OOT - help me sleep soundly

suzzer99 · #1 02-06-2007, 08:00 AM

What is it in NyQuil that knocks you out so well? I had a cold, so for a couple weeks now I've been taking NyQuil and melatonin every night and sleeping like a rock. I normally never sleep through the night. But lately I have and I feel a lot more rested in the morning. I used to take melatonin, but that really just helps you fall asleep. It doesn't help you sleep any deeper.

I don't think I can keep drinking NyQuil every night can I? Anyone know an over the counter sleeping aid that mimics NyQuil? I used to do tylenol PM but I hate the feeling when I wake up. Same with melatonin and Xanax. I could get Ambien but I don't really have a Dr. or health insurance (other than catastrophic) right now. Much easier if I can just buy it at the drug store.

thx oot

cliff notes: is there anything out there that will help me sleep as well as I do with NyQuil?

AtlBrvs4Life · #2 02-06-2007, 09:21 AM

I don't know what will help you sleep better, but I can tell you that taking NyQuil nightly is a bad idea. It will become addictive because the longer you take it the harder it becomes to fall asleep without it. I'm not completely sure of the side effects, but I know it can have some bad effects on your liver

Thremp · #3 02-06-2007, 10:52 AM

ZMA will deepen your sleep.

amplify · #4 02-06-2007, 10:59 AM

Unisom and melatonin puts me out for 10 hours. The stuff in Nyquil makes me drowsy the next day, Dextromethorphan or whatever.

suzzer99 · #5 02-06-2007, 04:13 PM

[ QUOTE ]
ZMA will deepen your sleep.

[/ QUOTE ]

I just read up on that. Does it really help noticeably with working out as well? Any drawbacks?

StukOnStupid · #6 02-06-2007, 05:46 PM

Lunesta w/o insurance it's about a $129 for 30. But you can probably do better.

durkahdurkah · #7 02-06-2007, 05:53 PM

the second item is not expressly sold as a sleep aid, but a combo of melatonin and 5-HTP used to zonk me out for the whole night

also, you could try any of a vast array of antihistamines, most all of them tend to make you drowsy. diphenhydramine is used as a sleep aid in a lot of things like tylenol PM. diphenhydramine is also the same active ingredient as is in benadryl.

IIRC, chlorpheniramine maleate is supposed to make you pretty drowsy (brand name Chlor-Trimetron or something)

Skoob · #8 02-06-2007, 05:58 PM

You're looking for diphenhydramine - aka benadryl

If you read labels, the ingredient in benadryl is so likely to also cause sleepiness, that it's also used as a sleep aid itself.

Check the ingredients in Tylenol PM, for example. Many OTC sleep aids are the same as well. I believe NyQuill has diphenhydramine in it.

Look for the cheapest, generic you can find. Check under both the anti-allergy and sleep aid medicines. There are other sleep aids that do not include diphenhydramine, so read the label.

Also, the ingredient in dramamine (dimenhydrinate) is in the same family as diphenhydramine. Dramamine is used to treat motion sickness. That may also work for you. I prefer diphenhydramine because dramamine gives me serious dry-mouth.

Caution: Take any sleep aid for a while and you'll get addicted.

water fowl · #9 02-06-2007, 06:05 PM

I went to a doctor for a sleep aid one time and got 20 Temazepam (sp?) 30mg's. I took one after a few beers and had to crawl into bed.

jbrent33 · #10 02-06-2007, 06:19 PM

I have had insomnia since my early twenties and have a hard time, A. falling asleep and B. staying asleep.

I have been taking Ambien for about 3 years and love it. You take it, fall asleep within 45 minutes, wake up the next morning without the slightest pill hangover.

Most doctors will write a script for it at the drop of a hat.

If you can't get that try Tylenol PM