What is the better benzo for sleep?

[reflection08]

I was taking 30 mgs of Temazepam but felt really blurry eyed and tired the next day so the doc switched me to the 15 but she said if one didn't work I could take two. Just 15 mgs doesn't work so I end up taking two and of course I'm still blurry eyed and tired the next day. Is there a better benzo I could take just for sleep? Valium or Xanax maybe

[Sandy4957]

I take lorazepam as a sleep aid on an as-needed basis (currently several nights a month, it seems to me). I don't need much of it, though. 2.5 milligrams can do it. If I take 5 milligrams, I'll be out until 9:00 am or so, which is too late for me most days. So I only take it when I won't sleep without it, but more and more I don't need it, if that makes sense.

[Abi]

Try Rohypnol, Nitrazepam or Xanax

[sarahsweets]

Have you tried hypnotic? I'm not anti bexo by any means I j ust know that tolerance can delvelp.

[Chace90]

I wouldn't recommend benzodiazepines to sleep, from my experience. Unless it is a short time frame that you plan on taking them to sleep. I was taking Klonopin twice daily and then I switched to taking it twice daily as needed. But, it has almost lost its hypnotic effects completely. What I mean is it no longer makes me tired or relaxes my muscles. It still stops panic attacks and that what counts for me. Anyway I wouldn't recommend taking it long term for sleep.

[spc123]

Agree with Chace. Benzo's are for short term treatment only. Ativan (lorazepam) is probably your best bet if temazepam is leaving you "hung over". Another non-prescription option is diphenhydramine (Benedryl). 50-100mg will knock out most people. Again though, short term use only.

[reflection08]

I've taken Benadryl every night for 27 years and it's always worked until about 3 years ago so I've has to add something else with it or I don't sleep.

[sarahsweets]

Unisom has worked for me sometimes.

[Amtram]

It really depends on why you're not sleeping. I've tried every sleep aid available, and absolutely nothing works for me except alprazolam - and that, only the Sandoz generic version. A benzo shouldn't be your first choice when looking for a sleep aid, but sometimes it's unavoidable.

The thing to remember is that they can become habit forming, and even if you don't find yourself "needing" them or needing higher and higher doses, you have to taper down very slowly if you want to discontinue them. This might not be as important if you're transitioning to a different one, and that depends on which ones we're talking about. Your doctor will let you know.

To reduce the amount of wooziness you feel in the morning, you can try taking a smaller dose or taking it earlier at night, but if that doesn't work, you just need to try something different, and there's no magic formula for figuring out which one will work better. Talk to your doctor and see what he/she thinks, and you might end up with something that's better for you than what you're using now.

[known_guy]

Some people find Ativan helpful for insomnia, especially with difficulties falling asleep. If early awakenings aren't an issue for you. Temazepam has a longer duration of action and such, which may explain the morning tiredness.

Or you could try Dormicum (Midazolam), or if daring enough, Halcion - dangerous!

[oneup]

Versed. It will knock you out and you won't remember a thing. I think this is the same as midazolam? Its crazy strong.

[ceebee]

Long-term? None of them. You will just develop tolerance very quickly and it'll stop working, you might even develop interdose withdrawal symptoms (and benzodiazepine withdrawal is horrible). Bottomline, benzos only for short-term stuff and rare PRNs.

[alan1]

CeeBee has it exactly right. They all work. Then they stop working unless you take more. And then you can't sleep without them and the sleep that you do get is not normal and not fully restful.

I have had a lifelong battle with insomnia as many with ADHD do. A sleep clinic had only pills to offer and I was switched from one to the other. There are two books that I have found particularly helpful:
- Desperately Seeking Snoozin
- Say Good Night To Insomnia
Their recommendations are based on getting your sleep patterns more aligned with your biological clock. The first is a more glib, easy read. The second is a bit more dense and scientific. They offer a similar program.

It was VERY hard for the first few days since they have you start off by actually sleeping only for the amount of time you actually sleep. So if you lay in bed from 10 PM until 1 AM trying to sleep then get only 4 hours, they have you not get into bed until ! AM and then put an alarm on for 4 hours. I guarentee that two things will happen: For the first few days you will be exhasted. You will desperately want a nap. But, if you follow the instructions fully, byt the 2nd or 3rd night you will not just fall asleep rapidly, you will pass out and sleep deeply. Then you will slowly add to the amount of time you sleep. Those first few days especially were awful. BUT it totally worked. Sure, I still get the occasional sleepless night here and there, but I don't sweat it because I know how to get back on a good schedule.

[tambourine-man]

If you feel a benzodiazepine is in order (which, as others have mentioned, will likely not be effective longterm) you're best option outside of temazepam is Dalmane (Flurazepam), another hypnotic benzo.

However, I've found that there is no more effective sleep aid than Seroquel in doses of 25-50mg. It is guaranteed to knock you out every night without nasty tolerance build up. Temazepam is a lovely little pill, perhaps the most pleasently relaxing of all benzos, but before long you you run into major tolerance and dependency issues.

[CottonCandy_12]

I have used Ativan intermittently for 14 years, sometimes for long periods. It currently takes 1.5 mg to stop a bad panic attack. Lower doses to sleep. It helps me stop ruminations of decades of mostly emotional trauma. A lot of times I'll just ruminate but if I feel tears coming on, I take the Ativan. It helps me sleep but I can take it during the day and not feel drowsy. . . I know.. Weird. I have never taken more than 2 mg in a day. That was only once that I took 2mg. For panic. Ambien on the other hand, I'm zonked out the whole next day. Lunesta as well. ... Although its a little better than ambien. My point is for me I have not had to substantially increase the dose. Ativan and lamictal and therapy as well as dextrostat have been helpful for me. I have taken Valium and Xanax. But I've never asked for or been prescribed klonopin....not sure why.. . Maybe not as good for someone who can easily be triggered into deep depression? I'm not complaining. I have something that more or less works. I will say the dex comedown since I recently restarted it has been very anxiety provoking for me and it wasn't in the past....gives me chest pain... But my doc knows and thinks its anxiety. I think my BP must go up with the come down too b/c my pulse bounds. I only take 5-10 mg at a time too. More on that some other time.