WFMW - Mr. Sandman

Let me start off by saying that I know my tip may not work for everyone. In fact, without a daughter who sleeps through the night 99% of the time and a husband who is willing and able to get up with her on rare occasions it need be done, it wouldn't work for me. However, I work a crazy schedule nowadays, a schedule that has me going from working night shift to being a mommy during the day, and back and forth, back and forth. It's weary and it's tiring sometimes and my body doesn't always know when it's supposed to sleep. In fact, it is 1:00 am right now and I woke up after a couple of hours of sleep really thirsty and now feel like I have my second wind for the day. Not bad as I can get things done around the house without interruption but by daytime and with an almost one-year-old underfoot I'll be dragging if I don't go back to sleep soon.

My solution, a little pill Mr. Sandman likes to refer to as Ambien. It really is a wonderful little drug. I'm not a sales rep and I'm not a doctor, so I don't want to insinuate it will be so wonderful for you, but for me, well... it is.

I currently take it only 2 or 3 times a week and get some of the best sleep I've had since my pregnancy and the nights of tossing and turning with constant bladder fullness were so disturbing. It is an absolute necessity for me when I'm needing to sleep between my two night shifts. No matter how nice my fancy sleep mask, no matter how silent the world becomes with my earplugs, I need something to help me relax and fall asleep. Especially in helping me to stay asleep. Imagine waking up mid-day knowing how beautiful it is outside, knowing you could be spending it with your hubby and Little Miss, and you won't fall back to sleep no matter how tired you may feel. And then imagine staying up another full night running on only maybe say 4 hours of sleep. Oh no, it's not good.

Unfortunately plain ole Ambien never has quite cut it for me and I've averaged about 6 hours of sleep under it's care. Not bad on say a random super-early Wednesday morning when I just need to fall asleep so that I can function in the morning, but to make up for staying up all night... well, I've now discovered Ambien CR. Woohoo! This stuff is amazing. This past Saturday I slept an entire 8.5 hours during the daytime, I was refreshed and so energetic for my second night shift of the week. This little pill is made to help you fall asleep AND stay asleep just as the commercial guarantees. I now truly can participate in "Coma Sleep" as my fellow night shift comrade Stephanie calls it.

Again, I want to mention that this may not work for you, but it sure does work for me Wednesday... and Thursday... and Friday... and whatever night or day of the week my body just decides to retaliate against my craziness of a work schedule. And as always check out Shannon's place for more great tips, and always, always, always check with your Doctor to see if Ambien may be right for you.