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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Medicines Should I Take To Get Rid Of Insomnia ?

I have had insomnia for a few months. Usually I wake up after 4 to 5 hours and light sleep in the morning. I don t feel depressed at all. Im tired of taking sleep aids . They do not work great for me anyways.
Tue, 3 Apr 2012
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Psychiatrist 's  Response
By Your writing, it seems
1.     You have only sleep problem and you are pity confident you don't have depression
2.     Your total sleep duration consist of 4 to 5 hour of deep sleep with few more hours of light sleep in the morning
3.     You also seem to be habituated with sedatives
Well, the normal sleep duration for most of peoples is of 6 to 8 hour. Some sleeps for almost 4 hours or less, and feels refreshment without any problem. Some sleeps more than 10 hours a day, still crave for few more hours.
You have not explained your problem precisely [Insomnia is broad term that include disturbance in either quality or quantity of sleep. It includes difficulty falling asleep, reduction in total duration of sleep, frequent nocturnal awaking, early morning awakening, and overall a non-refreshing sleep]
You have not mentioned the amount of sleeping pills you are taking for your problem. But you are requested to go through a psychiatrist message about sleeping pills. “Sleeping pills are bad & habit forming. It can’t be depended on for long duration as it losses efficacy, its long term side effects include cognitive decline & memory impairment. Abrupt withdrawal of sleeping pills leads to withdrawal syndrome consisting of rebound insomnia, restlessness, craving, diarrhoea, agitation, perspiration, tachycardia, nervousness etc.”
Solution for your problem
I.     Don’t worry; your problem can be solved with your effort
II.     Taper the dose of sleeping pill very gradually
III.     Replace short acting benzodiazepines [E.g. Alprazolam] with equivalent doses of long acting congeners [E.g. Clonazepam, Lorazepam, Diazapam ]
IV.     Practice Sleep Hygiene
•     Avoid napping during the day
•     Avoid stimulants too close to bedtime
•     Exercise [Moderate exercise in the morning or late afternoon; a relaxing exercise like yoga before bed]
•     Stay away from large meals close to bedtime
•     Ensure adequate exposure to natural light
•     Establish a regular bedtime routine [Fixed time to go to bed & out of bed]
•     Don’t bring your day time problems to bed
•     Bed should be meant for sleep only not for watching movies, listening music or mobile chat with your friend
V.     Still no respite after trying this, take the help of psychiatrist

Thank you…
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Psychiatrist Dr. Keerthish Shetty's  Response
hi,

It is important for you to understand that insomnia is not only due to depression. Anxiety/stress related problems can also cause sleep disturbances. It can be due to improper sleep hygiene or irregular timings at work place (night shifts/ working till late night). Lack of physical activity and irregular eating habits can also impair the quality of sleep.

It is not clear as to what sleep aids you are using. However, non-specialists usually prescribe benzodiazepines (like alprazolam) for insomina. It is like treating fever with crocin only without actually treating the cause (malaria, typhoid, etc.). Also, sleep medicines lose their effect over time as body becomes used to it.

If insomnia has been a chronic problem for you, consulting a psychiatrist might help you in getting quality sleep but also in getting rid of unwanted sleep aids.
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What Medicines Should I Take To Get Rid Of Insomnia ?

By Your writing, it seems 1. You have only sleep problem and you are pity confident you don t have depression 2. Your total sleep duration consist of 4 to 5 hour of deep sleep with few more hours of light sleep in the morning 3. You also seem to be habituated with sedatives Well, the normal sleep duration for most of peoples is of 6 to 8 hour. Some sleeps for almost 4 hours or less, and feels refreshment without any problem. Some sleeps more than 10 hours a day, still crave for few more hours. You have not explained your problem precisely [Insomnia is broad term that include disturbance in either quality or quantity of sleep. It includes difficulty falling asleep, reduction in total duration of sleep, frequent nocturnal awaking, early morning awakening, and overall a non-refreshing sleep] You have not mentioned the amount of sleeping pills you are taking for your problem. But you are requested to go through a psychiatrist message about sleeping pills. “Sleeping pills are bad & habit forming. It can’t be depended on for long duration as it losses efficacy, its long term side effects include cognitive decline & memory impairment. Abrupt withdrawal of sleeping pills leads to withdrawal syndrome consisting of rebound insomnia, restlessness, craving, diarrhoea, agitation, perspiration, tachycardia, nervousness etc.” Solution for your problem I. Don’t worry; your problem can be solved with your effort II. Taper the dose of sleeping pill very gradually III. Replace short acting benzodiazepines [E.g. Alprazolam] with equivalent doses of long acting congeners [E.g. Clonazepam, Lorazepam, Diazapam ] IV. Practice Sleep Hygiene • Avoid napping during the day • Avoid stimulants too close to bedtime • Exercise [Moderate exercise in the morning or late afternoon; a relaxing exercise like yoga before bed] • Stay away from large meals close to bedtime • Ensure adequate exposure to natural light • Establish a regular bedtime routine [Fixed time to go to bed & out of bed] • Don’t bring your day time problems to bed • Bed should be meant for sleep only not for watching movies, listening music or mobile chat with your friend V. Still no respite after trying this, take the help of psychiatrist Thank you…