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Insomnia

Insomnia is a sleep disorder which someone is not able to fall or stay asleep as long as they need. It can lead to unnecessary stress and irritable moods during the day.

298 Questions

What are 3 common causes of insomnia?

Answer
First, and most important, a person suffering from insomnia should get to a doctor. There are many possible causes, and you want to rule out all the medical ones first. I am a clinical social worker and not a physician. Here are a few things that could interfere with sleep:

Apnea. Ask your sleeping partner if you're not sure. If you suffer from it, your partner will know. This is the disorder where you stop breathing for a few moments, and then snore loud enough to remove the wallpaper. Apnea can be related to weight, and it can also be "essential", or neurologically caused. There are treatments, including CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure Pump).

Alcohol. Part of the misuse of alcohol can be the mistaken idea that it helps induce sleep. It doesn't, at least not in the long term. Anyone who has struggled with this addiction will tell you about the many destructive consequences of alcohol. Incidentally, if I wanted to create depression in people, I'd give them alcohol.

Mental health issues. Depression and other mental health conditions can cause or co-exist with insomnia. The different patterns of broken sleep can indicate the kind of issue being dealt with. For example, some people can fall asleep quickly, but wake very early and cannot return to sleep. Others remain awake for most of the night and might get short periods of fitful sleep at daybreak or during the day.

Irregular bed times, or working alternating shifts. Your body does get used to a rhythm (or tries to) and if you attempt quick or frequent changes, you will run into trouble.
A television in the bedroom. No, no, no. It doesn't help you sleep. The bedroom is for two of life's special activities--- and TV isn't one of them.

Bad mattress. You know if you have one. Make a change, especially if you're getting those strange aches you never had before.

Eating late. Food increases blood sugar, and blood sugar tells the brain "It's time to be awake!"

Caffeine late in the day, or throughout the day. Insist all you want that it doesn't bother you. Yes, yes it does. Even if you "sleep", caffeine will disrupt the natural sleep rhythms that help to make sleep restorative.

Bright light (PARTICULARLY) those full-spectrum lights, late in the day. These lights are wonderful, and when used properly they can have a very positive effect on mood, especially for people who suffer from Seasonal-Affective-Disorder (SAD). But they must be used with great care. Used late in the day, they have the effect of re-setting your circadian clock. This can be corrected, but why mess with it at all? Use these lights under the direction of a physician or knowledgeable professional.

Napping during the day. I know, you can't sleep at night, so you have to sleep some time, right? Try to work through it, and avoid napping.

Try these tips:

Get good physical activity during the day. At least, get some natural sunlight on your face early in the day. (Don't stare at the sun, of course, but get some sun on you.)
Have a regular bed time, and have a dark and reasonably cool bedroom. Make your bed; this does help to promote good sleep. Take a shower or warm soak before bed, but give your body about an hour to cool down before you get into bed. Cooling is a signal to the brain that "it's time to rest".

Generally, if you are having trouble falling asleep remaining in bed is not a good idea. Get up and do something quiet and relatively non-stimulating until you feel drowsy enough to hop into bed. Remaining in bed only serves to associate 'being in bed' with 'struggling for sleep'.

Does Depo-Provera cause insomnia?

It's been 6 weeks since I had my first depo shot and it has caused me serious sweats, especially at night and insomnia. Even though I take a low dose of ambien to help with sleep, it still is very hard to get any sleep. It stopped my period right away but I started having the insomnia and horrible sweats. I will most likely have to deal with the side effects because it is prescribed to me for endometreosis,to keep it under control after surgery.

Can omeprazole medication cause insomnia?

The short answer: yes. The longer answer: it is unlikely that omeprazole is the cause of your insomnia. Studies of omeprazole side effects point out that a very small percentage of patients studied reported insomnia.

What does the doctor prescribe for insomnia?

Medications that a doctor prescribes for insomnia are: Lunesta which is a common sleep aid to help make you sleep better. Anti-depressants since insomnia and depression is linked together, anti depressants decrease depression.

Is it normal to a pregnant woman to have a insomnia?

Yes. Pregnant woman are undergoing a major body change and, as a result, many body maladies arise. Insomnia, headaches, nausea, swollen feet, and back pain are all normal. But be sure to mention this to your doctor at your regular appointment anyway, just in case.

How do you prevent insomnia?

You can control sleep by going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time everyday. Most people require between 7 and 8 hours of sleep a night.

How does insomnia effect a person?

If you do not have enough sleep then you can become irritable and in extreme cases have an inability to concentrate and perform simple tasks. This could potentially result in accidents occurring as a result of you lack of sleep

How do you sleep when you're nervous?

When your excited your adrenaline is going so a good thing to do is drink certain tea's like camomile's which have relaxing and calming properties, good for children on Christmas eve! Or watch a good film to get your mind of it. Just lye down close your eyes and think of a creative story soon you will drift off to a nice calm sleep.

Good luck & hope you sleep well :)

What do people with insomnia do?

They suffer, or find a way to beat it.

Can citalopram cause insomnia?

In my experience yes.

I struggled with sleep tremendously before starting Citalopram.

If you have insomnia what can you not do?

If you are having trouble getting to sleep or staying a sleep it could be your diet!

Coffee: try drinking coffee only before 11:00 a.m. and not later in the day. The caffeine in coffee takes up to twelve hours to be fully broken down by the liver.

Nuts: eating nuts like almonds, can help to relax muscles, soothe your nerves and increase the amount of time spent in restorative sleep.

Water: helps with sleeping because it hydrates the body. Being dehydrated can effect sleep because it simulates the adrenal glads which will then produce stress hormones. Snack: eating a bowl of jasmine rice before bed can help you to fall asleep faster. Other snacks that all help include oatmeal cookies, buttered whole grain toast, whole-grain cereal and milk.

Does insomnia cause death?

Well, not directly, but sleep deprivation is very bad for your health. The body needs sleep to recharge and replenish itself, because certain metabolic events just can't be done efficiently while you are awake and energetic. So insomnia should be treated by a medical professional to ensure that you stay healthy.

Where can one read to learn how to cure insomnia?

Two trusted sources of insomnia cures are WebMD and The Mayo Clinic. Both of these websites offer insights into the causes of insomnia and provide information about cures for the problem

Can insomnia be treated?

Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders. It can be treated through a number of different medications, stress reduction techniques and lifestyle changes. Talk to your doctor to find out what's best for you.

Can elavil be used for insomnia?

Yes, Elavil (Amitriptyline) is commonly prescribed in low doses (<100mg) to treat insomnia.

From canada.com:

The usual maintenance dose of amitriptyline for adults ranges from 50 mg to 100 mg per day in divided doses. For some people, the daily dose can be given as a single dose, preferably at bedtime. People who are very ill or hospitalized may need daily doses of 200 mg to 300 mg. The dose of amitriptyline is usually started at a low level and carefully increased upwards as prescribed by the doctor until the medication is deemed effective.

Many things can affect the dose of medication that a person needs, such as body weight, other medical conditions, and other medications. If your doctor has recommended a dose different from the ones listed here, do not change the way that you are taking the medication without consulting your doctor.

It is very important that this medication be taken on a regular schedule as prescribed by the doctor. If you miss a dose of this medication take it as soon as you remember it. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and carry on with your regular schedule. Do not double doses.


Answer (2)With a doctor's prescription Elavil can be legally purchased from online pharmacies.
You don't have a prescription? You must visit your physician.

You can save money on a prescription.

Ask your doctor to prescribe a generic medication instead of the name brand. Almost all of them are identical in their active ingredients and can really save money on a prescription.
Shop around at as many pharmacies as possible. Don't forget to include online pharmacies in your search, as they often have the best prices, and you can save a lot of money on a prescription.
In case you can compare Elavil prices online at www.rxoffer[dot]com .
P.S Many online reliable pharmacies will be happy to provide the prescription to anyone who can answer a few simple questions.

What is a good antidepressant for anxiety and insomnia?

Of course, you will need to talk to your doctor first but Lexapro is a good antidepressant.

What medications are used to treat insomnia?

Treatment for a sleep disorder depends on what is causing the disorder. Medications. Psychotherapy. "Sleep hygiene" or sleep education. Lifestyle changes. Surgery. Some alternative approaches may be effective.

Is it bad to drink coffee before bed?

Caffeine in coffee has been debated quite a bit. It is a stimulant and a diuretic. It can cause heart arythmias and acid stomach. Further research is being done every year because of the popularity of the drink.

Does insomnia occur in teens and if so can it be fatal?

At first, teens may appear to be suffering from insomnia. They will have a hard time falling asleep at the usual time. While they begin going to sleep later, they still need an average of nine hours of sleep at night.

Does xanax help with insomnia?

Generally it will and it really helps people who can't go to sleep because of anxiety.

What is a good herbal remedy to overcome the symptoms of insomnia?

Insomnia is a common problem for millions of people. There are many prescriptions available but over the counter and home-remedy cures are available. A warm cup of milk before bed will help relax the body. A warm cup of tea also helps. A warm bath with bath salts will further help to calm the stresses of everyday life.

What are some remedies to cure insomnia?

There are several things someone can do to help their sleep terror. A person might want to talk to a psychologist to find out why they are having difficulties while sleeping. Sleep terrors can happen if a person is to stressed, or have some kind of mental problem they are unaware of.

What are the side effects of insomnia?

The possible side effects are as follows, Daytime drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness, constipation, diarrhea, and dry mouth AMBIEN is considered a safe sleep aid when taken as directed. It is not a barbituate, but rather a HYPNOTIC. It has the least amount of side effects of most sleeping pills. It puts you into a state where you fall asleep quickly and most times does not create next day "fogginess" or "dopiness". It's generally used for SHORT term insomnia, and it CAN become psychologically dependent, but most doctors stay on top of it. DO NOT drink alcohol with it, as you will find yourself unable to stand up or negotiate stairs. Take with water or juice and hop into bed; it acts that quickly. OTHER strong sleeping pills can make you feel "out of it" the next day and also make you feel nauseated. (Remember when President Bush puked on the Head Of State in China?) Stay away from that crap. If Ambien doesn't suit you well, ask for Rozeram or Lunesta. GOOD LUCK.<> === === On March 14, 2007, the FDA issued a warning regarding the risks associated with Ambien and similar drugs. It warned that Ambien and similar drugs can cause "complex sleep-related behaviors which may include sleep-driving, making phone calls, and preparing and eating food (while asleep)." When this happens, the FDA advised that the person has "no memory of the event." Similar warnings were issued by the Australian Adverse Drug Reactions Advisory Committee in 2002 and then again in 2007. It cautioned to "be alert to the fact that zolpidem [Ambien] may be associated with distressing neurological or psychiatric reactions …." Similarly, the instructions for Ambien, which were approved by the FDA and are dated August 29, 2005, advise that: "A variety of abnormal thinking and behavior changes have been reported to occur in association with the use of sedative/hypnotics. Some of these changes may be characterized by decreased inhibition (e.g., aggressiveness and extroversion that seemed out of character), similar to effects produced by alcohol and other CNS depressants. Visual and auditory hallucinations have been reported as well as behavioral changes such as bizarre behavior, agitation, and depersonalization. Amnesia, anxiety and other neuro-psychiatric symptoms may occur unpredictably." The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has also described the behavior exhibited by drivers stopped for DUI who, were not intoxicated with alcohol, but instead found to be on Ambien. NHTSA describes the behavior of Ambien drivers to include "erratic driving (weaving, lane travel), slow and slurred speech, slow reflexes, dazed appearance, disorientation, confusion, loss of balance and coordination, loss of short-term memory, blacking out, somnolence, dilated pupils, double vision, poor performance on field sobriety tests, poor attention, and an inability to stand or walk unassisted." This description is consistent with the information contained on the Mayo Clinic web site which states: "Some changes that have occurred in people taking this medicine are like those seen in people who drink alcohol and then act in a manner that is not normal." When these side effects of Ambien are viewed as a percentage of the total number of people taking Ambien, they can be categorized as rare. But, when viewed by the frequency of cases reported, they are not insignificant. For example, Wisconsin is a state that tests for Ambien whenever a person is charged with DUI. In that state alone, the number of drivers stopped for DUI and testing positive for Ambien has gone from 24 in 2000 to 53 in 2005. Indeed, the number of people who have suffered these strange behaviors are sufficient for them to have acquired a special name. They are called "Ambien Zombies." The type of behaviors that people have experienced from Ambien vary widely. The most commonly reported are "sleep walking," "sleep eating," and "sleep driving." However, one common thread that appears consistent throughout is amnesia. The people who experience these behaviors are in a twilight zone at the time, somewhere between sleep and wakefulness. They are not conscious of their behavior and, afterwards, do not recall anything about what they have done. For example, Ken Sassower, a staff neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston said that a colleague who had taken Ambien, could not recall advising residents on rounds the next morning even though he made those rounds. In other cases, 1. People have made phone calls or sent E-mails they don't remember, have ordered items from shopping channels they don't recall, have done laundry, cooked, cleaned the house, moved furniture, and found all sorts of debris in their kitchens from late night snacks they don't remember. 2. They've eaten things like non-edible objects, raw eggs, uncooked vegetables, and even cigarettes with no recollection of ever doing these things. 3. Still others have reported that, after falling asleep on Ambien, they took more Ambien without any recollection of doing so and one person reported taking all of her allergy medication, with no recollection of taking it. She only realized she had taken the allergy medication when she found the medicine bottle empty the next morning. 4. A physician in South Dakota reported that he sent a mass e-mail one night, full of foul language, to many friends and family inviting them to go on vacation to Mexico. 5. In another case, a New York lab technician was assaulted twice after taking Ambien when she opened her door for a stranger, something she said she would have never done if she'd been conscious. 6. The behaviors can be quite bizarre. For example, one woman colored her daughter purple while she was sleeping, another woman painted her front door without being conscious of doing it, and another woman defacated during the night in her closets and on the basement floor. None of them had any recollection of these events. And, in London, a girl left her house and climbed to the top of a 40 meter crane. 8. In many cases, after taking Ambien, people have driven in their sleep with no recollection of what happened the next morning. Doctors affiliated with the University of Minnesota Medical Center reported the cases of two Ambien users who told them they slept-drove to the supermarket while under the drug's influence but had no recollection of doing this the next day. In a separate Internet posting, a man reported that he woke up in his driveway with his car bumper in the front seat of his car with him. While he has no recollection of what occurred, he presumed he ran over something in the middle of the night, pulled his (plastic) bumper off, put it in the front seat and drove home. In another case, a woman, after taking Ambien, woke up in a hotel two hours from her home with no recollection of driving anywhere. Ambien has even blemished the pristine driving record of a registered nurse in Denver. After taking Ambien and going to bed, she got into her car wearing only a thin nightshirt in 20-degree weather. After having a fender bender, she urinated in the middle of the intersection and became violent to police officers. 9. With respect to the hallucinations that can be caused by Ambien, one person writes: "I would literally see images, like faces, in the walls or in the designs of tile floors." And another person relates experiencing "crazy nightmares that upon waking I swear these were real and that I had actually talked to the people in the dream." 10. One woman reports that she was awaken by her daughter about 4 hours after taking Ambien. Her daughter asked her to sign some papers, which she did, after which she made breakfast for her and her daughter. Thereafter, she drove her daughter to her friend's house and then drove both of them to school. On the way back home, she stopped a strange man in a vehicle and approached him for his phone number but, after refusing her request, she gave him her phone number. Thereafter, she drove home and slammed her car into the garage wall. She then telephoned her father and told him about hitting the wall with her car. Later, she could remember nothing about any of these events. 11. Another person reported, that after going to sleep on Ambien, he was awakened by a friend. Subsequently, he did not recall anything about his friend awakening him or what he did after he was awoken. However, his friend told him that, when he awoke, he became violent and exhibited multi-personalities each with a different voice. 12. There are also cases that involve side effects experienced the day after ingesting Ambien. Indeed, the manufacturer's instructions, dated August 29, 2005, recognizes this when it warns that patients may experience effects "that may occur the day following ingestion." Examples of instances reported include one person who reported that he woke up 16 hours after taking Ambien and his wife and children described him as a "walking zombie." He "cooked up a storm," "emptied a ¼ bottle of vodka," and trashed the bedroom. His wife and children tried to wake him up but they were unsuccessful. Typical of Ambien side effects, he had no recollection of any of these events. In another case, a woman reports that, 14 hours after taking Ambien, she wrecked two cars in one day and has "little recollection of the incidents." Another person described his next day experiences this way: "I feel so incredibly agitated, drugged and disoriented the next day, that I think I'd rather just feel sleep deprived. It affects my memory and my fine motor coordination and I tremble. I even tried taking a nap during the next day but this doesn't relieve the drugged, disoriented feeling." In another case, an attorney who had been taking Ambien for three years without incident, reported that he has begun to experience some loss of memory and mental acuity during the day and, at a social gathering one night, found himself misstating things. In another case, a man reports that "I just don't remember my morning events for about 3 or 4 hours after I wake up." One morning, after going to work, he went to Starbucks but had no recollection of it until someone mentioned it to him that night. AMBIEN'S MECHANISM OF ACTION (I am not a doctor but this is what I have learned about the way Ambien works) Ambien interacts with the GABAa receptor. GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter of the brain, occurring in 30-40% of all synapses (second only to glutamate as a major brain neurotransmitter). The method by which Ambien works is to increase the affinity of the GABAa receptor to GABA. When GABA binds with a GABAa receptor, (more specifically, the BZ1 subunit of the GABAa receptor) it opens an ion channel that allows Cl- to enter the cell. This results in an electrical change that inhibits or suppresses the post-synaptic neuron from firing. Since GABA is competing with excitatory neurotransmitters, the degree to which it inhibits or suppresses the firing of the postsynaptic neuron is dependent on the number of receptors to which GABA actually binds and the concomitant amount of Cl- that enters the cell through the ion channel. By increasing the affinity of the GABAa receptor to GABA, Ambien increases the number of GABAa receptors to which GABA actually binds. The result is that more ion channels open to allow Cl- into the cell. The more Cl- that enters the cell, the greater is the inhibitory or suppressive effect upon the postsynaptic neuron's ability to fire. By inhibiting or suppressing the firing of postsynaptic neurons in different parts of the brain in this manner, Ambien suppresses or interferes with the normal operation of the brain's mechanisms. The exact effect depends upon what areas of the brain the firing of the postsynaptic neurons are being inhibited or suppressed and the degree of the inhibition or suppression. One of the regions of the brain containing a high concentration of GABA is the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus affects feeding behavior, metabolism, motor activity, and plays an important role in the control of sleep. Another portion of the brain in which one of the highest concentrations of GABA is found is the hippocampus. This area of the brain plays an essential role in memory formation. It's responsible for the transfer of information into memory. Its importance is illustrated by the fact that damage to the hippocampus can result in substantial difficulties in forming new memories (anterograde amnesia) and can affect access to memories prior to the damage (retrograde amnesia). GABA is also found in high concentrations in the basal ganglia. The basal ganglia affect things like the ability to control speech and movement.