Safe sleep aids?
 

Anything that doesn't damage the liver? That's the last thing I need.

We are not allowed to give medical advice, but I used to take a prescription sleep aid and it ended up being the worst thing in the world for me (addiction). I now take melatonin each night and it works quite well.

Valerian extract is an OTC sleep aid that I find helpful. No noticeable side effects. You have to take it for a while before it starts being effective. Check with your health care provider first though.

I take melatonin.

I sip Chamomile tea an hour before bed. I take Valerian Root capsules, too. It relaxes me.

Because I don't sleep these days I find myself abusing sleep medication and that doesn't work either. I took a pack of Nytol yesterday, however it only caused me to rest for a half-an-hour. I'm not sure why this is happening,

Lots of exercise and a good diet go a long way to helping aside from anything else.

I drink a glass of tart cherry juice an hour before bet, it has melatonin in it and is tasty!

Prescription sleep aids are dangerous. I have a friend that got hooked on Valium, It is not a pretty addiction,
I have also used melatonin and Valerian root and they have helped.
Another one is a supplement called Tri-Salts which is Calcium, potassium and magnesium. All three are natural muscle relaxers and can be purchased at your local health food store.. If this is out of line please advise and delete.

That's gain somwhoq

I'm using melatonin right now but know that after a bit I build a tolerance to it and have to stop for a while. I also read before bed. I think any relaxing activity, hot bath or really any low key routine that signals to you that it's time to call it a day helps.

Trazodone and gabapentin are examples of non-addictive prescription drugs that make you drowsy and are often prescribed for sleep. I take small amounts of both. Even without alcohol I've always had trouble falling asleep.

These drugs are non-addictive, not benzos nor z-drugs. In small amounts they don't leave you groggy in the morning. I've been on the z-drug and benzo merry-go-round before, no thanks.

Talk to your doc if the herbal cures and melatonin don't work.

Same.

Also a taker of melatonin. It had been suggested to me years ago and I tried a bit...said it didn't work.
Then about 2 years ago I tried again, at a higher does and it did work quiet well. I have no troubles with nightmares. I have never had to increase a dose.

Ambien has worked well for me as need for many years. I general take it only for half of the month. Never have had problems in stopping it, nor any horror stories. I like it being consistent in helping me get to sleep.....it just doesn't KEEP me asleep. The half life is incredibly short.
I also have never increased my dose.

Never tried any other supplements.

Gabapentin and trazodone - I've often heard great things about both in sleeping and the complaints being weight gain and hangovers. As with any medication, people will react differently.
There are quite a few threads on SR which show many people become dependent (addicted?) to gabapentin.
I've taken gabapentin for 3 years. I've had my dose increased and have been ill the 2 times I've not gotten it refilled on time.

Take care!

I know I keep bringing up food, but have you tried maybe having a heavy carb dinner. Something like fettuccine alfredo? I've tried a lot of nonaddictive sleeping aids from the doctor, but only one of them did not give me horrific nightmares. It was like when I took the others, my brain would grab my worst fears and turned it into a Wes Craven movie.

Those all sound great, I have a habit of abusing pharmaceutical medications though

ok /// then non-pharmo things that help me are-
magnesium/calcium vitamin
hot bath with lavender Epsom salts or shower
Sleepytime tea (yay!)
the heavy carb load for dinner sounds good

and lastly, I can't even tell you how having f.lux (free app for lighting on laptop) has helped me settle. Since I watch something soothing to go to sleep (Star Trek) the warm lighting pretty much seals the deal for me to nod of within 20 minutes.

Yeah don't use sleeping medication because then you will rely on it in order to sleep.

Melatonin 2.5mg is what I use. The first week I took it, it did carry over a bit into the morning. I started taking 1 tablet about 2 hours before bed and now its working just fine.

Sometimes I do have crazy dreams with it, not so much nightmares, but I actually like crazy dreams so it's ok for me. Just my experience here :)

Ditto on the crazy dreams. I don't know if its the melatonin or the coming off alcohol.