Sleep, everyone needs it, but do you get enough?? Research says 1 in 3 Americans don't get the recommended seven hours of sleep, and 50-70 MILLION American's suffer from sleep disorders. Four percent take sleeping pills and the medication of choice is Ambien/Zolpidem. I too have taken this drug and many others for over 20 years. I know, it's even shocking to me that it's been that long. It started when I had trouble sleeping from the stress of my teaching job. My doctor started me on a low dose and I took it whenever I couldn't sleep. The medication continued to work for awhile, but then my sleep would progressively get worse. My doctor then directed me to take more and then soon I was taking it every night. I remember her telling me (many years ago) sleeping pills weren't addictive. So I thought “Why not take them? I'm better off with them than without them.” 

When I first became a personal trainer, I didn’t have much stress, but my sleep issues continued. I really wanted to go off Ambien, but was having a hard time doing this on my own. I went on vacation and decided to go off my pills for a few nights, boy did this make me rebound and have major withdrawal symptoms. I started having high anxiety about sleeping and I was paranoid even to go to sleep! It made me so stressed that I was only sleeping sporatically 3-4 hours a night.

I ended up going to a sleep specialist and she directed me to an online sleep course called Shut-i. Anyone can do this class, you do not need a doctor to sign you up for it. It does cost money, but well worth it if you have insomnia. During the sleep course I documented my sleep daily and took an online class every week. During the class I was given a “sleep window” of how long I could be in bed. If my average time asleep was six hours (the time awake is not counted), that's the amount of time I could be in bed. I also could not read, watch TV, or just hang out in bed. If I was awake for more than 20 min. in the middle of the night, I had to get up and do something (for me it was read). Napping in the afternoon was a big no, no. I love to take 10-20 min. naps, and hated to give these up but knew it was necessary. This course was one of the hardest things I had to do for myself, but I was committed!

 While I was working to get my sleep in order, I gradually weaned myself off Ambien. I started with 10mg. I was taking 5mg when I went to sleep and then 5 more when I woke in the middle of the night. I got rid of the middle of the night pill first and was taking the 5mg only at night. After 2 weeks I rotated back and forth from 5mg to 2.5mg. I again did this for 2 weeks before I started taking 2.5 every night. After eight weeks I was down to around 1.5mg every night. I struggled for a few more months before I went off the Ambien completely. Now I just take melatonin to help me sleep.

 I am still working on my sleep. I am now sleeping around 6 hours each night, but am hoping to keep improving. I usually fall asleep within 10 min. and even when I wake up during the night I usually go back to sleep within 10 min. I have learned that most people have trouble sleeping every once in awhile, so I'm ok when I have a bad night (or two).

 How about you? Do you get enough sleep? Do you take sleeping pills? What works for you?

 More about sleep coming soon: Tips and Tricks to Help You Sleep.

Be fit, be healthy, be happy!

Teri