# What Can I Take Long-Term For Insomnia Besides Benzos? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 2, 2009, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-take-long-term-for-insomnia-besides-benzos/501653 "2009-07-02T01:14:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-take-long-term-for-insomnia-besides-benzos/501653/21 "2009-07-02T04:42:05Z")
I was on Effexor for several years and it was a stone bitch to get off of. I’m now on Lortabs and Paxil, with an occasional 1 mg Xanax when things and people get to be too much. Anyway, I take Ambien too because I had horrifying nightmares that made it so I was terrified to go to sleep. Top that off with being a lifelong insomniac, and I was the walking dead. I know there’s a chance of addiction but believe me, I’d rather take a sleeping med for the rest of my life than have those nightmares. Good luck, Alice, and keep us informed. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-take-long-term-for-insomnia-besides-benzos/501653/22 "2009-07-02T05:16:49Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > I can’t anything like Ambien. I’m the sole adult at home and I would not be comfortable with the more unusual side effects, such as driving around or whatever. Here’s the thing about Ambien, for me and others it’s more like"deciding to do something then forgetting about that decision the next day" than it is “driving around while asleep”. So, if you take it, only take it after after you are ready for bed, and promise yourself you will never, ever do anything like even leaving the house, even if you “don’t feel sleepy”. I use Diphenhydramine myself, it also helps with the “hard to get to sleep due to stuffy nose” issue. Also works is Celestial Seasonings SleepyTime and TensionTamer herbal teas, as Shagnasty sez. My MD had me try lorazepam for a while, it seems to work well for sleeplessness caused by anxiety, etc. In any case, consult your MD and tell him your concerns. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-take-long-term-for-insomnia-besides-benzos/501653/23 "2009-07-02T05:25:08Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Yes, but my one and only true manic episode was triggered by Effexor. I am not implying that you are bipolar but what you described is a much smaller version of what I experienced and I don’t want you to go through any problems if Effexor isn’t the right fit for you. I have more experience than you will ever know with trying different drugs and switching psychiatrists and I have gotten burned too many times to count. I finally found a prestigious Harvard professor that would see me and he fixed everything. The moral to this story is to always question your doctors about why they are prescribing the drugs that they give you especially when it comes to psychiatric drugs. It is more of a trial and error art rather than a science and it is the quality of your life that is at stake. There are tons of other choices out there. I must have miscommunicated something in the OP. I don’t feel that the Effexor is a problem, It does give me extra energy, especially, it seems, at night. But it’s not like I’m painting the house at 3 am or anything- the depressed person’s “extra energy” is the non-depressed’s “normal”. I still keep the same routines and schedules, not manic or anything. And I didn’t actually see things- I was using that for comedic effect regarding the effects of not getting deep sleep. So I’m not sure where the dire warnings are coming from, but thanks- I’ll keep it in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-take-long-term-for-insomnia-besides-benzos/501653/24 "2009-07-02T05:26:25Z")
I must have a paradoxical reaction to the lorazepam. It has not made me sleepy, at all. Or maybe I’m just used to the Xanax. ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-take-long-term-for-insomnia-besides-benzos/501653/25 "2009-07-02T07:54:08Z")
I used Ambien off and on for a period of about two years. Pros: -Will ALWAYS knock you out, you can actually rely on getting a full night’s sleep unlike a lot of other methods -The sleep is…REALLY FRIGGING GOOD. -If you try staying awake a bit, you might visually hallucinate some sweet colors (not recommended) Cons: -Will make your un-Ambien’d sleep nearly nonexistant for a while. -It is impossible to wake up in the middle of the night and function. -Can be VERY drowsy when you wake up. I don’t recommend it for people in your case who are the only adults in the home. Good for you for being responsible. I would recommend you try a combination of an herbal tea and some valerian root. They sell Melatonin pills at Trader Joe’s which are 5.99 for a bottle of 100 tablets, the pills are 500micrograms per tablet. One works well for me, taken about 35 minutes before bed, and I am a good sized fellow. Occasionally two. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-take-long-term-for-insomnia-besides-benzos/501653/26 "2009-07-02T09:25:49Z")
A couple people have mentioned **melatonin**. I would advise caution about this drug. If you have any auto-immune dieases, or are even somewhat susceptible to auto-immune diseases, DO NOT take it! That includes things like allergies, asthma, and arthritis. It will make them worse. ---
**Author:** ![Arjuna34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Arjuna34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arjuna34)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-take-long-term-for-insomnia-besides-benzos/501653/27 "2009-07-02T11:01:57Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > Before that, I had good results for a long time with L-Tryptophan, but I think that’s not generally available now because a batch coming in from IIRC China made some people very ill, and they blamed the L-T. The ban on l-tryptophan in the US was recently lifted - it’s available OTC again (although it’s a bit expensive). 5-HTP is another option, similiar to tryptophan. ---
**Author:** ![Elemenopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@Elemenopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elemenopy)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-take-long-term-for-insomnia-besides-benzos/501653/28 "2009-07-02T14:24:25Z")
Hi, Alice, Xanax and Ativan \*should \*be more or less functionally equivalent at the same dosage. (See second [chart](http://www.dr-bob.org/tips/bzd.html) for comparison of peak plasma levels). There can be a slight difference between the effects of pharmaceuticals from different manufacturers, however, especially since you are likely to be getting generics. I have forgotten the precise chemistry behind this, but it has to do with racemic and other isomers–basically, a chemical formulation can have different arrangements that have the same empiric formula (same number of carbon, hydrogen, whatever atoms), but the structure is different. Some of the molecules might be a mirror image of the “original” formula, for example. Anyway, depending on the proportions of the different isomers you are getting in a particular batch, you can experience a potency difference. I experienced this myself not long ago when I was given buproprion by a different manufacturer than I was accustomed to (same dosage). As far as sleep goes, I have a similar problem, and have tried a number of things. Trazodone is a decent one as long as it is taken early enough in the evening, but I have experienced grogginess the next day at 100-150 mg, even with 7-8 hours of sleep. Ambien CR is pretty good at staying asleep through the night, but I have seen the scary side effects in others who take it regularly (and show up on my doorstep at 3 AM, but I digress…) so I would, and do, avoid that. Lunesta is pretty good in my experience, but if I’ve taken it and don’t go to bed right away with a will to sleep, I fight it off without really thinking about it. Melatonin is quite nice, but doesn’t always work–I think since “herbal supplements” are not regulated by the same standards as prescription medications, one gets a variable dose. I would not recommend imipramine personally, but YMMV. I have bipolar tendencies, and two days of imipramine were enough–very bizarre side effects including crushing depression with psychotic features I don’t care to dwell on. You are right in not wanting to continue long-term benzodiazapine usage. The withdrawal can be horrible, even with an easy taper. I found this [clip](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDbPnAQ-c1o) for my SO, who is a psychiatrist, who now shows it to certain patients. Recent studies have shown that cognitive-behavioral therapy is better than medication for long-term insomnia, and I am having some relief by cleaning up my sleep hygiene. Avoiding television, computer, etc. in the evening is a major factor. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-take-long-term-for-insomnia-besides-benzos/501653/29 "2009-07-02T15:39:08Z")
> [@nyctea scandiaca](#): > > Thank you for this. I am in the middle of a long depression and my treatments have not yet been effective, and sometimes I think it’s just me (something’s wrong with me) instead of maybe my doctor hasn’t prescribed the right thing yet. > > Thanks for this information. See, I thought I could have used something for sudden panic attacks, because the Ativan doesn’t seem to do anything right away, and only just makes me sleepy like 45 minutes later. In the meantime, I am still freaking out, and it’s usually subsided before the Ativan does anything. Sounds like maybe the Xanax might be more useful. > > What about Vallium? What does that do, and how does it compare? I am fairly passionate about this subject in both an academic and personal way in case you can’t tell ;). You can PM me if you want to. I am normal now (well, as normal as I ever was) and have been for 6 years but I went down the road to hell to get there. I know some interesting things to read if you are interested and I would be more than happy to send them to you. Valium is another benzodiazepine related to Xanax and Ativan but I don’t think that doctors prescribe it as much as they did 20 years ago because it has a high potential for addiction. Some people need it but that is between you and your doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Honey6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c57346/32.png) [@Honey6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey6)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-take-long-term-for-insomnia-besides-benzos/501653/30 "2009-07-03T00:05:42Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > I must have a paradoxical reaction to the lorazepam. It has not made me sleepy, at all. Or maybe I’m just used to the Xanax. I have a serious and documented “paradoxical” reaction to all benzos. They _increase_ my anxiety - and cause disinhibition - to the point where I want to jump out windows, etc. I take anticonvulsants for stabilization (to not go too high or low), and Effexor for depression. I’ve also taken Seroquel for years for sleeping - it works very well for me. It’s one of the “major” tranquilizers (benzos are called “minor” tranqs) - and it’s an antipsychotic that is great for my anxiety. It is my belief that benzos can be very dangerous - while paradoxical reactions are rare, in susceptible individuals, they can increase both depression and anxiety. At the time that I was prescribed benzos, I was already in a state, but these made me much, much crazier. ---
**Author:** ![Oregon\_sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/50afbb/32.png) [@Oregon\_sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oregon_sunshine)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-take-long-term-for-insomnia-besides-benzos/501653/31 "2009-07-03T00:47:57Z")
I was a lifelong insomniac (trouble falling asleep, restless sleep, and extremely early waking since childhood) until a doctor prescribed me trazodone last year. Now I sleep like a baby. Trazodone is AWESOME!! ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-take-long-term-for-insomnia-besides-benzos/501653/32 "2009-07-03T01:14:03Z")
Avoid mixing Xanax and alcohol recreationally. Blackout drive ensues. Bad times. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-take-long-term-for-insomnia-besides-benzos/501653/33 "2009-07-03T01:25:27Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > I must have miscommunicated something in the OP. I don’t feel that the Effexor is a problem, It does give me extra energy, especially, it seems, at night. But it’s not like I’m painting the house at 3 am or anything- the depressed person’s “extra energy” is the non-depressed’s “normal”. I still keep the same routines and schedules, not manic or anything. And I didn’t actually see things- I was using that for comedic effect regarding the effects of not getting deep sleep. So I’m not sure where the dire warnings are coming from, but thanks- I’ll keep it in mind. No problem. That was just general information for anyone that reads this thread because people differ wildly in how they respond to psychiatric drugs. The amphetamine reference threw me off however because I did feel like I was on Crystal Meth when I was on Effexor but l know lots of people get good results from it. Everyone just needs to be an informed consumer and no doctor can judge the results as well as the patient can. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-take-long-term-for-insomnia-besides-benzos/501653.md?page=1)