# Beckdawrek is sleeping in a bad, bad, bad way.(Ambien is a cruel mistress) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 8, 2019, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196 "2019-04-08T00:47:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/41 "2019-04-08T21:31:15Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > You know they put a man on the moon. Why can’t I sleep or have socks that stick together in the dryer and never get lost? If you left your body to its own devices sleepwise, what would happen? Would you have two or three naps in a 24-hour period? And how rested would you feel? I’m not convinced one long, uninterrupted sleep is natural or necessary for everyone. Fortunately, you’re retired, so your sleep hours aren’t dictated by your work hours. But if you must sleep at night, caffeine has a half-life of 5 to 6 hours, so you could still have your cuppa in the morning. Do you get a lot of exercise? I find it helps, provided I don’t get it late in the day. PS Is the glucose monitor the kind that alerts just you? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/42 "2019-04-08T21:31:29Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > You know they put a man on the moon. Why can’t I sleep or have socks that stick together in the dryer and never get lost? That was the Seventies. You had to be there. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/43 "2019-04-08T21:52:19Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > If you left your body to its own devices sleepwise, what would happen? Would you have two or three naps in a 24-hour period? And how rested would you feel? > > I’m not convinced one long, uninterrupted sleep is natural or necessary for everyone. Fortunately, you’re retired, so your sleep hours aren’t dictated by your work hours. > > But if you must sleep at night, caffeine has a half-life of 5 to 6 hours, so you could still have your cuppa in the morning. Do you get a lot of exercise? I find it helps, provided I don’t get it late in the day. > > PS Is the glucose monitor the kind that alerts just you? I will be getting the monitor that alerts others. I’ll need all of your cellphone numbers by next Weds., start sending them in.🙂 I have always just slept when I felt a need to. Sometimes it worked out to about 5 or 6 hrs. Every 24. Occasionally I would just keep moving and then I’d realize it had been 3 days with no appreciable down time. I walk my dogs twice a day, everyday. I don’t work out or anything close to it. I do stretching from my dancing days to keep flexible. I’m very skinny. In fact the Doc said I was down 6lbs. I want ice cream but I’m trying to keep my numbers right. So that’s right out. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/44 "2019-04-08T21:58:54Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I will be getting the monitor that alerts others. I’ll need all of your cellphone numbers by next Weds., start sending them in.🙂 > I have always just slept when I felt a need to. Sometimes it worked out to about 5 or 6 hrs. Every 24. Occasionally I would just keep moving and then I’d realize it had been 3 days with no appreciable down time. > I walk my dogs twice a day, everyday. I don’t work out or anything close to it. I do stretching from my dancing days to keep flexible. I’m very skinny. In fact the Doc said I was down 6lbs. I want ice cream but I’m trying to keep my numbers right. So that’s right out. I honestly don’t know what my phone number is! Bacon. It won’t raise your BG, and OHBOYOBOY, it’s so good! ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/45 "2019-04-08T22:02:06Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > You know they put a man on the moon. Why can’t I sleep or have socks that stick together in the dryer and never get lost? I know someone who postulated that if magic were to exist, it could be powered by the socks that disappeared from everyone’s dryers. Assuming the conversion was, oh, let’s say 50% efficient, using E equals MC squared shows that the conversion of socks to energy would produce a big whack of energy. Of course, odds are that a few of those dryers would explode. But it’s an interesting thought. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/46 "2019-04-08T22:14:59Z")
That’s all we need around here, another big bang. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/47 "2019-04-08T22:34:32Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > I’m a terrible person. Really. > > I laughed my ass off at this. > > Ambien plus alcohol got two of the Kenndy kids busted for driving under the influence. > > You hear about “Ambien texting,” “Ambien sleep-eating,” and I’m sure more than one guilty person has tried an Ambien defense when it comes to murder. > > True story: Mr VOW had no difficulty with Ambien. When the family doctor put me on Halcion, she changed his Ambien to Halcion, too. > > Stuff worked great for me, but Mr VOW was another story. He’d be sound asleep, hollering, swearing, threatening whoever was in his dreamland. > > His neurologist raised an eyebrow over that, and immediately put him back on Ambien. The neuro had to do a dance with the insurance company, but he prevailed. > > I’m still snorting and guffawing at the Chefson, though. I’m sorry. > > I hope he didn’t have a problem getting the paycheck reissued! > ~VOW I did too, at the time. Then his wife told me that he was also taking opioids and anti-depressants and washing it down with alcohol. A bad cocktail by any measure. I ended up flying out there to intervene in what was becoming a nasty drug habit. Hard not to laugh at the story, though. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2019, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/48 "2019-04-09T03:32:48Z")
Heh. I shared an apt. with a close friend for a year. She took Ambien under the close mngmnt. of a sleep doc, but she was frustrated that she couldn’t lost “those last 5 pounds” and didn’t understand why. Then we moved in together. Mystery solved. She was semi-dieting all day so she was hungry by evening. Ambien seems to bring out the Id (the selfish part of us, according to ol’ Freud) because she was otherwise strangely functional. She spoke normally, reacted to jokes on TV or whatever, didn’t seem messed up - and we were friends since undergrad, I’ve seen her hammered - but oh, my word, the eating. Once she decided on a bowl of cereal but we were out of milk. She pours herself a bowl of Cheerios, and adds … chocolate syrup. Grabs a spoon and digs in. Only logic I could figure was, we kept the syrup in the fridge door where the milk would have been, I guess. Neighbor of ours dropped by for a sec, and to this day I get the giggles remembering the double take he made. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2019, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/49 "2019-04-09T05:21:23Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I’m getting a glucose monitor. I see the nutritionist Thursday. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I will be getting the monitor that alerts others. I’ll need all of your cellphone numbers by next Weds., start sending them in.🙂 Great! 415-555-1212 ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2019, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/50 "2019-04-09T06:28:22Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I will be getting the monitor that alerts others. I’ll need all of your cellphone numbers by next Weds., start sending them in.🙂 > I have always just slept when I felt a need to. Sometimes it worked out to about 5 or 6 hrs. Every 24. Occasionally I would just keep moving and then I’d realize it had been 3 days with no appreciable down time. > I walk my dogs twice a day, everyday. I don’t work out or anything close to it. I do stretching from my dancing days to keep flexible. I’m very skinny. In fact the Doc said I was down 6lbs. I want ice cream but I’m trying to keep my numbers right. So that’s right out. It’s not a funny situation, but the imagination does come up with some scenarios stemming from this. Beckdawreck…Goddess-Queen of Arkansas after her hundreds, thousands? of loyal and fanatical minions respond to her alert by calling the dispatch center…all at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2019, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/51 "2019-04-09T07:50:49Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > There are tons of good teas out there that don’t have caffeine in them at all. Plus instant decaf tea has only 1 mg of caffeine, which may be acceptable. > > I can’t really recommend a specific one, as I find that I can’t even decide what I like better. Peppermint tea is lovely, though–but only hot. Even lukewarm it starts to suck. Celestial Seasonings “Sleepytime Tea” always did it for me. No caffeine, and it was very relaxing. The illustration on the box was of a big teddy bear falling asleep in his easy chair, after having consumed “Sleepytime,” and that’s not far off the mark. I’ve fallen asleep in my easy chair after consuming “Sleepytime” too. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I will be getting the monitor that alerts others. I’ll need all of your cellphone numbers by next Weds., start sending them in.🙂 **Beck** , you know that you’re a great friend of mine, but not so great that you need my cell number (which I pay very little attention to, anyway; it’s basically for me to make outcalls, and for my sister to call me). If you need my office number, I could PM you that. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2019, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/52 "2019-04-09T08:17:31Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Celestial Seasonings “Sleepytime Tea” always did it for me. No caffeine, and it was very relaxing. The illustration on the box was of a big teddy bear falling asleep in his easy chair, after having consumed “Sleepytime,” and that’s not far off the mark. I’ve fallen asleep in my easy chair after consuming “Sleepytime” too. > > **Beck** , you know that you’re a great friend of mine, but not so great that you need my cell number (which I pay very little attention to, anyway; it’s basically for me to make outcalls, and for my sister to call me). If you need my office number, I could PM you that. I was being silly. But that’s so nice of you. If I’m ever in your neighborhood I let you know to send your number. I might want a lunch date and a laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/53 "2019-04-09T17:50:09Z")
I’ve been taking a benadryl around 8, then watching TV until I start getting sleepy. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/54 "2019-04-10T14:08:00Z")
Wouldn’t the two sort of [counteract](https://www.livescience.com/53874-blue-light-sleep.html) each other? > [@](#): > > “To prevent sleeping problems, avoid any exposure to blue light 30 to 60 minutes prior to bed. That means, no TV, tablets, computers or smart phones,” said Dr. Robert Oexman, director of the Sleep to Live Institute. It kind of sounds like woo to me, but my latest smartphone has a ‘no blue’ option in it, perhaps as a sop. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/55 "2019-04-12T03:47:50Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > … > 7 hours later I wake up. Oh god. I’m in pain. I don’t want to move and I’m not thinking clearly. My head is full of fluff and evil thoughts. One cat meow and someone’s gonna die. > About noon things start clearing up. Well, that can’t happen again. > I didn’t take one the 4th night. I slept but dreamy and fitfully. Oh crap, in the morning I just feel tired and sore. This shouldn’t be… About 18 years ago, I was prescribed Ambien by a Restless Legs Syndrome specialist. This was an experiment to see if having it available for occasional use (I wasn’t yet ready to go on longer-term stuff such as a dopamine agonist) would help me cope. My instructions were to use it for 2 weeks, then stop and have it around just for times when I really had trouble with the legs. Well after 2 weeks, the first night off it was hellish. That weird not-quite-sleep that is utterly unrestful. Rebound insomnia is not uncommon, after all. After that, I tried doing the occasional use - basically only if my legs were driving me utterly crazy. Only… even after just one night, I’d have the rebound - which meant that any time I thought I might benefit from it, I’d have to consider whether I could do without sleep the next night. I also felt hung over well into the day, even though it supposedly had worn off. Needless to day, I asked for an alternative. Got Sonata, which has a shorter half life, less issues with rebound, and less “hung over”. I told a doctor once that I had bad rebound from the stuff even after one night. He didn’t believe me. Ass. Neither has ever caused me to pass out so instantly that I don’t remember hitting the pillow. In fact at worst, I’d notice an hour after taking it I’d have trouble focussing my eyes. Of course, there was that time 9 years back when I hadn’t slept for 48 hours (gallbladder attack symptoms) and broke down and took one… and didn’t put the computer away right away. Whoopsie. Never did anything regrettable beyond that one “whee I’m tipsy” email. I know someone who stopped taking it after she got up and made peanut brittle (as in, sugar syrup hotter than boiling water). Vow: be careful with that Halcion. I have had it a couple times for dental work and it works well, but I’ve heard concerns over longer-term use, especially in more mature people. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/56 "2019-04-12T05:07:35Z")
I was particularly wakeful last night. I took half a pill and laid down. I have absolutely no memory til the cats woke me up at 7am. I fed the cats and went in my living room sat down in my big chair. I was still slumped over the arm when at 11am my dog was licking my face. Never knew I was asleep for either sleep session. I’ve been wobbly all day. I thought I would give it one last chance. Never again. Flushed 'em. Even when I’m wakeful past 36hrs I am aware of what I’m doing. Yes, I’m tired and cranky but I’m not brain dead. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/57 "2019-04-12T06:56:11Z")
**Mama Zappa** , I’ve been taking the Halcion for about six years now, and it still does what I need it to do, which is make me sleep. It’s been the same dose as I started with. And as I mentioned upthread, if I don’t take it, I don’t sleep. I end up doing the chicken-on-a-rotisserie in bed, where I stare at the ceiling, flop over, stare at the wall, flop over, stare at the other wall. I took an antidepressant (amitryptaline for years, then trazadone) at bedtime for about 25 years, and I SLEPT. After my mother died, I started having anxiety/panic disorder, and my family doctor switched me to Paxil. Paxil worked beautifully for the panic business, but it did NOTHING for sleep. I forgot how to sleep, I guess. I’ll keep an eye out for any problems with Halcion, but the problems would have to be damned drastic for me to give up sleep. I really really like sleep. I have heard to stay far far away from Lunesta. It leaves a terrible aftertaste in your mouth that lasts all day. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196/58 "2019-04-12T07:32:04Z")
I’m beginning to doubt the efficacy of sleep aids for a diabetic patient. When I finally was awake enough this morning to check my glucose I was really low. Not scary low. But still. Because, I, in essence missed a meal and was coming up on another meal time I had to work fast to stall things out. I’m not getting in that place again. I need to be aware of how I’m feeling so I can make conscience decisions about my care. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beckdawrek-is-sleeping-in-a-bad-bad-bad-way-ambien-is-a-cruel-mistress/832196.md?page=2)