8th November 2006
I have to preface this by saying, Gina, the safest thing for you to do if you have problems sleeping while taking Adderall is to stop the Adderall, not to add another drug.
That said...
It depends on your idea of safe.
Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is probably the safest.
Some would say that Melatonin is all-natural and therefore safe. My concern is that is hasn't been as extensively researched as prescription meds have. But, you might consider it.
Trazadone is more often used, these days, as a sleep aid than as an antidepressant. Fact is, it isn't that effective as an antidepressant. It does work well, though, for many people as a sleeping pill and on the continuum, I think it's relatively safe.
Benzodiazepenes (Ambien, Dalmane, Restoril, etc) are what most people think of as prescription sleeping pills. The problem with them is that they may be addictive. They are useful for short-term use, but if you're looking at the long-term, they probably aren't a good idea.
Mood stabilizers/antipsychotics are also sometimes used as hypnotics. Examples are Seroquel and Zyprexa. Some would say that they are too powerful to be used for sleep. Personally, I'm no more worried about them than I am about the benzodiazepenes.
Your best bet is good "sleep hygiene" - no caffiene (especially not within 6 to 8 hours of bedtime), exercise (but not within 4 to 6 hours of sleep), avoiding alcohol in the evenings, sleeping the same hours every night - even on weekends, etc, etc.
Good luck!
That said...
It depends on your idea of safe.
Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is probably the safest.
Some would say that Melatonin is all-natural and therefore safe. My concern is that is hasn't been as extensively researched as prescription meds have. But, you might consider it.
Trazadone is more often used, these days, as a sleep aid than as an antidepressant. Fact is, it isn't that effective as an antidepressant. It does work well, though, for many people as a sleeping pill and on the continuum, I think it's relatively safe.
Benzodiazepenes (Ambien, Dalmane, Restoril, etc) are what most people think of as prescription sleeping pills. The problem with them is that they may be addictive. They are useful for short-term use, but if you're looking at the long-term, they probably aren't a good idea.
Mood stabilizers/antipsychotics are also sometimes used as hypnotics. Examples are Seroquel and Zyprexa. Some would say that they are too powerful to be used for sleep. Personally, I'm no more worried about them than I am about the benzodiazepenes.
Your best bet is good "sleep hygiene" - no caffiene (especially not within 6 to 8 hours of bedtime), exercise (but not within 4 to 6 hours of sleep), avoiding alcohol in the evenings, sleeping the same hours every night - even on weekends, etc, etc.
Good luck!