To ask best over the counter sleep aid

[Pgqio]

Currently suffering from anxiety and can get to sleep fine but wake up 2 hours later crippled with fear and can't nod off again.

I've tried Nytol and Kalms Night and they're useless.

Are there any other non prescription sleep aids anyone would recommend?

Thanks in advance x

Watching with interest. I often get them from pharmacies abroad when I am away. But would rather get them here

Depends which Nytol you get. The green ones are useless, purple ones are brilliant.

Is it the One-a-night Nytol that you have already tried?

Sominex was the only one that worked for me.

Boots Sleepeze is great for me.
It's Diphenhydramine.
I get the 50mg tablet a night tablets and halve them as needed. Works out cheaper than the 25mg tablet pack.

.

Yes it's the green one, will try the purple, thanks!

Thanks for these everyone, the support on here is terrific x

Night nurse.
Be warned you might sleep for a week though! Can't believe it's available over the counter to be honest or even legal

Nytol one a night are the only ones that do anything for me. Have you tried a white noise machine? Mine keeps me ‘under’ so I’m less prone to being jolted into panic wakings.

Have you tried taking magnesium before bed? It helps with anxiety and will also help you get a rested sleep?

Promethazine, it's a really strong anti histamine, has strong sedatory effects

Try promethazine ( Phenergan). It's an antihistamine but is used as a sleeping tablet as it is a sedative. Can also be used to treat anxiety symptoms.
I take it when I work night shift & it knocks me out all day.
Can buy it over the counter at any chemist.

Valerian. It properly works and is very good for anxiety. You can get tablets or tincture which admittedly tastes foul but has a quicker effect. Safe and not habit forming.

I'm looking for solutions.

Agree that Nytol and Kalms are crap. Took maximum dose and my eyes were still pasted wide open. Just had a thumping headache and mega red veins in eyes the next day.

I have the thing where I drop off straightaway and then wake up absolutely 100% alert two hours later. Advice is always to "get up and do something". That's all very well if you live alone, but I think dh would solve my sleep problem and render me unconscious if I was carousing around the house at 2am.

Running 🏃. Sorted my sleepness out completely 😂

Thanks again everyone, off to Boots tomorrow!

Definitely phenergan (promethazine). Works really really well.

It's a herb btw. Been used for centuries. I got introduced to it by a Venezuelan friend. She said people over there take it all the time for example if they've got an exam etc. I find it gives you just a little soothe, enough to sleep if you need to, not a knockout, no 'hangover' or impairment.

Are you all in these long term? Or just every now and then?

A couple of years ago I asked on this board for recommendations. Some came through for
www.amazon.com/Kirkland-Signature-Doxylamine-Succinate-Tablets/dp/B0045XGE9E?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

These. I haven't had a night's insomnia since. I only take occasionally, and one or two help me drift off with no problems. Has really taken the stress out of my sleep life.

I order them from a online chemist for about £10 for two bottles. Which lasted me about a year.

Yes to sominex -= safe to use and effective.
I had an absolutely terrible sleep on Nytol and kales wasn’t effective for me.

I bought some melatonin melts from Amazon (think someone recommended them on here). They are good, i.e. they get me to sleep but I wake up in the early hours same as OP. If I take 2, they work better but give me a horrendous headache in the morning. Nytol are very hit and miss. I feel anxious at the moment with a couple of issues, don't use products all the time.

I'd like to add I work in mental health & Promethazine is prescribed for quite a lot of our patients.
It does work.

Tesco own branded sleep aid (available in 1 or 2 per night) are the same as Boots sleepeaze but about a third of the price, available only where the Tesco has a pharmacy. Either Boots or Tesco knock me out, often just with one. I do sometimes have slight grogginess the next day so try to avoid if I have work.