MS-Related Insomnia

[IFwczs]

I came across this article and wanted to share my tips for sleep.

multiplesclerosisnewstoday....

1) Melatonin

2) Magnesium

3) Sleep mask and ear plugs

4) Guided meditation

They recommend changing your location when you can't sleep. I usually move from the bed to the couch.

What are your tips?

[Iona60]

Lemon Balm helps some.

[erash in reply to Iona60]

I learned this from Iona60 ...

I listen to audio books (mostly I have to rewind several chapters each day because I can’t remember what I listened too but it means the book lasts a longer time)

Of course I also take a sleep med, Lunesta (and like the writer in the article, I sleep eat too and it’s often a surprise to see what I did eat the next morning 😜)

And I meditate.

I count backwards from 1000

I’ve tried magnesium but those pills are huge! So I haven’t taken for awhile.

I think I’m going to be trying a weighted blanket...

As I write, I’m realizing I’m a professional insomniac 😴

[IFwczs in reply to erash]

I have tried the weighted blanket. Wasted $250 on it and ended up giving it away because it was a heater. Really hot, and you can't push it aside because it's so heavy.

[IFwczs in reply to erash]

Are you not taking magnesium? Two Integrative Medicine M.D.s have ordered that I take it. Not just for sleep. When I get home, I will send you the name, brand and dose ordered by my doctors. These pills are not big. Magnesium supplement has a million uses, but the nervous system is one of them.

[erash in reply to IFwczs]

Yes please

[IFwczs in reply to erash]

I apologize for the delay, my husband threw an "I hate MS" fit last night (yet I am the one with MS).

My doctors ordered that I take OptiMag 125, 120 Vegetable Capsules by Xymogen, 2 capsules a day at bedtime. They sells this brand at their store - xymogen.com/formulas/produc...

I don't know how to get this one online. It used to be the Pure Encapsulations magnesium for years, but now they have switched.

[erash in reply to IFwczs]

Thanks much 👍

[erash in reply to IFwczs]

Hmmm...optimag are only 125mg each. Mine are 250mg each (but I’m not taking them because they are so large. Some is better than none 😊)

[erash in reply to IFwczs]

Oops I see I need a referral code from my doc to purchase...

[IFwczs in reply to erash]

Actually, I was taking Pure Encapsulationsx2 a day at bedtime. Then I made one of these Integrative Medicine doctors my PCP, and she put me on 4 OptiMag - 2 in the morning and 2 at bedtime. If you want to keep discussing Magnesium by email, my email address is [e-mail].

[Iona60 in reply to IFwczs]

Please post it here or send it to me as well. I just picked some up of the shelf.

[IFwczs in reply to Iona60]

My doctors ordered that I take OptiMag 125, 120 Vegetable Capsules by Xymogen, 2 capsules a day at bedtime. They sells this brand at their store - xymogen.com/formulas/produc...

I don't know how to get this one online. It used to be the Pure Encapsulations magnesium for years, but now they have switched.

[Iona60 in reply to IFwczs]

Thank you.

[Iona60 in reply to erash]

I'm right there with you. I'm more picky about the voice on the audio book than the actual book. Are you?

[erash in reply to Iona60]

Yes, the speaker makes a lot of difference!

[kdali in reply to erash]

ASMR has been trending lately

youtu.be/DaXwnTk0hUE(Not working as expected?)

[erash in reply to kdali]

How old is she???

[kdali in reply to erash]

No idea! I was bored one day and stumbled upon it and got sucked in for about 5 minutes 😂 I can see where it might help you doze off, but it breaks my no screen rule.

[carolek572 CommunityAmbassador]

I developed a routine when it's time for bed which is to brush my teeth, wash my face, and say my prayers. If that doesn't work, then I repeat my routine. That usually does it. But sometimes sleep is not as restful as I would like. If it gets so bad that I cannot deal with it, then I would talk with my doctor(s). Hope this gives you another way to deal with insomnia.

[erash in reply to carolek572]

I have less issues falling asleep than staying asleep... I try to stay in bed til 415am

[kdali in reply to erash]

😵😵😵 I don’t know about that, maybe we should do tips on staying asleep also, other than medications. 415 sounds rough 😑

[erash in reply to kdali]

That’s with sleeping meds at 11p 😜

[kdali in reply to erash]

Every single day? 💀 How do you manage?!

[IFwczs in reply to kdali]

At this time, I take melatonin, and usually get 2 more hours of sleep. It doesn't make you groggy afterwards.

[Iona60 in reply to erash]

That's me. I wake up every hour or two.

[kdali]

Mine are:

No screens before bed

No eating late

Move every day, the more the better

Hot soak with magnesium salts if the exercise makes legs angry (or mag lotion, my new thing)

No caffeine after 3pm

Noise machine: I use the Noisli app which has white, brown, and pink noise

When I’m desperate:

Meditation via Headspace

Extended release magnesium

Zhou brand “Driftoff” (it’s everything for sleep in a capsule except magnesium)

When I’m super desperate:

DXM (Unisom, not the Benadryl one), but will be drowsy the next day

And it took me a while to learn that I am a rockstar, that I will survive the very tired day that is coming, I should not have anxiety over my insomnia (I use to take a benzo for this), and I should get up, go downstairs and read a book, maybe have a cup of tea and stop worrying about tomorrow.

[erash in reply to kdali]

Perfect!

[IFwczs in reply to kdali]

Thank you, that was very helpful!

[Iona60 in reply to kdali]

Try stash Lemon Balm tea. It knocks me back out.

[kdali in reply to Iona60]

That’s one of the ingredients in the Drift Off! I’d never heard of it before.

[Iona60 in reply to kdali]

My nurse practitioner told me about it. It helps with sleep and anxiety. I drink the stash Lemon tea or nature's way Melissa lemon Balm capsules.

globalhealingcenter.com/nat...

[kdali in reply to Iona60]

Ty!! I’m going to up my sleep game 🎉

[Iona60 in reply to kdali]

I switched to the capsules because the tea made me get up to pee!

[IFwczs in reply to Iona60]

Have you ever tried melatonin?

[Iona60 in reply to IFwczs]

I have used melatonin off and on through the years. It stops working for me after a few weeks. When I most recently tried it, there was an interaction with a new med that I'm taking. I've been afraid to try it again.

[kdali in reply to Iona60]

It’s in Driftoff, so don’t get that one! I tried the regular melatonin dose and went crazy, but the lower dose seems ok. I don’t take it every night because I want it to keep working well for me.

[Iona60 in reply to kdali]

I saw that in the drift off and am hesitant. I was taking 5 mg of melatonin.

[IFwczs in reply to kdali]

I will follow this advice, thanks again for your insomnia tips. I will take as little melatonin as possible on the as-needed basis.

[IFwczs in reply to Iona60]

The interaction part is bizarre. I thought it was natural and produced by the body?

[Iona60 in reply to IFwczs]

It was a very scary night time vertigo episode. It happened shortly after I took it, following the new med. I won't try it again.

[Ali_B62]

Listen to music throughout the night, helps keep the bad thoughts away.