ZMA-Can't Get Back to Sleep

I take my ZMA about two hours before I actually plan to go to sleep. It works great and I pretty much zonk out a few minutes after I hit the sack.

For some reason, though, if something wakes me up I can’t get back to sleep. Last night, for example, I woke up at midnight because the dog was barking… I laid in bed tossing and turning until 6am. Not good.

It may not be the ZMA completely… I tend to get pretty pissed off if I can’t get to sleep and sometimes that in itself is what causes me to stay awake.

Has anyone else experienced similar issues when using ZMA? Any recommendations on how to handle it?

same thing happened me last night. was having some VERY scary dreams and my mum woke me up at 11:00, was still awake at 5am.GRRrrr.

It’s driving me nuts. It’s been similar the past couple nights…

I don’t know much about how ZMA would cause this, but try just not waking up. Ear plugs, light music the whole night, something like that. I know this isn’t the advice you’re looking for, but it’s all I got. Good luck, bro.

Edit: When I can’t go back to sleep, I usually “rub one out” and sometimes it works. Hey, at least I’m honest.

try a lower dose

Lanky,

I’ve considered earplugs & the like, but I live in a pretty shitty neighborhood so I like to be able to hear things… especially if the dogs bark. Last thing I need is to wake up to some cracked-out freak standing over me LOL.

Rubbing one out might not be a bad idea, though.

PozzSka,

That’s probably where I’m headed. I’ll give it a couple more days and see if I get the same results. If so, I’ll take 1 pill instead of 2.

[quote]irvs wrote:
same thing happened me last night. was having some VERY scary dreams and my mum woke me up at 11:00, was still awake at 5am.GRRrrr.[/quote]

It’d make you want to throw your mammy in the fire so it would

I’ve had the same problem, but it’s normally at least after my first REM cycle.

Dominator,

Did it eventually pass? If so, after how long? If not, how did you deal with it? Just suck it up?

try taking it with a melatonin.

Just throwing this out there but you could try UPPING the dose, or splitting it so you have 1-2 before bed and if you wake up have another one? I’m not sure, haven’t had this problem.

[quote]punchbeef wrote:
I take my ZMA about two hours before I actually plan to go to sleep. It works great and I pretty much zonk out a few minutes after I hit the sack.

For some reason, though, if something wakes me up I can’t get back to sleep. Last night, for example, I woke up at midnight because the dog was barking… I laid in bed tossing and turning until 6am. Not good.

It may not be the ZMA completely… I tend to get pretty pissed off if I can’t get to sleep and sometimes that in itself is what causes me to stay awake.

Has anyone else experienced similar issues when using ZMA? Any recommendations on how to handle it?[/quote]

How could anyone think there’s any need for inquiry here? You get pissed normally when disrupted from sleep. There are no perceived changes between “on” and “off” ZMA. “Hey, I just started taking ZMA and everything’s exactly the same. Is this because of ZMA?”

Be careful – many brands of melatonin include calcium. Make sure you take the ZMA 45 minutes before the melatonin in that case.

I just talked to a doc about this. He’s a friend of mine, and knows I don’t want meds, so he recommended melatonin and 5-HTP. He didn’t explain the 5-HTP, but I’m giving it a try tonight. I don’t think it’s connectd to the ZMA. It’s still happening even though I’ve been out for weeks.

This sleep thing has been killing me. <6 hours a night, school, work, women… it’s a taksing thing on any t-man.

Let’s hope it works.

[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
Edit: When I can’t go back to sleep, I usually “rub one out” and sometimes it works. [/quote]

I second that.

[quote]texasguy2 wrote:
try taking it with a melatonin. [/quote]

Agreed. This used to happen to me until I started using Melatonin.

I go back to sleep fine after I get up to go pee. I think it depends on the individual. Maybe some people sleep the deepest the first few hours into, like you, while others’ deep sleeps are spread out throughout the night?

Melatonin has worked for me in the past. I’m also wondering if you are mostly sedentary, other than your gym visits? If you are very physically active, your body will need sleep more and you’ll fall asleep more easily.

Also maybe you have stresses (like getting mad that you were awakened) that is interfering with you falling asleep again? When I have a lot on my mind and think about them after I wake up, it is usually very hard for me to fall back asleep.

I think what I’m trying to say in all this is that it’s probably NOT the ZMA causing this.

Try stopping taking ZMA for a week. Will you still get the same symptoms?

[quote]Jerkwad wrote:
How could anyone think there’s any need for inquiry here? You get pissed normally when disrupted from sleep. There are no perceived changes between “on” and “off” ZMA. “Hey, I just started taking ZMA and everything’s exactly the same. Is this because of ZMA?”[/quote]

Isn’t that what the forums are here for? Discussion and inquiry? :slight_smile:

[quote]BF Bullpup wrote:
I go back to sleep fine after I get up to go pee. I think it depends on the individual. Maybe some people sleep the deepest the first few hours into, like you, while others’ deep sleeps are spread out throughout the night?

Melatonin has worked for me in the past. I’m also wondering if you are mostly sedentary, other than your gym visits? If you are very physically active, your body will need sleep more and you’ll fall asleep more easily.

Also maybe you have stresses (like getting mad that you were awakened) that is interfering with you falling asleep again? When I have a lot on my mind and think about them after I wake up, it is usually very hard for me to fall back asleep.

I think what I’m trying to say in all this is that it’s probably NOT the ZMA causing this.

Try stopping taking ZMA for a week. Will you still get the same symptoms?[/quote]

I’m extremely active and tend to get to sleep without issues. Normally, when I wake up during the night I can get right back to sleep within a few minutes. Typically, I only get pissed when I’ve been laying there for an hour and can’t get back to sleep LOL

Stress could be playing a factor, which I’ve taken into consideration.

You guys may be right, and it may not be related to the ZMA (at least not entirely). If it keeps up, I’ll stop taking it for a week (as suggested) and see what happens.