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Not Getting Proper Sleep, Don't Want To Take Sleeping Pills. What To Take?

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Posted on Thu, 7 Mar 2013
Question: hi doc!i just want to ask.Because i have been having a hard time falling and staying asleep,is there any vitamins and supplements i can take tomake me easily sleep and sty asleep?i have been like worried everytime i did't have a good night sleep!i don't want to take sleeping pills.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (17 days later)
Hi.

Thank you for writing to us.

Treatment of an inability to sleep is divided into medical and non-medical categories. There are no vitamins that would help, the only medication that can help are sleeping pills. As you wish to avoid medication, let us discuss the non-medical aspect of treatment of insomnia (inability to sleep), this includes behavioral therapy:
-Exercise 30 minutes-1 hour before you sleep (4-5 hours prior to bedtime)
-Do not oversleep
-Fix a regular sleep and awakening time (schedule); even on weekends, do not change this
-Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages from after noon
-Have a meal at least 1-2 hours before bed time (avoid large meals)
-Avoid smoking in the evening
-Avoid taking worries to bed
-Adjust temperature in the room to a comfortable level
-Avoid long naps during the day time
-Avoid other activities once you are in bed, other than sleep and sexual activities (TV, reading, etc.)
-Visit the toilet 30 minutes before bed

The main approach in treating insomnia is to find the cause. Treating symptoms of insomnia without addressing the cause, will rarely result in success. I can understand sleeplessness can really be frustrating, I wish you would visit a doctor for an elaborate examination, so you wouldn't have to go through this any longer, especially if you are suffering from an inability to sleep for more than three weeks, or if you don't seem to find relief from the above mentioned advise.

I hope this helps. Do write back to me for any further clarifications. I shall be glad to help. I wish you a good nights sleep.

Best wishes.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Shoaib Khan

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2009

Answered : 9409 Questions

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Not Getting Proper Sleep, Don't Want To Take Sleeping Pills. What To Take?

Hi.

Thank you for writing to us.

Treatment of an inability to sleep is divided into medical and non-medical categories. There are no vitamins that would help, the only medication that can help are sleeping pills. As you wish to avoid medication, let us discuss the non-medical aspect of treatment of insomnia (inability to sleep), this includes behavioral therapy:
-Exercise 30 minutes-1 hour before you sleep (4-5 hours prior to bedtime)
-Do not oversleep
-Fix a regular sleep and awakening time (schedule); even on weekends, do not change this
-Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages from after noon
-Have a meal at least 1-2 hours before bed time (avoid large meals)
-Avoid smoking in the evening
-Avoid taking worries to bed
-Adjust temperature in the room to a comfortable level
-Avoid long naps during the day time
-Avoid other activities once you are in bed, other than sleep and sexual activities (TV, reading, etc.)
-Visit the toilet 30 minutes before bed

The main approach in treating insomnia is to find the cause. Treating symptoms of insomnia without addressing the cause, will rarely result in success. I can understand sleeplessness can really be frustrating, I wish you would visit a doctor for an elaborate examination, so you wouldn't have to go through this any longer, especially if you are suffering from an inability to sleep for more than three weeks, or if you don't seem to find relief from the above mentioned advise.

I hope this helps. Do write back to me for any further clarifications. I shall be glad to help. I wish you a good nights sleep.

Best wishes.