| I guess it wouldn't be fair if I told you the benefits | | | | sleep aid, I'd choose this one over Restoril. |
| of sleep without giving you advice on the best | | | | Other prescription sleep aids |
| sleep aids available. There are a multitude of | | | | These sleep aids don't fall into any of the above |
| factors that lead me to believe that sleep aid use | | | | categories. |
| is quite common in the world of poker. They | | | | Trazodone was originally used to treat depression. |
| include: 1) the overuse of stimulants such as | | | | However, because of its unfavorable side effect |
| caffeine, Red Bull, Amp, Adderall, etc 2) the long | | | | profile and the introduction of more effective and |
| duration of poker games, some lasting until the | | | | safer antidepressants, it's mostly only used for |
| next morning 3) the increased play of on-line | | | | insomnia. The half-life is between 4-5 hours. |
| poker, lasting well into the night. I would imagine | | | | Because of its long half life, and its ability to cause |
| that poker players have their sleep schedules | | | | cognitive slowing, I recommend staying away |
| pretty screwed up. I'd even bet that their own | | | | from this if you play poker. |
| circadian rhythm is probably a little off tilt. Don't | | | | Rozerem is the newest sleep aid available. |
| worry though. Hopefully after reading this section, | | | | Because of that, it's pretty expensive. It works a |
| you'll be able to choose the right sleep aid for you | | | | little differently than the other sleep aids. It |
| so you can experience all of the great benefits of | | | | actually binds to and stimulates the melatonin |
| a good night's sleep. You may even win more | | | | receptors in the brain. It's been nicknamed |
| often. | | | | melatonin on steroids. Its half-life is between 1-3 |
| Sleep aids | | | | hours. It's really only used in patients who have a |
| The majority of sleep aids are relatively safe and | | | | history of substance abuse because it has zero |
| effective. Some are controlled substances, | | | | addiction potential. In my opinion, there's cheaper |
| however their abuse potential is minimal compared | | | | and better sleep aids available for poker players. |
| to other controlled substances. The most | | | | Non-prescription sleep aids |
| important concept concerning selecting the best | | | | Melatonin is probably the granddaddy of OTC |
| sleep aid is residual drowsiness. The last thing a | | | | sleep aids. It's a hormone that is secreted by the |
| poker play wants is to be drowsy the next day | | | | pineal gland at night. It's thought to help regulate a |
| at the table. Too many bad things can happen if | | | | person's circadian rhythm. Its secretion is |
| you're sluggish. You need to pay attention to the | | | | stimulated by darkness, and inhibited by light. It's |
| sleep aid's half-life. Half-life is really just a fancy | | | | commonly used by people who experience jet lag |
| medical term that describes the time it takes the | | | | or midnight-shift workers. Because poker players |
| body to eliminate half of the original concentration | | | | may have a screwed up circadian rhythm, it |
| of the drug. Usually, it takes anywhere from 5-7 | | | | would be beneficial to include between 0.5-5mg |
| half-lives for the drug to be entirely eliminated | | | | nightly. Why the wide range of dosage? Some |
| from the body. Thus, if the original concentration | | | | people sleep fine just using 0.5mg and actually |
| of the drug was 10mg and has a half-life 2 hours, | | | | experience stimulation on doses of 3mg. |
| then after 2 hours the new concentration would | | | | However, others need 5mg to help sleep. Find the |
| be 5mg, and after 4 hours the new concentration | | | | dosage that's right for you. If you experience |
| would be 2.5mg, and so on. I'll briefly discuss the | | | | drowsiness the next day, you probably used too |
| most common sleep aids below. I've grouped | | | | much. I recommend the controlled-release |
| them into the drug classes based on their | | | | melatonin over regular melatonin. In my opinion, |
| mechanism of action. At the end, I'll tell you my | | | | those poker players that stay up late at night, |
| recommendations. | | | | and sleep well into the afternoon could greatly |
| Prescription sleep aids | | | | benefit from melatonin. |
| Non-benzodiazepine (non-BZN) sleep aids | | | | Valerian root is thought to have a similar effect |
| These all work the same way. They bind to the | | | | as BZN's because it inhibits the metabolism of |
| benzodiazepine 1 receptor in the brain. The side | | | | GABA. Because it is not as potent as BZN's, it's |
| effect profile is also similar. It includes drowsiness, | | | | onset of action is a little longer. You should take it |
| dizziness, amnesia, headache, and GI problems. | | | | about 2 hours before you go to bed. Because of |
| The difference between drugs in this class is their | | | | this inconvenience, I don't know how beneficial this |
| duration of action and potency. | | | | will be to a poker player. If you do purchase |
| Ambien is the most common sleep aid prescribed | | | | some valerian root, look for supplements that |
| today. The half-life of Ambien is around 2.5 hours. | | | | contain 0.4-1% valerenic acid. A typical dose is |
| Thus, it takes around 10 or so hours for it to be | | | | between 400-900mg 2 hours before bedtime. If |
| completely eliminated from your body. It's pretty | | | | you're looking for a natural supplement to reduce |
| good at getting you to sleep and keeping you | | | | anxiety and help you sleep, this is definitely your |
| asleep. It's also generic so it's very cheap | | | | best choice. |
| compared to some of the other sleep aids. If | | | | Magnesium is probably the hidden jewel when it |
| you're looking to get a good night's rest of at | | | | comes to OTC sleep aids. It not only calms your |
| least 8-10 hours, this is my drug of choice. Its | | | | nerves, it also helps improve the quality of your |
| effectiveness and price make it the best of all of | | | | sleep. The majority of the US population is |
| the sleep aids. However, if you're in a tournament | | | | deficient in magnesium. It's involved in hundreds of |
| and may only get 5-7 hours of sleep, there is a | | | | chemical reactions in the body, everything from |
| strong possibility you may have some residual | | | | anxiety to heart problems. Entire books have |
| drowsiness the next day. | | | | been written about the benefits of magnesium. |
| Lunesta is a relatively new sleep aid. The half-life | | | | Like fish oil, this should be a staple in every poker |
| is around 6.5 hours. Thus, it's going to take a long | | | | player's nutritional regimen. Do not buy magnesium |
| time to get out of your system. It also does not | | | | oxide due to its poor absorption. Take anywhere |
| have a generic so it's pricey. Because of its long | | | | from 400-600mg of magnesium citrate or |
| half-life and high probability of residual drowsiness, | | | | glycinate an hour before bed. Orange juice, apple |
| I don't recommend this drug for poker players. | | | | juice, or tomato juice increases magnesium's |
| The only time you should use this drug is if you | | | | absorption while calcium or other diary products |
| can sleep for a couple of days straight. | | | | decrease its absorption. I cannot stress enough |
| Sonata is my drug of choice for this class. Its | | | | how important magnesium supplementation is. |
| half-life is around 1 hour. Thus, it will be out of | | | | Benadryl and other sedating anti-histamines should |
| your system in 5-7 hours. It may not be as | | | | not be used by poker players. The increased |
| strong as Ambien or Lunesta, but it should do the | | | | likelihood of residual drowsiness and the lack of |
| job. If you're unsure of how much sleep you'll be | | | | efficacy of improving sleep quality make these a |
| able to get, you should select this drug. The | | | | poor choice for poker players. There are too |
| chances of residual drowsiness are the least of | | | | many other sleep aids out there that are more |
| any of the other drugs in this class. Because of its | | | | effective. |
| short half-life, it can also be used if you wake up | | | | I just wanted to give you an overview of some |
| early in the night and have trouble getting back to | | | | of the most commonly used sleep aids available. |
| sleep. | | | | There are hundreds of others out there. There |
| Benzodiazepine sleep aids | | | | are plenty of Chinese teas and herbals that are |
| These drugs are not as selective as the non-BZN | | | | purported to help improve sleep. My best |
| sleep aids. They bind to not only the BZN1 | | | | recommendation is to read the science and |
| receptor, but also the BZN 2 receptor. Thus, | | | | research for yourself. You may even want to try |
| there is a higher likelihood of side effects. Side | | | | a couple out. Only you will know if it works for |
| effects include drowsiness, decreased | | | | you. |
| concentration, cognitive impairments, anterograde | | | | Summary |
| amnesia, daytime anxiety, and rebound insomnia. | | | | Hopefully you'll take the above recommendations |
| The differences in drugs in this class are time to | | | | to heart. Remember, my recommendations are |
| onset of action, duration of action, and potency. | | | | based on not only real-world feedback, but also |
| Restoril is the most commonly prescribed BZN | | | | on research. These aren't just opinions. If you |
| sleep aid. However, it's probably the worst one | | | | have any questions about anything I've said, |
| for poker players. The half-life is between 10-15 | | | | please ask. |
| hours. Because its metabolites are also active | | | | So the bottom line is to avoid sleep aids with long |
| drugs, if used for consecutive days, the half-life of | | | | half-lives because the likelihood of residual |
| the drug will actually increase to even more than | | | | drowsiness is much greater. Also, one thing I |
| 15 hours. Thus, there's a strong likelihood you'll | | | | forgot to mention. If you take any of the above |
| experience daytime drowsiness. Even though it is | | | | sleep aids with a meal high in fat, it's going to take |
| cheap, I recommend staying away from this drug. | | | | longer for the sleep aids to work. Fat actually |
| The half-life is just too long. | | | | slows down digestion. |
| Triazolam isn't prescribed much anymore, | | | | My recommendations |
| however it's primarily used for insomnia. Because | | | | If you think you'll get less than 8 hours of sleep: |
| it's more fat soluble than Restoril, it's onset of | | | | Sonata |
| action is quicker, and its half-life is only around 2 | | | | If you think you'll get 8-10 hours of sleep: Ambien |
| hours. It's good at getting you to sleep and | | | | If you're circadian rhythm is off from too many |
| keeping you asleep. In fact, this was the drug of | | | | late-nighters: Controlled-release melatonin along |
| choice by my professor of pharmacology. Side | | | | with a sleep aid. |
| note: This guy was involved in the creation of | | | | The drug everyone should take: Magnesium |
| Gatorade. His memory was unbelievable. He never | | | | citrate or glycinate |
| used one note during his lectures. The problem I | | | | Remember, don't take multiple sleep aids. When |
| have with triazolam is its high incidence of anxiety | | | | taken by themselves, they are relatively safe. |
| and amnesia. Because it's so fat soluble, it is in and | | | | However, when combined, they can be deadly |
| out of your system leading to a higher incidence | | | | such as the case of Heath Ledger. |
| of side effects. Still though, if I had to use a BZN | | | | |