So I am not getting enough sleep. I wake up constantly throughout the night, whether it's from dogs barking, storms, or even just a strong gust of wind. Add on to that is my fiance works nights, so when he comes home in the morning he is all awake from work yet, and is not the quietest person to be around. He likes to yell at the television, he likes to curse at the games he plays, he likes to talk to himself or the dogs, and I can literally feel when he is frustrated at something because it gets my anxiety up and then I can't fall back asleep. In a 700 sq ft apt, I hear it all.

I know getting a good nights rest is important for weight loss, and on the nights where I do get good sleep I see a big difference! I'm considering trying an over-the-counter sleep aid at a very small dose (probably half of what the recommended dose is) to see if that helps improve my sleep, but I don't know what kind to get, and I don't know if using it will have side effects that can effect my weight loss negatively.

Does anyone have any recommendations, or know of any negative side effects? I'm not too concerned with getting addicted because I don't intend to use it daily, just on an as-needed basis, like if I had a few days of really poor sleep.

Over-the-counter sleep aids will only make you drousy the next day. I recommend melatonin. In my case, it works about as well as prescriptions.

I find a salt bath with a good book, a glass of red wine and/or exercise will help me relax before bed. Yoga may help, too.

If that does not help, I asked the doctor for a prescription to a sleeping aid that helps you fall asleep only. That way, you will be awake during the day.

Melatonin helps me. I get it at the drugstore, or walmart. It is with the vitamins. You take it about 20 minutes before you want to sleep, and it will help you drift off, and not make you zonked the next day. I find it helps a lot.

I would also recommend trying Melatonin and seeing if that works. Definitely better then prescription sleep aids.

Also, you're boyfriend is being a d!ck and you should talk with him about that!!!

Talk to your doctor about your symptoms. You may be a good candidate for a sleep study. Over the counter meds treat the symptoms but long term relief and treatment needs to have root cause identified. Good luck!

Thanks everyone for the great info I currently don't have insurance, so I don't think I'd qualify for a sleep study I did find melatonin when I went shopping tonight, so I'll be giving that a try! I do like that it's a vitamin, and not something I'd buy with the cold and flue medicine. I will probably be giving it a try tonight! thank you!!

Your boyfriend needs a swift kick in the rear end for disturbing you like that. He's a grown up, for gawd sake, he can be quiet for a few hours to let you sleep. Sorry but someone disturbing my sleep doesn't do it twice.

Sorry.

Anyway.

I have a long history of sleep problems. I've used melatonin and I've found that it works to get me to sleep, but it doesn't help me stay asleep. I've never tried other over the counter remedies.

Prescription sleeping pills have certainly knocked me out for the night but I've been hung over the next day. Do. Not. Like. Also, the newer sleeping pills, like Ambien, have had some rather odd side effects on me like sleep walking, sleep talking and getting rowdy with my husband with absolutely no memory of it. Also, do not like.

You mentioned anxiety. What has worked the best for me on those occasions when I need a little something to help me sleep is a low dose of Xanax. It helps my brain to shut down from ruminating and it does help me sleep. Plus, the dose is so low that I don't have any kind of hang over the next day. I just wake up rested. That's a prescription tranquilizer but I have to tell you, it's been working wonders for me for the last 5 months. I don't take them often, maybe once a week or so but I sleep great when I do take them.

Sleepytime tea?

Oh I did I told him that I always make sure the apartment is quiet while he's sleeping because it's respectful, and that I want him to get the sleep he needs for work! Then I told him it would be respectful of him to do the same. He's been doing okay these past 2 days, but I'm waiting to see how long that lasts lol

It sounds like you are sensitive to noise. Have you tried ear plugs?

Totally on board with those suggesting the melatonin. A timed-release version is really helpful. And ... there is no greater glory than a warm Epsom salt bath (2 cups of salt per bath) before bed. That helps with muscle aches from working out, quiets the mind, and best of all, it's CHEAP!!! I would also recommend getting your bedroom as dark as you possibly can (light-blocking drapes, a dimmable clock, etc). If noise bothers you, consider a white-noise generator. They're about $60, but it's kind of like having noise-canceling headphones. My DS14 has had one for about 8 years now and even tries to take it camping!

Thanks everyone I tried the melatonin last night and it was perfect, exactly what I needed! I am a bit sensitive to noises, but I prefer to be, as crazy as that sounds lol! My dogs are mostly good dogs, but they get mischievous at night sometimes, and I like to be able to hear that and stop them from getting into whatever they're getting into. And since the fiance has to sleep during the day, our bedroom is always fairly dark.

I would love to be able to soak in a bath with a glass of wine or sleepytime tea, but sadly the bathtub in my apartment leaves a lot to be desired It's shallow, and no matter how hard I scrub it never seems clean enough. a hot shower is nice, but it isn't the same.

I'm really happy that I went with the melatonin instead of something else! I appreciate all of the recommendations!

I'm so glad that melatonin worked for you! It's really the best of all options, IMO.

I've been using Unisom, the blue gel 50 mg ones. It hits me after 30 mins, but I always feel tired the next day or I sleep for a crazy amount of hrs. Gonna try melatonin now since everyone has been recommending it!

I used it for the second time last night (long story short, I had an anxiety/panic attack from lack of money with bills coming up, and knew that no matter what, sleep was going to be hard), and it helped tremendously! I was able to get a few hours of rested sleep, which is usually an impossibility when I am that anxious, and I got up early without any grogginess (although that might be more from the adrenaline...the first time I used it I was a tad groggy right off the start, but it cleared fast), made my phone calls and righted a few things which were causing financial issues.

I find the Melatonin comes on smoothly, like a natural sleep feeling (which I suppose is it's intended effect, as it's the chemical your body releases when it's ready for sleep ). I like to read before bed to try and settle my mind, and the one thing about regular sleep aids is that when it hits you, it hits you and you literally want to fall asleep right away. With this I can finish a chapter/page/scene and not have to re-read it the next time because I was too sleepy to absorb it, if that makes sense.