Preamble:
I wrote this guide for you Britney when I realized you were still suffering after you had supposedly seen a doctor about helping you with your rest, and sleep needs. But you were already on you way to the hospital before I finished your post.
They probably have you on some other med’s now. So you don’t want to use any of the chemical sleeping aids or suggestions in this post without talking to your doctor first.
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I had a feeling you were having sleeping problems Britney. And I have been trying to get to that. But there is so much to cover. I have been doing the best I can to cover as much as I can. I will be updating this post because there is so much to cover that I cant do it all at one time. The real title of this post should be how to get your rest, and sleep even under extreme stress for a prolonged period of time, without developing a drug, or alcohol problem. Or killing your-self from accidental overdose.
Lack of adequate rest is one of the greatest health problems in America. Millions of Americans suffer from chronic sleep deprivation. And stress only makes this problem much worse. Millions of children are labeled as hyperactive, ADD, depressed, and Bipolar when what they are actually suffering from is chronic sleep deprivation. People need about 8-10 hours a night. And children and adolescents can need even more. Especially when they are going through puberty. And especially girls. This fact is where the story of Sleeping Beauty comes from. Also children do most of their growing in their sleep.
In adults the spine will even decompress as much as an inch during sleep. This is why so many Americans have back pain. It’s because they don’t get enough sleep for the disk in their spine to decompress before the next day. If you measure your height just before you go to bed. Then measure your height as soon as you get out of bed. You will be about an inch taller.
I am going to cover non drug things you can do to help get your rest, and sleep first. Then I want to cover some guidelines on the use of over the counter, and prescription medications. Especially after the tragic death of the brilliant young actor Heath Ledger from what appears to be an accidental overdose. Prescription medication drug accidents kill, and injure more Americans every year than any other people in the world. And it is happening at an alarming rate. Over the past few years we have seen a large number of high profile accidental deaths from prescription medications. And there are many times more dying that you never hear about.
Also when you are under stress. Or taking any medications you are very likely to have GI (Gastro Intestinal problems). Especially problems with regularity. This can turn into a very serious medical problem if not anticipated, and handled well at the earliest sign of potential problems. The best way to deal with problems of regularity is with a balanced diet containing plenty of fruits, and vegetables, and grains. Also it helps to increase your fluid intake. But sometimes even that may not be enough.
One additional thing that works very well is the old saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. An apple in the AM will usually work very well. And if you are having a especially difficult problem with regularity, and additional apple after noon, or in the evening will help too. As a backup to apples, and sometimes also as an addition to apples, you can use something like metamucil. Which is what is called a bulk forming laxative. This is the more natural, and healthy way to deal with problems of irregularity when you are under stress. And because this is the way your body naturally works, this can be done over a long period of time.
But go slow with a full glass of water to start. Maybe try it a few times before you need it to see how much you need to work for you. Also you will get added nutritional value from the apples. I am not very familiar with stimulant laxatives like Correctol. But I know you have to be very careful using them. And they are not good for long term use.
A lot of people use prescription stimulants like Adderall, and Ritalin these days. And I think they can be helpful in some circumstances. Like the way some college kids use it to help them write term papers and such. But I think they should only be used in a very limited way. To help with specific task. Not on an every day basis. Or for fun. They are very powerful drugs. As powerful as cocaine. And in some ways more powerful than cocaine because the effects last longer. They have a very common side effect of causing a kind of temporary craziness that comes, and goes called (pseudo schizophrenia). It is not true schizophrenia. And goes away once you cut back on the med. Or stop taking it. It also has the effect of not letting you sleep if you take it to late in the day, because as I said it is a very powerful stimulant. It would be like using cocaine then trying to go to bed. My stimulant of choice is a cup of coffee, or tea.
One other thing that I think maybe having an effect on Britney’s sleep is something called your internal circadian clock. This is highly intriguing. And may provide some interesting explanations to some of Britney’s mood swings, and sleep difficulties. Don’t get me wrong. Her main cause of mood swings is her normal reaction to being under severe prolonged stress. Make no mistake about that. And maybe some of it may be over use of the Adderall. But as I said in a previous post. The body produces melatonin when the sun sets to help you feel sleepy, and go to sleep.
But we know that bright light can turn off melatonin and make you feel very awake. People with the winter blues (also called SAD-Seasonal Affective Disorder) have been able to successfully treat it with light box therapy. And we know that if they use these light boxes to late in the day they will have trouble sleeping. I also noticed that the last few days before Britney was hospitalized she was not wearing her sunglasses. Could this just be a coincidence. I think it should be looked into. It may also be that the flash, and bright camera light gives a celebrity a mood boost at times.
First of all, there are many non chemical things you can do to help you get your rest, and sleep. Many of them you probably already do. And the better you develop your skills at getting your rest, and sleep without chemical aids, the better off you will be. Even if you occasionally need some chemical help. You will require less, and get better results from your chemical aids.
First of all. It turns out that “Cognitive Behavioral Talk Therapy” is one of the most effective long-term treatments for insomnia. Also going to bed around the same time every night is also helpful. Especially if it is with in a few hours after sundown. Because the setting sun triggers your body to produce melatonin that makes you feel sleepy. Melatonin is what makes bears hibernate in the winter. As the sun rises the light coming into your eyes triggers the melatonin to turn off, so you will be more wakeful.
I have a theory that all the paparazzi flash bulbs, and lights may give some celebrity’s a lift by turning off the melatonin and making them feel more wakeful.
Get ready for bed. If you like to bathe, or shower before bed. Do so. Security can be a concern. Make sure your doors. are locked. You can lock your bedroom door if that makes you feel better. And put your phone, or cell phone by your bed. A dog is usually a good early alarm. If you have a home alarm system set it. You can even put one of those little personal hotel door alarms on a door knob to wake you. And you can buy inexpensive x10 modules that will allow you to turn on all the house lights with one switch by your bed side. Of course having a roommate, or personal security is always best. But you can greatly enhance your security with layers. I always liked the idea of a safe room. Preferably in the room you sleep in.
Make sure your bedroom is quiet, and dark. Soft music can be helpful. Like “Bedtime with Beethoven”. Also there are some CD’s of nature sounds that can be helpful. They should automatically turn off after about 30 mi or an hour or so. You can use an electric blanket to heat the bed if that helps you. But you will want to turn it off when you get in the bed because it will dry your skin out. I prefer the bed cool. Research has shown that people fall asleep much faster if their feet are warm. So you can pop a pair of socks in the dryer with a towel to wear before you go to bed. Loose fitting night clothes also helps.
A glass of warm milk also helps. It has tryptophane which is converted partially into melatonin. Also some sugar free cookies with the milk can help too. You don’t want to get cavities from sugar cookies at bedtime. Also a turkey sandwich works to. Or just some plain turkey. It has a lot of tryptophane. I like an apple. But I don’t think it has any tryptophane. I just like apples. But you knew that. Didn’t you? 
Sometimes a good non caffeinated herbal tea helps also. Like “Sleepy Time” tea. You should keep a closed bottle of water with a easy open sport top on the night stand. There are many more non chemical things you can do that will help. And if you think about it. I am sure you can find many more that work for you.
Now I am going to talk about chemical aids to getting rest, and sleep. It is my personal opinion that no chemical sleeping aid should be used more than 3 nights in a row without at least 3 to 4 nights in a row before using them again. I think this is critical to prevent eventual problems, and possible injuries or death from chemical sleeping aids. You start becoming dependent on all sleeping aids in just 3 days. Plus you need time to keep in practice with your non chemical sleeping skills. Even if you suffer a few nights a week with sleep problems.
Eventually the stress that is keeping you awake will pass. And you don’t want to have acquired a drug problem in the meantime. All you really need is 2 or 3 nights a week to put you back on track. And this way you can use this chemical help for months if you need to. And still not be dependent on it once things settle down. Or get better. You see, the human brain is the most adaptable brain on the planet. And it will adapt to almost any kind of stress given enough time.
If you need more help than just the non chemical aids. The first thing I would try is just one or two extra strength plain Tylenol at bedtime. A few Tylenol is usually all I need, if I need any chemicals to help me rest, or sleep. If you need anything more. And If you are not a drinker. And don’t have a problem with alcohol. You can also use a shot of alcohol with 2 shots of milk, or water chaser if you are a woman. If you are a man you can use up to 2 shots with milk chaser, or water.
We now know from reliable research that alcohol consumption can be beneficial. And exactly how much is beneficial. Based on a well done Danish study. For women no more than from 1 to 7 drinks a week. For men no more than from 1 to 14 drinks a week. Roughly no more than 1 drink a day for women, and 2 a day for men. And no more than roughly 3 drinks at a sitting. If you stay within these guidelines alcohol can have significant beneficial effects. If you drink more than these guidelines alcohol does you bodily injury.
If you have a problem with alcohol, and plain Tylenol is not enough. Next time you can use something like Tylenol PM, Unisome, or plain Nyquill. They usually contain Tylenol with an antihistamine that makes you sleepy. Usually (Doxylamine), or (Diphenhydramine). Doxylamine is the stronger sleep inducer of the two antihistamines. And Nyquill also contains a cough suppressant. But don’t take these med’s with the Tylenol already in them on top of the Tylenol you already took. That would be too much Tylenol. Unisome is usually just Doxylamine. And Benadryl is usually just Diphenhydramine. So you can take them with the Tylenol you already took. But look on the box to be sure what’s in them. These are mostly all of your over the counter sleep aids in the US.
Finally there are the prescription medications. These are the most dangerous of all the sleep aids. And there are a very large number of them. But I am only going to mention a few. Because I think there are only a few that are safe enough for the public to use. Even under medical supervision with a prescription. When talking about any chemical sleep aid one of the most important things to know is what the medications half-life is. This is a CRITICAL thing to know. Because the half-life tells you approximately how long the drug will have it’s full effect in your body. But the drug whole-life is also very important too because this is what contributes to so many accidental deaths from overdose. For example a drug may have a half-life of 6 to 12 hours. But it may also have a whole-life of several days. So you can see that some drugs can easily build up in your body and cause a overdose because of what you took hours, or days ago.
I think it’s best, and safest for most people to only use prescription sleep aids that have a relatively short half-life. From around 6 to 12 hours ideally. Many of the newer sleeping pills have very short half-life’s of around just a few hours. Both have there uses. But I think the sleeping pills, and tranquilizers that have longer half-life’s are just to dangerous to be used by the general public. Even people like my-self that know these longer acting drugs well don’t like to use them. But unfortunately they are prescribed to the general public all the time. Heath Ledger was taking two of these longer acting sleep aids when he overdosed.
So what can you use if you are needing something stronger than non chemical, and over the counter sleep aids to help you get some rest, or sleep. First of all. I think you should mostly only use prescription sleep aids if you really need to because of extreme stress or crises in your life. Though they can be useful for some specific lesser causes. Having been through my share of hard times. I find that my need, and use of these sleep aids in the past mirrors most peoples needs for these drugs. I usually have two very distinct sleep problems when I have used prescription sleep aids.
The most severe problem was when I was under prolonged sever stress like Britney is now. I had so much worry, and anxiety all the time that when I got home from work I could never really relax. I worked on things at home almost as hard as I did at work. And as I got more, and more tired I would fight sleep. Feeling like I needed to get just a little more work done. Until I was so tired that I would be falling asleep in my chair. Then I would struggle to get in my bed in just enough time to get 3 or 4 hours sleep before work the next day. And I would go on like that for months. Catching up on some of my sleep on my days off. Only because I did not have to get up out of bed. But on my days off I would stay up even longer working on things often well into the next day.
But one day I got home from my usual week of 18 hour days at about 5pm. I sat in my lounge chair rocking, and thinking about my worries. The next thing I knew, I heard my alarm clock ring. It was 5am. And I had apparently been sitting in that chair rocking for 12 hours in a kind of “blackout”. At that time. I did not drink or use drugs of any kind. Other than a few cups of coffee a day. It was at this point I realized I needed to use something to make sure I got some good sleep at least a few nights a week. But the problem was that I was so stressed, and anxious I couldn’t even handle the thought of doing anything to prepare for bed. Much less actually get in the bed, until I was falling asleep in my chair. If this had been anyone else I would have told them they needed some help getting to sleep long a ago.
So what I used was a drug called Ativan (Lorazepam) half-life approx.. 8-16hr. I always got it in the smallest mg dose it came in. Because you always want to use the smallest effective dose of any sleeping med that you can use. I found that If I took a dose a few hours before bed time, the medicine cut my anxiety enough that I could actually handle the idea of going to bed. And once I was ready for bed, I could take another dose, and maybe a extra strength Tylenol and get a good nights sleep for a change. But as I said, I never did this more than 2 or 3 nights in a row without at least 3 or 4 nights in a row without using anything chemical to help me sleep. I was able to do this for many months. And when things finally settled down. I just stopped using the med without any problem. And when I needed to use the med again. I did the same thing. And when I didn’t need it anymore I just stopped it again. No problems.
There are many prescription drugs out there like this. Basically tranquilizers that can be used as a sleeping pill that have a relatively short half-life of around 8-12 hour give or take 3 or 4 hours. Ativan, serax, vistaril, xanax, just to name a few. These tranquilizer sleeping pills are not pure sleeping pills like what are called hypnotics. But I think they are more effective for helping you get your rest when under extreme stress for long periods of time. Like months. See, hypnotics like Ambien knock you out. Like drinking too much alcohol. But tranquilizer sleeping pills let you ease into sleep with only as much help as you need falling a sleep on your own. So you tend to wake-up the next day more naturally, and smoothly.
I found Ativan very helpful for me for many reasons. The smallest dose would cut my anxiety. But it did not make me feel like I had taken anything. It did not make me feel good when I took it. And I liked that. It just made me feel like me, without as much anxiety about letting go for a little while and going to bed. Still I seldom recommend this drug to other people because like all drugs it has side effects. And Ativan has a particular side effect of sometimes making you feel depressed from a single dose. Even if you are not really depressed. And if you are already depressed, a single dose can sometimes make you feel much more depressed.
I never found this to be a big problem for me. Because I know my-self so well that I never mistake how a drug makes me feel for how I really feel. And I only used the drug occasionally for sleep. So if it made me feel bad it was not for long, as I was going to sleep anyway. And if I did not fall a sleep soon. I would just take a little more and that would put me right to sleep. And the next day I always felt good. So for me this side effect was no big deal.
For most other people I suggest something like xanax. Because it does not have any history of causing or adding to any type of depressive feelings. But I don’t like xanax for me because it has a side effect of making you feel good for no reason. And I don’t like that. When I am using a medicine for serious reasons, I don’t want a drug that makes me feel high, or good for no good reason. I don’t use these powerful, and dangerous drugs for play. Using them for play is how people end up dead.
If you want to get high you are probably better off smoking a joint if you live in a state with medical marijuana laws. But I would like to see some good research on safety like the Danish study on alcohol consumption before I could openly recommend marijuana use to anyone as an acceptably safe public intoxicant. But based on some research I have seen. It is probably much safer than alcohol abuse. Except for the fact that it puts many people in contact with illegal activity. And illegal players. Who push other more dangerous harmful substances on vulnerable people, just trying to help them-self, or foolishly experimenting with illegal drugs. This should be less of a problem in states with medical marijuana laws.
But as I have said, when I am under stress I find it ALWAYS best to be a sober as possible until the problems are resolved. And when I say sober. I’m not just talking about cutting back, or stopping alcohol consumption. I’m talking about anything that can impair my thinking, and judgment. Other than only what I need to get my rest, to keep me strong. So I can stay in the fight every hour of every day for as long as it takes. But when the job is done. Believe me. I know how to throw it down, and have some fun. But I also know you have to know how to regularly put the breaks on partying to stay healthy, and strong. And also, so you can party some other days.
I did my share of foolish youthful over drinking. But I have always been the type of person that cut back, or stopped my drinking when I had anything serious going on in my life. Mostly I just completely stopped until whatever the problem was got resolved. But I have always tried to take good care of my basic health. And some early study seemed to suggest that one, or two beers a day might be beneficial to a mans vascular health. So I would try and drink at least one beer a day. Even if I had a lot of critical things going on in my life. And sometimes that alone would relax me enough to make me go to bed. But usually not enough to get to sleep. So when I went to bed I would stop drinking. And switch to a none alcoholic beer or, a diet 7up. And take the smallest dose of Ativan, and that would usually ease me on into sleep. If I had body aches. I would take a plain extra strength Tylenol with the Ativan and wash it down with my diet. 7up as I eased off to sleep watching the tv.
I would never do this with a hypnotic drug like Ambien, or Zopiclone. I would not take any hypnotic sleeping drugs at all if I had been drinking that day. Not even one beer, unless it was hours ago. In fact I would never mix any drug with a hypnotic except maybe a little plain Tylenol ever.
Hypnotics knock you down hard. And are a shock to your system. And they can leave you feeling very emotionally fragile, and unstable for hours or days after the drug wears off. Much like you feel after drinking to much alcohol. Or binge drinking. Just without the physical damage of alcohol. So as you can see. Hypnotics have a more limited usefulness. But under certain circumstances they can be helpful. And I have used them in the past at specific times. For specific purposes.
For example, sometimes I would get home after a exhausting 18hr day of an exhausting week. And have just enough time to get a good 7-9 hours sleep before I had to do another intense possibly 18 hr day. But the only way I was going to get that 7-9 of sleep I desperately needed was if I got to bed immediately. No piddling around. No slowly, comfortably easing into sleep. So this is where a hypnotic like Ambien, Zopiclone (Lunesta) would be very helpful. I could take the smallest dose with a single extra strength plain Tylenol and I was out for several hours. And felt ok the next day. Though as I said. I felt a little more affected the next day until my cup of coffee. But not too much.
On the other hand. If you don’t have a problem like getting in bed like I did. And your only problem is getting to sleep when you get in bed. The Hypnotics like Ambien, or Zopiclone can work just fine as long as you don’t use them for more than 2 or 3 days in a row without 3 or 4 days in-between when you don’t use any chemical sleeping aids. You can use them one night on. And one or two nights off. Or you can use them 2 nights on then one night off. The main thing is, you want to avoid using them more than 3 days in a row without at least 3 or more nights off. And less is always more with drugs like these. So if you don’t need them to get your rest, and sleep. Don’t use them. And as you can see. With prescription medication you have to really keep up with what you have been taking. You can use a wall calendar. Or one of the 7 day pill box’s, and put a bean or something in the box on the day you take a sleeping pill.
But back when I was going through so much stress. Sometimes I worried that I could loose my mind. And it was very reassuring to know that I had something at home that I could take that would work for a short time to help me if I felt like I was really going to crack up under the pressure. I never needed that help. But I have always kept something around. I would have to hunt for it now to find were I put it. But I know I have it. And every 2 or 3 years. I get a refill. Just to be sure I have something that hasn’t expired. It’s a funny thing. But when you can easily get what you need when you need it, you don’t tend to need it as much. Interesting how that works. Isn’t it.
But I have long since passed the stage where I feel like there might be any thing I cant handle, one way or another under just my own power with just the gifts God gave me. About the only time I use anything like Ativan now is when I first start a hard exercise, or training plan. It tends to make it hard to sleep for about the first two weeks. But my muscles need the rest to recover. So a little Ativan for a few nights makes it easier for me to lay in the bed and watch tv until I fall a sleep if I have a problem.
Most hypnotics have a short half-life of less than 6 hours. And I would personally never use one that had a half-life much longer than 6 hours. To dangerous. One of the hypnotics Heath Ledger was taking had a half-life of 20 hours. And one of the tranquilizers he was taking had a half-life of up to 100 hours. Knowing this, it’s no surprise he may have died from an overdose. Even though his autopsy will probably only show so-called therapeutic levels of the drugs in his system.
The use of prescription sleeping aids can be very tricky, and very dangerous. That is why I am going into so much detail. You cant just take these prescription medications as ordered without getting into trouble. Or accidentally killing your self. Every person that takes prescription medication should always look them up first. And know what the recommended dosage of the medicine usually is. And stay well within those recommendations. Also they should know the half-life, and the warnings, and possible side effects to look out for. And you should have a good medical dictionary to look up the medical terms. Now a days you can find most of this information on the internet. Just remember to check several sources on the net. You cant just trust any single source on the net. you need 3 or 4 sources that corroborate each other. Also a current PDR (physicians Desk Reference), and Taber’s medical dictionary is a good home reference to have if you can afford them.
In general I don’t think it’s good to use any of these drugs like the tranquilizers during the day. Or to get through your day. Or to deal with any fears, anxieties, anger, or phobias you may have about something. I think the best way to deal with all that is by taking care of the basics (good nutrition, hydration, exercise, rest, recreation, and fun). Then confronting your challenges head-on. As Shakespeare said “taking up arms against a sea of trouble. And by apposing them. End them”. That and maybe a few cups of coffee, tea, or whatever your choice of pick-me-up beverage may be. I do think the use of stronger stimulants like Ritalin, and Adderall can be helpful some times. But only if used in a very careful, limited, and conservative way. And only when really needed at certain times to help with your focus. And only when needed to perform certain task. But not as they are usually prescribed in high dosages for daily use. That is always over kill, Unhelpful, and dangerous.
These are not guidelines on how to get high on these drugs. These are guidelines for how to wage war, and stay fit for battle every day over the long run under extreme stress. These guidelines are not about making you comfortable. Because you always need to have an edge on you for battle. For the most part. Most people should never need more than a little over the counter help with there rest, and sleep.
But sometimes you may find your-self in the fight of your life. Where the stakes are very high. With many lives on the line. In a long protracted constant battle. Where failure truly is not an option. And if you are so unlucky. Or bread to it like Britney, and I. Then this guide will help you through. But if you deviate much from these guidelines you are on your own. And I hope you survive.
If you already have a dependency problem on any of these medications you can slowly wean your-self down to these guidelines. Just start off not using your sleeping pills one night a week. Just pick a good night when you wont have critical things to do the next day. And work on your non drug skills for getting a good nights sleep. Then when you are ready. Go two nights. Then 3 nights. And so on. You may have to back pedal some. But you will eventually get there if you keep trying. Just be patient with your-self. But don’t give up. The human brain, and spirit can master almost anything if given enough time. Even going to hell, and back.
Obviously this guide is not intended for people suffering from severe alcoholism, or drug abuse who’s drinking, and drug abuse is so severe they are in danger of killing them-self, or others. Nor is the guide intended for people that are suffering extreme loss. Like the loss of a child. Or someone dealing with the HORRORS! Of war. Or a person suffering from frank, severe, organic mental illness. All of these conditions require very intensive emotional, and medical supports. But very, very few people diagnosed as mentally ill actually are. They are just under extreme stress. And in need of additional skills at how to cope in a positive healthy manor.
Lastly where prescription drugs are concerned it depends on having a doctor that will listen to what you are trying to do. And respect your choices. And work with you to help you achieve what you are trying to do. Not take an arrogant know it all attitude that they know what is best for you. Or try to push drugs on you that they are pushing because of kickbacks, and other deals, and connections they have with the drug companies. It’s about you. Not them. They are there to assist you. And if not. You are better off finding someone else to help you.
Well Britney baby. This is about it. Once all is said and done. And the custody thing is worked out. And you are back on track with enjoying your life. You are going to probably need to find a good high quality “Cognitive Behavioral Talk Therapist” to help you work through your anger, and hurt at what you have been through. And to help you find a positive way to reconnect with your family, and your x for the sake of your boys, and your-self. And you will need to help them all if they need help, within reason if you can. You will find that you can still love people. Even though you know you cant always trust them. You are a very strong, sharp, and very talented woman. And my heart, and gut tells me you are a very sweet girl too. I hope this helps you in some way.
Love
Your Fan
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Feb. 13, 2008
Update To Ways To Help You Get Your Rest
One thing I would add to my post about ways to get your rest, and sleep is that since tranquilizer type sleeping pills let you ease into sleep, you wake-up more smoothly. Also, if you have to wake up in the middle of your sleep you will be less disoriented. And better able to care for your-self. Like, if your fire alarm goes off. This is also why you want to titrate (measure), and use the smallest effective dose of medication that will let you ease off to sleep.
On the other hand. Hypnotics knock you out so hard that you may not wake to a fire alarm. And if you do, you may be so disoriented that you can’t protect, or care for your-self. You may even be dangerous to others. This is what happened to some people that took a hypnotic like Ambien on a plain flight, and then woke-up in the middle of their sleep on the hypnotic. They were so disoriented they became combative, and had to be restrained. Never take a hypnotic on a plain flight. Or when your safety, and the safety of your dependents could be compromised. Ideally you should have someone that will look after you, and be responsible for you until your medicine wares off with hypnotics. Again, this is why it is also important to know the half-life of the med’s your taking.
Love…
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Feb. 15, 2008
Update To Ways To Help You Get Your Rest
Because I think it is so important to avoid using chemical sleeping aids more than 3 nights in a row without at least 3 nights or more in a row when you don’t use them, I want to give you another example of how you might do this. Most people work a Monday-Friday job. With weekends off. So if you really need to use a chemical sleep aid. What I used to do was use something maybe Monday, Tuesday nights. Then nothing chemical Wednesday night. Then maybe something Thursday night, and nothing Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.
Besides many people go out on Friday, Saturday nights for dinner, and drinks. And that always knocks me out when I get home. That, plus a little plain Tylenol before bed. I mention Tylenol a lot. But you don’t want to over use Tylenol either. It can damage your liver. But a little every now and then to knock the edge off any body pain at bed time can be helpful. And I usually need a smaller dose of sleeping med when I take Tylenol with it.
Sometimes I would take something Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday night. Then nothing chemical to sleep Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday nights.
Did I sometimes slip, and use something four nights in a row? Yes, on a very few occasions I did. Like taking something M, T, W, TH, nights. But this only happened rarely. And when this did happen, I made very sure not to use any thing chemical on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. And usually I would make an extra effort to use chemical sleeping aids even less the coming week if I could. And, as I said. I never had a problem stopping any of the drugs when I wanted to, or felt that I did not really need them anymore.
I know it may seem like I am belaboring the point. But so many people suffer trying to just get a little rest. And many, many die needlessly from tragic accidental overdose. Just trying to get a little rest through some hard times. I hope this helps.
Love…
