"Twilight Sleep" Does This Ever Happen To You?

Canada
January 25, 2010 6:36pm CST
For whatever reason Claritin, even the non-drowzy stuff, seems to totally zone me out. I took one last night because my head was stuffed, and went to bed. Do you know what it is not to be awake, but not to be asleep either? I would wake up, walk around a bit (I know I wasn't sleepwalking because I remember doing it), go back to bed, feel totally relaxed physically, but mentally awake. It drove me nuts. Hubby asked me if I got any sleep last night and my response was "I don't know!" I was aware of what was on my radio in the background, but I dind't retain any of the information. Has this ever happened to you?
6 people like this
12 responses
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Jan 10
danishcanadian oh my someone else has the same thing happen, I did this just last night, it is the oddest sensation. Like you said I really didnt know if I got any sleep. It opened up my sinuses but it left me in this odd mental fog. I was using the store's generic brand of Claritin. I am tempted to go back to Benadryl as it doesnt make me have that foggy feeling, I actually sleep pretty well. I have to take an antihistamine every night as I am allergic to dust and to dust mites. My son maintained that Claritin was better but I dont like that odd sleep disturbance feeling.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
26 Jan 10
Claritin is newer, but not necessarily better. Benadryl is the oldest antihistamine around. Any antihistamine can do this to you at any time, but if the Benadryl (diphenhydramine) works I would buy it. I would buy generic whenever possible. Your son just wants the best. I do take the generic of Claritin, because it leaves me less "hung over" It might be beneficial for you to periodically change antihistamines.
• United States
26 Jan 10
yeah i know what you experienced! i have had it before but i seem to have a history of sleep problems.. i have been in that twilight sleep and i hate it because you never fully feel rested because you are distracted enough to know your awake but you cant seem to function or fully wake up.. its annoying!
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
26 Jan 10
Actually that happens to me when I drink a little too much coffee too late in the evening. My whole body will be asleep, and my mind will just be in its own little world. For some people some antihistamines have the opposite effect on their nervous system. Usually antihistamines make people drowsy, but sometimes, especially for people who do not take a lot of meds, the antihistamines are stimulants. My first husband had to take Benadryl for some of his symptoms of ALS. It went just fine for about nine months, then it started keeping him awake. Then he would wake me up, because he thought he had had plenty of sleep. He is the one who figured out which med was doing that to him. He was waking me up every twenty minutes for a few days until he discontinued it.I was basically staying in the nursing home with him, because he had lost his voice and could not communicate with most people and it esed his anxiety. Anyway, I hope you can strike a balance with your stuffiness and the medicine.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63194)
• United States
26 Jan 10
the roomie gets that with hydrocodone she's asleep, but can hear everything and remembers it she can't get up like you can, but she can hear "the cockroaches in the walls 4 doors down" as she puts it, every little sound seems to be amplified...
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Jan 10
i kind of do this without meds. i've woken up and told people what was on tv. i did used to sleepwalk so..some wiring must be messed up LOL
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Jan 10
Week before last the doc told me to take one of those "non-drowsy" allergy medications such as Alavert, Claritin, etc. So I got the Alavert. I slept until noon both Saturday and Sunday. So much for non-drowsy...
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
26 Jan 10
Wow Danish that is really strange, no it has never happened to me, I am either awake or asleep I bet that must have felt really strange I hope you get a better Night tonight
@BarBaraPrz (45223)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
26 Jan 10
Just about everytime I wake up... my ears and eyes can function, but the rest of me tries really hard to stay asleep. Not quite the same thing, I know.
• Indonesia
27 Jan 10
Sometimes when I was ill or got a bad fever this kind of thing happenned to me. Yes I feel like i'm sleeping but I am aware of the tv still on and the dripping of water in my leaking tap in the bathroom. It's so weird because I really thought I was only dreaming.. The next day I'll awake but still remember clearly whatever happened during my sleep...
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
26 Jan 10
I have never had twilight sleep....I am either kept awake by all the buzzing that goes on in my head or I drop into a deep sleep right away.....most of the time I have no trouble sleeping at all! I probably wouldn't wake up even if I needed to...
@marketing07 (6266)
• South Korea
26 Jan 10
if i dont feel well i cant sleep bu i try not to take medicine..instead i drink coffee..coffee makes me sleep
• United States
26 Jan 10
I took some sleeping stuff once and it was a weird experience. Its even worse when you do sleep because your dreams are really freaky. I found some natural stuff that helps and doesn't leave a linger of restlessness. I guess if you need something to really knock you out you could get a script from your doctor. He can leagally send you into dreamland.