4 ms·

What else is part of your rotating stacks? Asking as someone who melatonin doesn't seem to help much

mutagen 1mo ago
Not OP but I seem to get a benefit from GABA. Valerian root is effective at inducing sleep but leaves me groggy and I've had paradoxical anxiety reactions to it and there's some question around its longer term use. L-theanine is often mentioned but I'm not sure I benefit. Magnesium glycinate is another that comes up often.
rapsey 1mo ago
Insomniac for 20 years. What was a complete solution for me was: magnesium, b6 p5p (p5p form very important) and the ultimate punch glycine. Glycine takes some getting used to, as you will have crazy intense dreams at first. But it is a very safe supplement to take even in large doses. I always had huge insomnia issues after a physically intensive days after workouts. The stack I settled on solved it. A heavy day just needs a bit more magnesium and quite a bit more glycine.
- potamic 1mo ago
  How much of each do you take and when do you take them?
  - rapsey 1mo ago
    B6 40/50mg depending on the pill. Magnesium 300mg or so. Glycine I started with 3/5g, now I take like 30g
    - potamic 1mo ago
      Timing? How many hours before bed?
      - rapsey 1mo ago
        Magnesium around every half hour around 100mg starting 2h before bed, the rest when I go to bed.
        potamic 1mo ago
        Thanks a lot.
    - stephen_g 1mo ago
      Probably worth getting blood B6 levels checked every now and then, taking reasonably big does like that can cause it to build up and eventually give you nerve damage leading to peripheral neuropathy.
toilet 1mo ago
Doxylamine for OTC, but if you take too much it will really make you groggy the next day (other people in the thread have shared the same experience.) Zolpidem/Ambien works really really well, but it's prescription only and also addictive so doctors advise to not take it more than a few days in a row at max.
- wappieslurkz 1mo ago
  Be careful with long-term or frequent doxylamine use, especially if you’re older. It’s an anticholinergic drug, and studies have linked sustained anticholinergic use to increased dementia risk, though it’s not proven the drugs cause it. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/288546 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/288546
WarOnPrivacy 1mo ago
> What else is part of your rotating stacks? Diphenhydramine, Hydroxyzine, Tizanidine, Mirtazapine, Phenibut, Kava, Indica. I take Phenibut and Tizanidine together, 2x week max. Phenibut increases my REM sleep. Tizanidine helps me fall asleep but then wakes me up after 5hrs - and Phenibut counters that (keeps me asleep). I rotate those two with Hydroxyzine. Staggering meds helps me keep my doses low. I generally take about half the prescribed dose. Mirtazapine causes weight gain. I only take it when the insomnia is so bad it feels like sleep is broken. Indica makes me miserable thru disassociation. That kills my tendency to chatter to myself. It also makes me sleepy. Kava is hit or miss. But I'm trailing a new Kava extract that seems to work better.

Not OP but I seem to get a benefit from GABA. Valerian root is effective at inducing sleep but leaves me groggy and I've had paradoxical anxiety reactions to it and there's some question around its longer term use. L-theanine is often mentioned but I'm not sure I benefit. Magnesium glycinate is another that comes up often.

rapsey 1mo ago

Insomniac for 20 years. What was a complete solution for me was: magnesium, b6 p5p (p5p form very important) and the ultimate punch glycine. Glycine takes some getting used to, as you will have crazy intense dreams at first. But it is a very safe supplement to take even in large doses. I always had huge insomnia issues after a physically intensive days after workouts. The stack I settled on solved it. A heavy day just needs a bit more magnesium and quite a bit more glycine.

potamic 1mo ago
How much of each do you take and when do you take them?
- rapsey 1mo ago
  B6 40/50mg depending on the pill. Magnesium 300mg or so. Glycine I started with 3/5g, now I take like 30g
  - potamic 1mo ago
    Timing? How many hours before bed?
    - rapsey 1mo ago
      Magnesium around every half hour around 100mg starting 2h before bed, the rest when I go to bed.
      - potamic 1mo ago
        Thanks a lot.
  - stephen_g 1mo ago
    Probably worth getting blood B6 levels checked every now and then, taking reasonably big does like that can cause it to build up and eventually give you nerve damage leading to peripheral neuropathy.

toilet 1mo ago

Doxylamine for OTC, but if you take too much it will really make you groggy the next day (other people in the thread have shared the same experience.) Zolpidem/Ambien works really really well, but it's prescription only and also addictive so doctors advise to not take it more than a few days in a row at max.

wappieslurkz 1mo ago
Be careful with long-term or frequent doxylamine use, especially if you’re older. It’s an anticholinergic drug, and studies have linked sustained anticholinergic use to increased dementia risk, though it’s not proven the drugs cause it. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/288546 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/288546

WarOnPrivacy 1mo ago

> What else is part of your rotating stacks? Diphenhydramine, Hydroxyzine, Tizanidine, Mirtazapine, Phenibut, Kava, Indica. I take Phenibut and Tizanidine together, 2x week max. Phenibut increases my REM sleep. Tizanidine helps me fall asleep but then wakes me up after 5hrs - and Phenibut counters that (keeps me asleep). I rotate those two with Hydroxyzine. Staggering meds helps me keep my doses low. I generally take about half the prescribed dose. Mirtazapine causes weight gain. I only take it when the insomnia is so bad it feels like sleep is broken. Indica makes me miserable thru disassociation. That kills my tendency to chatter to myself. It also makes me sleepy. Kava is hit or miss. But I'm trailing a new Kava extract that seems to work better.