So here it is, 5:30 in the morning and I’ve been up for an hour. This is after taking sleeping pills. Well, sleeping pill, I’m afraid to take 2 even though the doctor said I could.

It started several weeks ago. I’d have trouble falling asleep, then I’d wake up after 2 or 3 hours of sleep and be up for a couple of hours. About the time the sun came up, I’d be sleepy again. I work second shift so I can sleep relatively late but it means I get nothing done because I’m not awake when things are open and by the time I get done with work everything’s closed. In terms of having a life, this wasn’t working.

My friends at group “made” me call my doctor which was probably a good thing. He prescribed temazepam, which is also known as Restoril. I took one the first night and it knocked me out. I slept like 14 hours. Not better than waking up but at least I felt rested. Only I also felt groggy and didn’t fully wake up until about 10 that night. For you first shift people, that would be like your meds wearing off around 4 in the afternoon. Not bedtime but definitely the end of the day.

Now I’m a week into it and I’m waking up in the middle of the night again. I could take another pill but I don’t want to sleep 14 hours again. Plus it’s in the benzodiazepine class of drugs which means it’s addictive. I don’t want to go down that path, I just want to sleep 8 consecutive hours. It’s also good for anxiety but I’m not awake because I’m anxious. I don’t know why I’m awake, I”m just frustrated that I can’t get back to sleep.

I see the doc in about a week, so hopefully he can recommend something else. I’m tired of being up at weird times and waking up the roommate who is a light sleeper. I’m going to ask about melatonin and something not addictive. They actually make drugs for specialized sleep problems so maybe there is one for this.