Why Can't I Sleep?

The question of "why can't I sleep?" is one that affects many people. For some it's heartbreak over a devil-hearted woman. For the rest of us the source of our insomnia is far more mysterious. I have found that lack of physical activity is my biggest sleep enemy. On the days where I don't exercise I find that sleep comes with significantly more difficulty. Unfortunately I cannot necessarily tire myself out with a ten mile run every single day so I am left with a difficult choice. How do I get better sleep?



Well long time readers of this post will know that I am a supporter of sleeping pills. The difficulty is finding the appropriate pill. For a night or two of isolated insomnia we all know that Ambien is the king. We also all know that an Ambien addiction is no easy horse to get off. Therefore Ambien is certainly not the solution for long term sleep health. My choice for improving long-term overall sleep quality is Somnera. Based on all natural products combined with cutting edge pharmaceutical isolation technology, Somnera is a new kind of sleeping pill. I have been very happy with Somnera. I have used it on and off for over a year now with very positive results.

In our busy world with all of our responsibilities, it is important to remember our chief responsibility... to take care of ourselves. If we are suffering from lack of sleep we won't be much good to anyone. So get some sleep and stay strong!

Ambien: Extended Patent Formula

No, there aren't any new rules about patent extension. The same 17 year window still applies but it seems that the French have found a new way to keep their market share even when the patent on Ambien expires. Their secret? Ambien Extended Patent...er... I mean Controlled Release. Ambien CR is merely a way for French pharmaceutical giant Sonofi-Aventis to keep market share after the patent on Ambien expires. Ambien CR is the same medicine as Ambien, merely formulated to change the pharmacokinetic profile. Additionally the dosage of Ambien in Ambien CR has been increased. Regular Ambien is sold in 5 & 10 mg pills. The new Ambien CR is sold in 6.25 and 12.5 mg pills.

If Ambien is working for you there is no need to switch to the controlled release formula. In fact, when Ambien comes off patent it will result in significant reductions in price for consumers. Generic zolpidem tartrate will be just as effective as Ambien.

That's Where I'm a Viking

One thing I've noticed, both from personal experience as well as from reading published reports, is that sedatives like Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata, Valium and Klonipin supress dreaming. The reason for this suppression most likely has to do with the strong GABA enhancing properties of these drugs. Insofar as these drugs basically turn off your brain, it follows that they would reduce dreaming.

Ambien and its lesser liked cousins are effective medications for insomnia but they cause significant disruption to one's normal sleep cycle. In recent years the biological importance of dreaming has been questioned. While it may be true that loss of dreams will not cause any long-term damage, there is more to a dream than simple biology.

For many (myself included) dreaming is as much a part of sleeping as the fetal position. Without dreams, sleep is merely a period of unconciousness. Me, I like my dreams. Each night before I fall asleep I wonder what strange place I'll be taken to. Last night I had very intense dreams about fishing. My favorite dreams are the ones where I'm a Navy SEAL rescuing my friends from wrongful imprisonment.

This goes back to a point I've made time and time again. Ambien, Lunesta, the Benzodiazepines and other sedatives work well for temporary insomnia but they are not a solution for long term sleep health. If long term sleep health is a problem for you, Jema Pharmaceutical's sleep aid Somnera offers improvements without losing dreams or the addictive potential of Ambien.

Why don't we run down there and grab some Ambien

Is it a uniquely human characteristic to look for the easy way out, or is it a universal phenomenon? Sleeping pills are just one example of how the quick fix is often chosen over the more difficult but more comprehensive solution. The solution I speak of now is exercise. There is truly nothing better for improving sleep than vigorous exercise.

If you are a long time reader of this blog you may be scratching your head in confusion. Why am I all of the sudden talking about exercise and not Ambien, Lunesta, or benzodiazepines? Well if you'll indulge my digression, I'll tell you.

Sleeping pills are great. One would be hard pressed to find a more enthusiastic advocate of sleep pharmacology than I. However, pharmacology is not a total solution to problems sleeping. Ambien, Lunesta etc are basically band-aids. They temporarily mask the symptoms of a problem without actively making any kind of change. While it is true that Somnigen is a more comprehensive solution to sleep health, the addition of exercise to your sleep hygiene plan will only make things better.

There's an easy way out of this conundrum. Just ride your bike to pick up your Ambien and kill two birds with one stone.

Caught Up

Sometimes you just need to spend the entire weekend sleeping. Sometimes you don't realize how large of a sleep debt you've accumulated until you set about repaying it. This past Saturday was the end of a very long week. I was on the road, I made some big decisions and I lost a bit of sleep. Come Saturday night, I was back in Philadelphia and ready for a good night's sleep in my own bed.

I considered a sleeping pill. I knew that if I took an Ambien I'd fall asleep quickly and I'd probably sleep well through the night. I knew that if I took a Somnera I'd sleep well and I'd wake up feeling fresh. I didn't want to feel fresh. I wanted to wake up drowsy, drag myself to the couch, nap on and off all day and go back to bed after Big Love. I had just the thing.

There's a certain benzodiazepine called Klonipin (clonazepam) that would do the trick. Klonipin is usually prescribed for extreme anxiety and seizure disorders. Because of its long half-life (it stays in the circulation longer) Klonipin's effects last a long time. When I woke up at noon on Sunday I was barely conscious on my walk to the shower. As the effects of the Klonipin were still kickin', my limbs were feeling very heavy so I sat down to enjoy the shower. I awoke to find that 20 minutes had passed and the water was running cold on my head. Wrapped in a towel I maneuvered my way to the couch downstairs, where I spent the day drifting in and out of consciousness in front of the TV.

I had sweet dreams of Margene and a surprisingly appealing Nikki as I slept my way towards a new week. Klonipin is not a good sleeping pill. If you need something to help you sleep I would recommend a Somnera or an Ambien. Both are great sleeping pills. I generally feel better after a Somnera but Ambien is good too. Klonipin is just the thing for a weekend of hibernation.

Somnera to the Rescue

Uh oh, ay Johnny? I left my Ambien in Philly. What's an insomniac to do?. Fortunately, I still had some samples of Somnera left in briefcase. Now I'd tried Somnera before, and I found that it produced one of the most restful night's sleep I've ever had. This was, however, in my own comfy bed, after a busy, active day. How would Somnera work on the road, in an unfamiliar city, in a motel bed? Extraordinarily well actually. I took one of my Somnera and followed the relaxation strategy from the website. The next thing I knew the sun was shining through the polyester curtains and my wake-up call was ringing on the bedside table. I woke up feeling very refreshed, rested and wide-awake. I experienced none of the morning side effects of Ambien, Sonata, Lunesta, or the Benzodiazepines. As far as I was concerned, this was the ultimate victory for Somnera. Like many people, I find sleeping in a strange bed uncomfortable. The linens are crunchy and those ridiculous heavy comforters crush my toes. Despite my discomfort and my anxiety at having left my Ambien at home, Somnera was able to come through and deliver exactly what they promised: a good night's sleep.

Bottle of Red?

A glass of red wine....There are a few good reasons to believe in God and a glass of red wine is one. Delicious, rich, intoxicating as well as being full of compounds that are good for your heart, brain and blood pressure. A glass of red wine is not a sleep aid. Alcohol should not be used as a sleep aid. While drinking alcohol can produce transient drowsiness, alcohol is not good at inducing sleep. The effects of alcohol clear the body fairly rapidly and the sedative effect wears off. This results in the ever-familiar 2am-wide-awake-thirsty episode.

Many people have trouble sleeping and they will turn to what they know for help. For many, this is alcohol. The truth is for pharmacological assistance, Ambien, Lunesta or Sonata are much better choices. Even with the addictive potential of these medications, these pills will serve you better than booze.

That being said, there is no substitute for natural sleep. If you find yourself with a regular problem sleeping, it may be time to address your problem more assertively. Sleep is such a critical part of your health, you owe it to yourself to spend some time improving your sleep. There a lot of ways you can improve your sleep health. Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata, Rozerem and the benzodiazepines are treatments for insomnia. They are not a nightly vitamin that you take before bed. To harness the restorative benefits of sleep, you need to return to natural sleep.