Taking a sleeping tablet when I am the only adult in the house.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

It would be an over-the-counter, diphenhydramine tablet.

I suffer insomnia from time to time, and seem to be in the middle of a bout right now. Dh is away a lot during the week - he has work in London, and his mum is terminally ill, so he is staying at her house, to spend as much time as possible with her before the end.

Only ds3 is at home (the other two are at university), and he is 17 - so not a little child who would need rescuing in case of an emergency.

I didn't get to sleep until about 6.30am on Monday, and about 4am this morning, and I am feeling utterly wrecked. Dh is not back until tomorrow night, and I worry about taking a drug that will make me sleepy, and not able to drive, and that might make me react less quickly if there was some sort of emergency.

There is a part of me that knows I am being a bit ridiculous - maybe more than a bit, to be fair - the chances of anything terrible happening are pretty slim, we have a smoke alarm, ds3 is old enough and sensible enough to be left home alone, and the tablet won't render me unrousable - it will just help me go to sleep, and hopefully once asleep, I will stay asleep unless there is an emergency.

To be honest, I don't even drink if I am the only adult at home - or even if ds1, who is 21 and can drive one of our cars is at home - and I think I might be being completely barking more than a bit paranoid.

WWYD?

Would you have the same concerns about having a small amount of alcohol? If the answer's no, there's the answer for the Nytol (I'm sure that's the trade name for the particular drug you're planning to take.)

If your son is 17 then I'd say take the sleeping tablet. It would be different if you were in charge of a baby or toddler but I'm sure a 17 year old is old enough to take some initiative in the (very unlikely) case of anything going wrong.
Sorry about your insomnia- lack of sleep is a killer

Your not the only adult in the house. A 17 year old man or woman qualifies as an adult in my opinion. When I first read the title, I thought you had young children. Take the tablet and get some sleep.

I don't see this situation as being any different to leaving a 17 year old home alone and I wouldn't think twice about that. I'd mention it to him first so he knows to keep the noise down. Hope you can get some sleep.

I wouldn't with a baby or young child, but a 17 year old could in theory be living on their own, so go ahead and get some sleep :)

The lack of sleep will increase your paranoia. As you've said ds is 17. He can even be sensible for your benefit here (keep the noise down, field any late night calls). Sleep well. You'll feel better for it!

Take the tablet. I know you're worried about there being an emergency but you're worrying about something that may not happen and if it does then you'll be in a better position to help due to having had some sleep. If you don't get any sleep then I would strongly recommend that you don't drive because there is always the possibility that you would fall asleep at the wheel.

I lived on my own from the age of 16, so can't see the concern about your 17 yr old.

I agree. Take the tablet & get some much needed sleep.

If it's any help, my DS3 is 17 & also the youngest, and I would do the same in your shoes.

Agree with the others - DS3 is 17, not a child, so you are not the only adult in the house. I'd tell him you're taking a tablet, then have a lovely hot bath, snuggle into bed and hopefully get a decent night's sleep!

i was offered sleeping tablets by the doctor but i said no as i am often alone with my boys but they are 2 and 5. if they were teenagers i wouldn't think twice

I know he's an adult at 17, and I would leave him home alone - I just needed to be told how ridiculous I am being. I think lack of sleep has robbed me of the last marble, to be honest!

So the consensus is that I take the tablet, and tell ds3 that, in case of fire/earthquake/zombie invasion/vampires breaking in, he has to rescue himself tonight.

I love MNers!

"So the consensus is that I take the tablet, and tell ds3 that, in case of fire/earthquake/zombie invasion/vampires breaking in, he has to rescue himself tonight."

Oh, don't remind me! I hate it when you get them all in one night. Downright tiring it is. I end up feeling quite peeved tbh.

I suffer insomnia and take sleeping meds nightly. My DS is 16 and knows the rules that once mum goes to bed, keep the noise down. Nothing wose then being sleep deprived.

Go home, fix tea, take your tablets and sleep. You will feel so much better tomorrow. Here's to a resftul night.

You're right, Gruntfuttock - it is sheer thoughtlessness on their part, I think!

He has to rescue you too! Make it clear you don't want to be a zombie snack!!!

You see - I see my role in the family zombie plan as being the zombie snack. As a larger person, I could keep a whole lot of zombies munching for some considerable time (and dangerously elevate their cholesterol at the same time) whilst my family escape.

I can't run, so I see this as my best contribution to the family's survival.

And if I get bitten by a vampire, won't I immediately become slim and beautiful?

Well, given your self-appointed role in the zombie plan, it doesn't really matter if you're asleep or awake then. In fact, one might argue that the sleeping tablet is beneficial in this scenario, as it might be a little less painful if you sleep through the eating rather than be conscious throughout, yes?

Oh, and regarding the vampire bite - I thought vampires went for virgins. I do apologise if I am overstepping the mark here, but, given all your chat about your various DSs, I'm sort of assuming you're not a virgin...

I subscribe to the Buffy-verse version of the vampire - and given that Angel bonked Buffy's brains - and his soul - out, and then went after her to bite her, and that, even after he and Spike had both bonked her, there seemed to be no lack of vampires wanting to bite her, I suspect that the virgin thing is more a guideline than an actual rule.

You might be right about the zombie eating thing, though!

And actually - I am a virgin - virgin on insanity!

Ohhh the old jokes are the best!

Love this thread.

I'm a virgin too.

Virgin on the ridiculous.

You will be pleased - but probably unsurprised - to know that we survived the night without earthquakes, fires, vampires or zombies. I slept much better, and ds3 did not need rescuing even once!