The more drugs I refuse to take, the better off I am. What a concept.

When I first started as a nurse I saw the side effects of sleeping pills and I vowed to my self that I would never take them.  There are natural options to help improve your sleep and none of them involve pills.  EFT, relaxation before bedtime, sleeping in a dark room etc.

Mary

I hate sleeping pills.  I have had them a couple of times in my life.  Those commercials that make it look like you are so refreshed and ready to run a marathon..... that is such a pack of lies.  You feel stoned the next day.  I don't see how people can even drive the next day.

When I occasionally have trouble falling asleep I just take two CherryFlex soft gels (from Dr. Mercola's store). It's amazing because I start getting sleepy right away. I don't know if that's just a placebo effect, heh, but I had read that cherries have melatonin in them, which makes you sleepy.

Sleep medications run the risk of overuse, abuse and adding toxins to your body. I have been recommending Formula 303 , and all natural relaxant and insomnia aid for years. The patient feedback is 100% positive. Its natural formula is made from 2 herbal remedies and magnesium.

Of course one of the best sleep remedies, is to lower your carbs/sugar, avoid caffeine, do numerous stress reduction techniques, and exercise.
Oh, and don't watch the news before you go to bed.

Best in Health,

Dr Dave

A tiny bit of melatonin can be helpful upon a first awakening to go urinate!!!  Just a tiny crumb.

I took Ambien nightly for several weeks on several occasions.  My doctor told me that he had patients who took it every night for years with no problems, implying that he would keep me supplied.  I slept like a dream on the pills and felt great the next day with no hangover.  I thought this was the answer after ten years of insomnia.  Gradually I became aware of losing my sense of direction.  I could remember names of streets but was not able to put them in any order.  The "map in my head" was gone.  My short term memory also turned to mush.  I quit the Ambien as it was the only pill I was taking.  Of course, the doctor said there was no connection except maybe my age (66).  Well, my brain is now one year older and my "map" has come back very slowly over this last year.  I am in excellent health otherwise and will never take another prescription for anything.  I'm pretty sure the culprit is sugar because if I eat anything with sugar, I don't sleep that night and my short and long term memory doesn't work for several days afterward.  

I occasionally use Hemi-Sync products to fall asleep and can honestly say their products work very well.  Check out the "Sound Sleeper" and "Surf" CD's, and then throw away your Rozerem.

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The best way to ensure a good night's sleep is plenty of fresh air and hard physical work/exercise.

if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Take a pill, you'll sleep like a baby! I don't believe anything in those commercials except the list of side effects.

How about lay off the caffeine. Don't over-stuff yourself with fried foods. Read, take a bath, relax. I find doing 20 min. Pilates before I go to bed helps me sleep.

Why isn't the addictive potential of these drugs mentioned in the article.  I know Rozerem claims it's not, but for the others, most definitely.  And no matter how "cheap" they may be the older benzodiazepines stay in the body a very long time AND are highly addictive.  The drug companies downplay these risks tremendously.  In June, when I took my last dose if Ambien, I did not sleep for over 72 hours and I had physical withdrawal effects.  I'm very glad to see the article does basically paint the picture of their uselessness.