The night before

[Idiopathic]

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I am an insomniac. I have only slept about 6 hours of the last 60, for example. I would not try and take a sleep-aid the night before COMLEX/USMLE, but does anyone recommend taking them the week before, i.e. to see how they make me feel? I only ask because I have a pretty severe manic phase and I could stay up, wide-awake, until 4 AM very easily. This is not very conducive to 8 hour test-taking, I have learned. How do I get to sleep the night before? I am very anxious, and I have some Alprazolam, should I take one at 7PM or so? they usually make me very tired, or should I just drink a bottle of wine...anyone have any experience with insomnia?

 

[Jalby]

IT happens to me all the time. I would have insomnia for about 2 weeks every two months. It sucks.

What I have started doing is taking benedryl. It works great for me, I just have 2 pills about an hour or two before I want to try to go to bed (or earlier) and I'm able to fall asleep. I'd try it now to see if it would work. I have very little problems getting up the next morning (i.e. springing out of bed versus 1 minute wishing I was still asleep) but don't have any drowsyness the next day. I would recommend it.

 

[Idiopathic]

Let me say that no matter when I go to bed it is a ****ing chore to get up in the morning. I was working out every morning at 5AM to force myself (may go back to that), but I could still stay up until 3AM...I would be miserable until about noon the next day, but I could do the same thing that next night...it does eventually catch up to me, but I really want to get on a good schedule in the next two weeks (you see I am starting tonite 🙄 )

 

[musicman1991]

get up at 6 AM EVERY DAY before the test. Do not take naps. I had to drink 1 beer to help me sleep the night before the test

 

[Legion560]

As far as getting to bed: in undergrad I used to take valerian extract. Mix a couple drops in hot water and it chills you out enough to at least get to bed. But I found that taking a drink before bed not only gets me to sleep faster, but hits the spot at the end of a long day. Go and buy yourself a cheap 5th of something strong and just down a shot before bed. (My personal fave, Talisker ). Remember, just one shot, otherwise you wont be getting up at 6am 🙂

Legion

 

[jed2023]

. . . have some Alprazolam, should I take one at 7PM or so? they usually make me very tired, or should I just drink a bottle of wine...anyone have any experience with insomnia?

The issue of taking a sleeping pill or not for sleep problems is complicated, but if you are seriously considering it, zolpidem (Ambien) is probably a better choice than alprazolam because it has a much shorter half life and won't leave you totally zonked out the next day. It's also technically not even a benzo though it definitely has benzo-like properties. (Of course, I should add the disclaimer that you should talk with your physician about this.) You might experience some rebound insomnia after discontinuing, though, which is why you have to be careful when you start and stop. For example, stopping the night before the USMLE would probably be a really BAD idea because you might have massive rebound insomnia.

 

[Gary]

Get up at 5 or six in the morning the day before the exam, it works for me pretty well. All the best in your exam!!!!!!!

 

[Spang]

I second the Benadryl. I take 50mg at 8:00p, go to bed at 10:00, sleep straight through til 6:00. The hangover effects go away after 4-5 days, but those first few can be tough to get up. There's plenty of Medline articles that back up the use of Benadryl in this manner, including the resolution of hangover symptoms in a few days. I take them every night.

I have also taken Ambien and Sonata, neither worked well. They put me to sleep, but when I woke up in the middle of the night they had worn off and I was wide awake. Benadryl does it. The Walgreen's brand Wal-dryl is actually cheaper and works as well. You can also throw down a glass of wine or a beer to speed things along.

Finally something I know something about on this board!

Spang

 

[VentdependenT]

Do not take benadryl. You will be so obtuned that it will only make taking testing worse. Try it out early on if you like, but plan on having a worthless morning and slow onset of studying. You can always pop an ambien and slug down a beer (or 2) in the weeks ahead to catch up.

The night before the real thing/s I took Sonata (zaleplon). Comes in 5mg and 10mg. I think I took the fivers. It is related to the benzodiazapine class, as it interacts with the same receptors, however in a different manner. Its got a half life of 45 min to 1 hour (ambien 2-3 hours) so its gone when you wake up. Its great for initiating sleep without any drug hangover what so ever. I was pretty nervous, popped 1 of these, and caught a great 5 hours of sleep w/o feeling mentally enervated in the am.

The con's. You need a script and the pills are 5 bucks a pop. Worked wonders the night before both the USMLE and COMLEX step I.

 

[Spang]

I thought I was pretty clear in my first post that the hangover effect of Benadryl diminish after a FEW days of use. I was not suggesting one start taking them the night before the Step 1. I think it's foolish to "try" anything for the first time the night before.

Benadryl is cheap and easy to get and for me it works better than Ambien or Sonata.