It sounds like you are missing the drowsy feeling? I say that because the side effect of benedryl is drowsiness.

I had that problem myself and I'm still not sure about fixing it but I did a lot of research and I have a theory after a lot of trial and error.

Your brain needs ATP to function. Just thinking burns ATP. ATP breaks down to just adenosine. When your brain runs low on adenosine, it will signal you by making you drowsy and tired. when you sleep, the adenosine is converted back to ATP.

Based on this, I took some supplements that are supposed to fuel the production of ATP. It worked for me. at first when I was super low I would get sleepy all the time. It took months before I recovered. Though every so often I still have to pop a feel supplement pills to keep up.

Good luck to you.

Thanks for your knowledgeable input Galvatron. I find all your posting insightful.

I use Benadryl almost every night too, although I don't think it does much for me ... just helps me relax. I use a relaxation/meditation tape in conjunction with it to help turn my brain off (otherwise, I'll just randomly think about stuff all night). Usually I take the Benadryl and then start the tape. The tape takes about half an hour and the Benadryl kicks in the same time, so I can usually sleep OK after that.

Just as a side note ... taking a sinus headache medicine (that contains both benadryl and tylenol) usually works better than just the Benadryl for me. Don't know why, but I don't want to take Tylenol eveyr day, so I try to take Benadryl most nights.

@notme813 - I have been through insomnia hell and back. I think I tried just about anything and everything and I probably experienced just about all the symptoms.

I was fighting symptoms for over 6 months before I gave up on everything and started to look for root cause.

To find out root cause, I had to try and learn how sleep works. I did my own deep research and learned what caused anxiety, depression, sleepless and a lot of trial and error with supplements. :)

One thing I learned from my experience is that you should listen to your brain/body. Not being able to sleep is your brain/body trying to tell you that it needs something. Then, other times, its because you are telling your brain not to sleep. i.e. when you are too excited about something great or you are too scared of something or you're just depressed....

I'll try benedryl again..but it never worked for me before.
That ATP sounds good.
Where can I get some to try it?

Thanks.

i used to love benadryl! recently my doc told me about melatonin and i found this drink called ambro relax...its been working good for me and it doesnt seem like theres anything bad in it...

I too an tring benadryl with my ativan per Dr. still not working so im working on a new trail lavander candle burning about 1 hour b4 i hit the bed along with a water fall been 1 day next im going to try acupunture then the trail will be over and ill post my results

You can't get ATP. You can buy supplements that fuel the production of ATP. This includes ribose, acetly-l-carnitine, choline/inositol, whey protein. Other things you should consider taking include calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, vitmain b complex and glutamine/5htp.

By the way, don't take this stuff after 3pm because this fuels ATP and if you have lots of ATP then you will be too energetic to fall a sleep. Take it in the morning, do some relaxing walking or jogging (at least 30 minutes or more; whatever you can tolerate). Once you burn all that ATP and you are left with just adenosine, you should feel tired and sleepy! Go to bed and sleep and let you body do it's thing!