know that it is harmful to my liver. I have taken them for the past 4 years now. I am looking for other alternatives, herbal, home remedies, anything that will help with this problem. Thanks in advance!
205280
For one I would highly recommend seeing your doctor about the medication. It is very damaging to your liver with prolonged use. Ask your doc to get you off them with any other means.\n\nIn Oriental Medicine, insomnia can be caused by a number of things. It could be that you either have too much going through your mind and you find it hard to shut off, or it could be a nutritional thing that is stimulating your stomach energy.\n\nEither way, your body is out of balance. If you can get yourself to an Acupuncturist or a good Shiatsu therapist they should not only be able to help physically with re-balancing things, but also be able to recommend lifestyle changes to help bring you back to balance.\n\nI wish I could help but without further information and seeing you personally I would not be able to make a diagnosis. I have successfully treated many people with Insomnia, not one person has had te same treatment plan however.\n\nSome good natural remedies that can help include:\n* Warm milk and nutmeg about 20 minutes before going to bed\n* A brisk walk and 10 minute cool down with stretches before going to bed\n*Keeping yourself more active throughout te day so your body actually 'craves' rest.\n* Brething and Yoga stretches for the lmphatic system\n* Avoid stimulants after 7pm (coffee, most tea, sugar)\n\nIn the end, insomnia is not just a condition that can be fixed with a drug or herb, it is a result of an un-balanced lifestyle, so the way to fix it is changing something with the cause, not the effect.\n\nHope this helps, please let me know how you go\njadelynx@yahoo.com
531857
in addition to the issue of becoming dependent on it to sleep, your body could also become accustomed to the acetaminophen (the Tylenol part).  If you try to stop taking it, you could get rebound headaches, which are a NIGHTMARE.
585165
This depends on a lot of factors.\n\nYou need to look at the ingredients in the sleeping aid and check them for reactions with alcohol or any other medication you might be taking. One excellent site is www.healthyhealing.com.\n\nI would recommend refraining from much alcohol use as it can contribute to your feelings of anxiety and agitation.\n\nMany herbs can be obtained in an extract (liquid) form either with alcohol as the agent or glycerine. You might want to investigate that option as well. I used CalmChild by Planetary Formulas when my children used to have trouble because they would get wound up once in a while.\n\nOther suggestions:\n\nTry and set as much of a routine as you can ... even if you travel on your holidays ... get up at the same time eat at the same time, go to sleep... try and stay as close to normal home as possible.\n\nMaybe incorporate a nighttime tea time into your routine. There are many herbal teas which can be calming. (stay away from black teas which contain caffeine if you have issues with caffeine). A nice cup of tea and a book or magazine can help relax your mind to let you drift away.\n\nLook into the possibility of a relaxation tape or CD you could bring with you. Test it out before you go.\n\nInvestigate whether you MIGHT (keyword might) be able to use melatonin or 5-HTP to help. Lack of Serotonin can cause sleep issues.\n\nGet alot of physical movement -- walk, ride a bike, etc and be outside. \n\nGet sun (but stay protected).\n\nhope this helps.\n\nbest\n\ncez
367567
if it is the first time thing, then you can consider things like tylenol or ibuprfen along with some rest. see a doctor if sypmtoms persist or worsen, hopefully nothing big, good luck
443823
There are many natural treatments for insomnia that should be considered before resorting to medications. \nTryptophan, melatonin, 5-HTP, Valerian, and St. John’s Wort may help with sleep. In difficult cases, use of these in combination have been successful.\n\nValerian is sometimes used as a treatment for anxiety. However, it is more commonly recommended as an aid for occasional insomnia. \n\nKava is probably better for anxiety but is sometimes recommended at higher doses to treat insomnia as well.\n\nMake sure that something you are currently taking is not causing the problem. Substances such as panax ginseng, hydrocortisone taken late in the day, caffeine, and too much alcohol, cocaine or sedatives can cause insomnia.\n\nOther suggestions\n\n Poor sleepers do not clear caffeine from their systems as rapidly as normal sleepers. Even one cup of coffee at breakfast only was enough to keep them awake at night. A two week trial of no caffeine may be beneficial.\nSleep in complete darkness. A recent study indicated that even dim artificial light may disrupt sleep and melatonin production.\nDon't nap. Sleep disturbances may encourage napping during the day, which can make it harder to fall asleep at a normal hour. Avoiding naps can promote sleep at an earlier hour.\nTry taking your watch off and any clocks out of the room. This simple technique has worked for a surprising number of people.\nReading for 45-60 minutes.\nAerobic exercise 3-5 times per week.\nMany with FMS need a water bed, sometimes even with an egg-crate pad. Some need a hard bed. Find out what works for you. Go to a store and try some.\nIf hypoglycemia is a problem, some are helped by a snack before going to bed.\nGo to bed only when you are sleepy but get up at the same time each morning.\nIf medication is necessary, find out which works for you. Don’t give up - good sleep is worth the search.\nVitamin B12 can help with fatigue, insomnia, depression, and the anxiety of getting older, especially if low stomach acid is suspected. Shots may be required for large doses.\nMild acting agents like homeopathic preparations, chamomile tea, a long relaxing bath, or a touch of sea salt on the tongue with a glass of water can be tried.
410202
Alcohol and Doobies adversely affect your REM sleep. You mentioned that you are your husbands care provider, which no doubt adds to your stress levels and therefor not helping the situation. You need to work on your mental state. Exercise(except at night) is a great way to decrease stress hormones in your body and prep your body for sleep. Perhaps exercise isn't your thing. Foods with high levels of the amino acid tryptophan include turkey and milk (this is why everyone gets sleepy after thanksgiving dinner, and why your grandmother may have given you warm milk to get you sleepy. You have probably tried calmomille tea. Natural pills include Tryptophan, it's precursor 5 hydroxy-tryptophan, Seratonin pills are generally pretty cheap (recent research studies claim that it does not act as a sleep aide, however, I still use it and it knocks me on my ass- vivid dreams). Stay away from over the counter/prescription sleep aides as these too interfere with REM sleep and the primary complaint is that patients awake in a fog, feeling unrested. Good luck, try not to stress...
30507
From Dr. Andrew Weil:\nThe two best natural sleep aids are valerian and melatonin. Valerian is a sedative herb, used for centuries. You can find standardized extracts in health food stores and pharmacies. Take one to two capsules a half hour before bedtime. \nMelatonin is a hormone that regulates the wake/sleep cycle and other daily biorhythms. Try sublingual tablets (to be placed under the tongue and allowed to dissolve); take 2.5 milligrams at bedtime as an occasional dose, making sure that your bedroom is completely dark. New evidence suggests that a much lower dose, 0.25 to 0.3 milligrams, is more effective for regular use. \n\nAlso, he recommends a lot of lifestyle suggestions:\nEstablish a consistent bedtime routine. This is one of the most important factors in maintaining good sleeping habits. Routines may include taking a warm bath or a relaxing walk in the evening, or practicing meditation/relaxation exercises as part of your regular nighttime routine. \n\nTry to go to bed at the same time every night, and get up at the same time each morning. This includes weekends. \n\nGet plenty of exercise during the day. Studies have shown that people who are physically active sleep better than those who are sedentary. The more energy you expend during the day, the sleepier you will feel at bedtime. Just be sure not to engage in vigorous exercise too close to bedtime as that can make it more difficult to fall asleep. \n\nReduce your intake of caffeine, particularly in the evening. \n\nAvoid stimulants like caffeine and limit alcohol. \nBoth, even when consumed early in the day, can affect sleep. \n\nUse your bed only for sleeping and sex. Don’t use it to do work or watch TV. \n\nAvoid large meals late in the evening. \n\nIf you can’t fall asleep within half an hour of going to bed, get up and read or do something calming until you feel sleepy. \n\nLearn and use a relaxation technique regularly. Breathing exercises, meditation and yoga are good examples. \nUse “white noise” devices to block out surrounding environmental noise. \n\nTake a hot bath before bedtime. Try a few drops of relaxing oil of lavender in the water.\n \nShort naps are good. Try to get into the habit of napping: ten to twenty minutes in the afternoon, preferably lying down in a darkened room. \n\nSpend some time outdoors as often as you can to get exposure to bright, natural light. If you are concerned about harmful effects of solar radiation, do it before ten in the morning or after three in the afternoon or use sunscreen. \n\nTry to give yourself some time - up to an hour - in dim light before you go to sleep at night. Lower the lighting in your house and bedroom and if other members of the household object, wear sunglasses. \n\nDon’t obsess about not sleeping. Not surprisingly, studies have shown that individuals who worry about falling asleep have greater trouble dropping off. It may help to remind yourself that while sleeplessness is troublesome, it isn’t life-threatening. \n\nHope that this helps!
291686
The cautions on the label say don't take for more than, what is it, two weeks?  Whatever it is, you're beyond the pale.  Get thee to a doctor - either for insomnia or for drug addiction.  As for what TPM can do, I suspect liver damage is the biggest worry, but check out websites to learn more.
338847
Hello, I woke up too early too and can't go back to sleep. I'm not blue though, have you thought about what you're gonna do for the rest of the day? Perhaps a bit later at lunchtime you could stick on a bit of chilled music and cook a nice roast slowly whilst having a couple of glasses of wine. I find that really peaceful although not high speed and exciting, it is nice sometimes just to mill around the house doing gentle domestic things. Hope you get over your blues soon.
675457
Drink a warm glass of milk and take Tylenol PM. It is non-addictive sleep formula. Plan to sleep 6 to 8 hours...restfull sleep!
637363
i work 7p-7a three nights a week in trauma icu at a hospital-most of the time (fortunately) i'm so exhausted from running around taking care of the 12+ patients we have that i fall right into bed and i'm out-but occasionally i'm wide awake\n\ni used to work 2nd shift too 3p-11p and would also find myself wide awake when i got home.\n\ni read someone suggesting nyquil-it will make you sleep but has alcohol among other medications that are unneccesary for your body b/c you don't have cold or flu symptoms-plus i've always woken up groggy and my sinuses are icky if i take that.\n\nbenadryl or tylenol pm works best. neither are habit forming and i always wake up feeling rested after taking them. if you don't feel comfortable using medication-then try a nice hot bath or shower and a glass of warm milk-this sometimes makes me sleepy too  : )
329981
Dark circles under your eyes means that your liver is not functioning well.  Probably not poorly enough to alarm a medical doctor, but enough to make you feel bad and to alert you to get plenty of sleep and extra water.\n\nThe liver repairs at night between 1 and 3 a.m. if you've had enough water to drink during the day.  If you're dehydrated, you'll wake up and have trouble getting back to sleep during that time.\n\nFenugreek and Thyme are good for respiratory ailments.  Headaches can be caused by dehydration or toxicity.  Make sure you have plenty of fiber in your diet.  Zinc is good for congestion and stuffiness.  Try Throat Coat tea or Gypsy Cold Care tea from Traditional Medicinals.\n\nWarm honey and lemon are great, too.  2 T honey, 2 T fresh lemon juice added to about 6 oz. warm water.
540601
Try citrus or spicy foods. Just stay away from starches/carbs because they can have a sleepy effect.  Lots of protien, too for keeping your brain sharp. \n\nAlso, have you tried getting extra sleep??? Good Luck!
248466
I had insomnia for a long time and then I learned how to dope myself without using any external means. No Drugs at all.\n\nI have never written how to do it, I just had done it for a long time, but it has worked for me, maybe it works for you.\n\n1. Avoid any substances that hinder sleep, for ex. anything containing caffeine (chocolate, tea, Coke or pepsi, coffee), if you smoke, do not smoke for two hours before going to bed. \n\n2. Maybe your life is not as active as it should be, way too passive. Try to make some exercise each day, at night before sleeping make exercise until you feel exhausted and until you feel pleasure in stopping it. That means that your body is needing rest.\n\n3. After relaxing wash yourself up and get ready for bed and lie down.\n\n4. First, you have to quiet your body. Stretch in your bed with your arms and legs slightly apart. Order each part of your body with your mind to quieten, for ej. feet, go to sleep, quiet yourself, then continue with your legs, then with your bottom, on and on until you make your jaw rest, your mouth rest, your head rest and finally the eyes.\n\n5. Then imagine a very peacefull situation, and you in it, for example, a countryside road covered with oaks at each side, with leaves on the path all the way, a gentle warm breeze, etc. Or maybe yourself floating in the crystal blue ocean, use your imagination.\n\n6. Next thing you will hear will be your alarm clock.\n\nRegards,
75959
The 'pm' part of Tylenol pm is Benadryl (diphenhydramine) which is an antihistamine.  Some people do have a restless feeling associated with taking antihistamines in higher doses.  As another person who answered this question rightly pointed out, Tylenol taken in high doses can be toxic to your liver.  To be safe be sure your total intake of Tylenol does not exceed 4 grams per day (1 extra strength Tylenol = 0.5 gram).  Seriously, back off on all of that Tylenol.  If you are taking them for the sleep-inducing effect then consider taking benadryl alone - it is a pretty safe medication but anything has the potential to cause harm if you ingest enough.\n\nNow for the real issue - why aren't you sleeping?  It may make sense for you to consider the elements of 'sleep hygeine.'  In short, sleep hygiene are things you can do without medication to enhance your own ability to sleep - like eliminate caffiene, exercise, etc.  Try doing a search on any search engine for the list.  Follow the advice strictly for a couple of weeks before you decide if its working or not.  These are good habits to adopt for a lifetime, regardless.  If it is not working then consider making an appointment with your doctor to discuss and treat your condition further.  Sweet dreams.
401389
keep at it, you can use bnadryl or tylenol pm or melatonin as sleeping aids to help you sleep at night, avoid caffeine, no tv or computer about an hour or two before bed time, slow and steady, you will change it all, good luck
454560
It's all in his head.  The ingredients in Tylenol PM are NOT addictive.  So if he thinks he can't fall asleep without them--he won't.  All it is is Tylenol and Benedryl.  That's it.