Posted by paxvox on August 3, 2001, at 20:08:39
In reply to Re: Benzos and sleep stages » Daveman, posted by Mitch on August 1, 2001, at 9:00:44
I concur with Mitch there for the most part, but I don't think benozs really affect your sleep as in length of REM sleep, etc. Ambien and Sonata do. And they DO cause you to wake up after a few hours (wide awake for me). I took ambien for 2 years from my Gp until I went to the Pdoc. He immediately weaned me off it, poo pooing it heavily. Sonata DID potentiate panic attacks in me, but generally only during the winter months (may have been SAD related?). I did not take it for many months after that, and because of the mid-night waking. I think it would probably work better for me if I took it the first time I woke up in the night rather than before I went to bed. Both Ambien and Sonata have been getting mega-media attention on the TV as if they were a panacea for sleep disturbances. They, sadly, are not. Benzos have helped me the best, have acted the longest (in effect not sleep duration) and also have HELPED as mood stabilizers to offset my AD Wellbutrin.
poster:paxvox
thread:72832
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010731/msgs/73434.html