Is there a way I can get over-the-counter sleeping pills?

Question

My sleep schedule is a wreck. I am basically nocturnal, waking up at 11 or 12 at night and sleeping at 10 in the morning. I have no idea how to readjust it. I tried staying up 24 hours at least 3 times. The first two times I fell asleep and the third time is was successful and I slept at 9 pm. My body didn't detect it though and it still thought I was on my old schedule, so I woke up three hours later and its the same story again. What are some over the counter pills I can take?

Answer 1

Unisom or Tylenol PM

Answer 2

Before you go spending any money. Let's talk about a couple of other things. Your body is meant to sleep at night. You body will adjust to the schedule you put it on. I have gone back and forth from jobs I had to be at, at 5 am and as late as 2pm start times. This can be a tough thing to deal with but you can do it. I would put on some easy music and turn off the tv about an hour before you go to bed.Don't be on the computer during this time either.These items keep the brain on "stimulation" mode and you need time to "debug:? (lol) I mean wind down of course. Also start dimming the lights in the house. Make sure your bedroom in serene. That means keep your room free of clutter and make it so that it feels good to go into the bedroom for sleep. You can also take a warm bath. I use a sleepmask. This helps me more than anything when I have been staying up too late. When I can't "shut down" my mind I start counting backwards. When you have to concentrate on just one thing it helps drive out all the other things you are thinking about. I usually start like....
9,999. 9.998 etc...Using this size number is what works. You have to stop thinking about anything else to do this mentally. Between this and the sleeping mask over my eyes for "good darkness" I don't take any pills.
I have only tried the sleep mask recently and I have been amazed at how great I have been sleeping. I am waking up without feeling so groggy even if I have stayed up really late.
I am an x-cancer pt so I am definately not into drugs..
Nyquill is alcohol...that really won't help you modify your sleep pattern.
Best wishes for the zzzzzzzzzzzz's Joan

Answer 3

The herbal sleeping pill is Valerian. U can get Valerian Root at most health food stores. It's very strong. Just half a tablespoon knocks me out like a light. The natural form of Nightol is Valerian it has the flower picture on it. The Chemical form is Valuim and even that there's a chemical extracted from Valerian to make Valuim and that's the basis of The Nightol chemical form. Some need just that to sleep others need the complete Valerian. Why bother with the chemical form? Use the natural. For most people Valerian would be fine to help them to sleep. A few might need something even stronger and that would be Hawthorn.. this one is so strong it's the one that herbalists use a a replacement for people that have been on drugs like seroquel or risperdol or chloropromozene.
Hawthorn is ok in tiny amounts mixed with other herbs.. other than that I don't recommend using it! Some people fine Camomile or Chamomile sufficient to get to sleep! Well whatever U use to get to sleep.. if U get that giddy feeling in the morning U can counteract that with Vervain.
A word of warning any pill that can affect either sleep or alertness can be addicting if
U take them 2 often. Don't get confused
Vervain is to Wake up the body & brain
Valerian is to help one into sleepin'
It's a myth that U need 8 hours of sleep a night. It's the deepth of the sleep. The deeper U sleep the less hours U need to sleep. If U have extremely deep sleep 4 hours is sufficent. This is why some people can work 18 hours aday.. they get really tired therefore deep sleep. They will wake up in 4 or 5 hours and be fine.. they may rest an hour in bed before they get up and then get ready have their meal and go to work.. I was one of them but only 16 hours work a day. Never ever force yourself to sleep.. forcing is making your body work harder and that defeats the very purpose of sleep. Sometimes all U need is rest not complete sleep! It's a myth that U actually have to sleep every night! It's only the light sleepers that need sleep every night and they will sleep about 9 hours a night! Note: I would've suggested but not recommend melatonin but that's been banned in Canada it's almost as strong as marijuana which is also illegal in Canada excepting at certain Farms in Nova Scotia.. they have special government license for growing for essential oils. Oh that's another way U can try to get sleep. Go to a place that sells Essential oils and tell them what U want it for and they will get it for U and even tell U how to use it! Oil of camphor, Lavender Oil, Tee Tree Oil , Cammomile oil, there's others let the Essential Oil seller select the one U need for your problem.. she or he will
tell U. If U have a real tough problem she or he will suggest Aromatherapy. Avoid things like Tylenol only take that for pain not sleep!

Answer 4

My sleep has always been a wreck so I finally turned to a naturopath to help out. There are several things that work with your body without 'knocking you out'. The bad thing about 'knocking you out' is that you're actually not getting restful REM sleep. So I really wouldn't recommend Nyquil et. al.
Try melatonin, it comes in tablet form. I would use the sublingual kind (it says on the bottle) and I'd also buy the 2 or 3 mg tablets, they work faster. Melatonin is something that promotes sleep in the body but if it's out of whack you need some extra in there to help with your cycle. Go to the store, pick some up and try it. You could also try Valerian (it is the root of the plant that makes Valium but without the addiction problem that the pill causes). I can't take Valerian because it has the opposite effect on me but that is rare.
Best of luck to you (you can find these in most supplement isles).

Answer 5

There are several products on the market you can safely take - Tylenol P.M., Excedrin P.M., etc. These work safely and quickly. According to directions, you can take 1-2 tablets at a time when you go to bed at night. Melatonin is natural and works well for many people.

It sounds as though your sleep cycle is just flip-flopped around. You may want to try staying up in the morning when you're really tired, and taking something at night to sleep, and then moving back (earlier) at night bit by bit. Forcing yourself to stay awake will make you extra tired by night time, helping to switch your cycle around. It's going to be a process, but you can do it. Once it starts, it will continue getting easier.

You will also have to start changing your daily schedule in order to force the cycle change. If reading makes you tired, then crawl into bed an hour before you want to be asleep, turn the lights on low, and read. Reading can tire your eyes, allowing you to want to close them. Be aware of hidden stimulants and caffeine. Stop your intake 5-6 hours before you want to fall asleep. Exercise early. Don't eat before bedtime; that just gets the body working again. Chammomile tea is great for relaxing. I always feel lazier when I put my pajamas on early - it's a mental thing, but it puts you in the mindset of bedtime. Try to get all your work done 2 hours before bedtime, as well.

Please remember to check with a Dr. about taking sleeping pills. You don't want any dangerous interactions with other medications, etc.

Answer 6

Hello, just wanted to let you know of a miracle pill that puts you to sleep, available over the counter, is actually very very beneficial for your health, and is only 3 bucks!! I had trouble falling asleep for years. I would lay in bed, and think and think and think for hours before I could fall asleep. It was literally driving me crazy!! I had tried every over the counter sleeping pill on the market and nothing helped. I turned to Nyquil and that did the trick. I had been drinking Nyquil almost every night to go to sleep until I stumbled upon this miracle sanity saving nutritional supplement named MELATONIN. And you can buy it at any GNC health food store. I advocate GNC because the melatonin they use goes through 85 different quality checks before its bottled. Buy the sublingual melatonin. The kind that dissolves underneath your tongue tastes like cherries and it’s good for you!! I was shocked at the effectiveness in putting me to sleep. If you have any questions before you buy it the sales associate at GNC should be able to answer any questions you have. It comes in 1 mg, I take 2 right before bed. The only side effects are weird dreams for the first two nights if any at all. You must take the sublingual kind from GNC otherwise it might not work because of quality and potency, should be taken at regular bedtimes in the evening.
God Bless
P.S. after you try it and it works don’t forget to tell others about it. You could be saving someone else’s Sanity

Answer 7

i use the Dollar General brand of headache p.m. medication. i have been using it off and on for about 10 yrs. now and it works great for me. i also drink a cup of orange spice hot tea with in minutes of taking it and with in 1-2 hrs. i am falling asleep at the computer. the hot tea helps to dissolve the meds and i go to sleep and sleep a good 6-8 hrs. depending on what time i finally get to take the pills.

Answer 8

Benadryl capsules are sold by the trade name or generic diphenhydramine hydrocloride. They are the base to most OTC (store bought) sleep aids and products such as Tylenol PM. Generally safe if used as directed. Sure, try herbal teas or other "natural" products but a quick fix is this.

Answer 9

don't take nyquil or tylenol pm if your not sick and don't need it, your body will just adjust to it and you will need more and more until you get to unsafe dosage needs. plus your body will get so hooked, you won't ever beable to sleep w/ out them. Melatonin works the same way, your body will just get hooked until it just don't work anymore. plus theres been a connection to prescribed melatonin and liver failure. Sleepy Time tea works great, Chamomile, Magnesium supplements.....all works within 20 min. or so...if you don' t fight it. I'd say go talk to a local health food store, and ask about the magnes. supplements, sounds like your body is a little stressed from wacked out shifts, magn. is great at reducing stress and relaxation responses. Good Luck!

Answer 10

um, tylenol PM works or benadrill hehe, but man, in order to change your sleeping schedule you're body needs to get used to it and it will take more than 3 days believe me, probably a week or so but you gotta be consistent. I used to work from 5 pm to 6 am and go to bed at 7 am and get up at 3 pm... Now, I sleep from 10 or 11 pm and won't get up til 8 am or so but it took time, was hard to re-adjust but my body did it.

Good luck! Oh and don't drink coffee before u take thos pills ;)

Answer 11

Don't use nyquil. It no longer has the ingredient that makes you sleep. Benadryl or tylenol pm or melatonin. Just keep in mind, any of these will make you feel hungover when you wake up.