[QuickSilver]

I've never heard of Remerol. I might ask to try this.

Currently, I take Ambien to fall asleep, Lorazepam to STAY asleep, and Melatonin to really cement it. It's not my ideal solution, but it's worked for years.

I think it depends a lot on why you have insomnia. Early morning waking tends to be caused by depression and/or anxiety. I'm not sure if 2 am counts as "early morning waking" for you or not -- it's defined as a few hours before you get up.

I think the solution will depend on what the root causes are. People have mentioned physical discomfort, hormonal changes, side effects from other drugs, etc, etc. What do you think is the issue for you?

I tried Tylenol PM, but I didn't find it to be a good long term solution. It made me very groggy the next day, and if I take it more than a few days in a row, I get violently ill.

I also had a sleep study a long time ago, though I didn't find it all that helpful. Here are some basic tips I've learned over the years:

- Go to sleep and get up at the same time every day, even weekends.

- Don't nap.

- If you do have insomnia, stick to your schedule. The fatigue should help you sleep more soundly the next night. Some people simply overestimate the amount of sleep they need.

- Only use your bed for sleep & sex. Try not to watch tv in the bedroom.

- If you are positive you cannot sleep, get up and do something else in another room, so your bed is only associated with sleep.

- Establish a quiet bedtime routine of ~30 minutes. Give yourself time to relax. Don't watch the news at night, as it can be upsetting.

- I used a "meditation sleep" tape for a while, and I reliably fell asleep to it. It's basically someone with a very soothing voice talking you through a guided meditation.

- If you wake up in the middle of the night because you are anxious, keep a notepad by the bed. When you wake up, jot down your thoughts and a basic plan of attack for the following day. Then let it go.

- Stop drinking caffeine at least five hours before bedtime.

- Try to get as much sunlight as possible during the day to set your circadian rythmns well. Exercise can also help with this.



Hope some of that helps.