9 ms·
I am in the same boat. I've always envied people who can "nap". It's frustrating to read articles that suggest you "take a nap for 30 minutes!" when the impli
by rubicon33 9y ago
I am in the same boat. I've always envied people who can "nap". It's frustrating to read articles that suggest you "take a nap for 30 minutes!" when the implication there is that it doesn't take you 30 minutes just to fall asleep.
I've noticed I have a general "sleep momentum" problem. It takes me longer than average to fall asleep, and longer than average to wake up. On both ends of the cycle, I struggle. I wish there was a solution.
- pault 9y agoI'm not a physician but something that has worked shockingly well for me is 200mg of 5-HTP and 500mg of L-Tryptophan before bed. I used to have terrible insomnia (only sleeping for 2 hours some nights) and every time I take these two together I am out like a light within 30 minutes, and usually don't wake up at all until 4-6AM (I used to wake up fully at the end of every 90 minute sleep cycle and have to go through the whole process of falling asleep again). It gives you that warm fuzzy feeling (capillary dilation in the extremities) that you get just before you fall asleep. I've been taking it every night for five years now and I swear by it. YMMV of course. I've always been skeptical of supplements and I had taken tryptophan before to minor effect, but the two of them together are way beyond anything that could be blamed on placebo.
- costcopizza 9y agoCareful taking 5HTP if you're already on antidepressants, specifically SSRI's, as you could encounter Serotonin Syndrome.
- pault 9y agoThanks, I should have made that clear. There are many supplements sold over the counter that can hospitalize you if you mix them with psychiatric medications. Hopefully people that are on these meds are aware of potential interactions, but the way doctors prescribe them I wouldn't count on it.