Can Klonopin be used as a sleep aid?

Question

My doctor has placed me on Klonopin to help me sleep better at night and also as a muscle relaxer.  I am to take .05 at bed time.  Has anyone else taken this medicine for this?

bfpop · Answer

i have had nightmares all of my life, anxiety, and when I do sleep, it is usually in a restless state. I talk in my sleep, curse, fight and frail around. It's horrible. I think it is a symptom of PTSD, however, I have never been told that my a Dr. However, my neurologist suggested I take. .5 mg of Kolopin a night, and It is the first time in my life, that I have felt rested the next day. I can't remember the nightmares and I don't toss and turn like I have in the past. I feel so good after a good nights rest. No wonder I've been ill all my life.!!

Aadeua · Answer

Well my doctor hv gave me Klonopin for anxiety  it is 0.5 mg will it make me tired thru out the day? I have a busy 5yr old lol and will it increase my appetite or decrease it? I really need sumthn to give me a appetite

dontpanicdude · Answer

I feel your pain. I've dealt with insomnia for over 10 years and it sux. The only thing that seems to help is to try and relax during the day and work as little as possible. Meditation helps. Slow yoga (hatha) helps. Writing in a journal helps. Massage and accupuncture, while they aren't cure-alls, remind me what the relaxed state feels like. I'm still not a perfect sleeper by any means, when I have to do something stressful to do (like waitressing) and I didn't sleep well the night before, I get anxiety and i have to take .25 mg clonapin. But I don't want to depend on it, so I sleep great that night and then feel like a zombie the next day. 
Take care!

Girlneedsleep · Answer

I have high anxiety and mania bipolar. Recently been put on viibryd which is an antidepressant. I was on Xanax 1mg during the day and took two at bed time for two years. I tried to quit cold turkey and went to the er with withdrawals so bad I thought I was dying. I am seeing a psychiatrist that has put me on 1mg Klonopin during the day and 2mg at night for sleep. I have now been on the klonopins for almost two years. They are starting to not work. I take them and still cant sleep. I have tried probably just about everything there is. Now she wants me to go have a sleep study done. I think im simply going crazy. I don't know of anything stronger.

ill13632 · Answer

I'm worried though wikipedia says longterm it may cause permanent memory damage but I don't know
without it I get these apnea events and am in a terrible fog and can't think clearly so I've been taking 0.5mg a day

sometimes I take 10mg of prednisone once every few days and it seems to help also but I'm worried about brain damage with that

ill13632 · Answer

I take clonazepem and I think it really helps me sleep better- I have some weird central apnea of unknown cause I think.  taking clonazepem I even have some lighter dreams so it seems to allow me to reach the deeper stages of sleep or REM sleep.  
I think I have an anxiety problem and sometimes have anxious dreams

JGF25 · Answer

I take it as a sleep aid as well for about two years now....works great!

Ocean999 · Answer

I have taken both the generic and brand of Klonopin and did not notice much a a difference.  I was prescribed it for trouble sleeping.  I had been on ambien for over a year and it slowly stopped working.  I was weaned off of the ambien and placed on Klonopin and I have been happy with the results.  I fall asleep relatively quickly now and most of the time stay asleep.  Even if I wake in the night I can get back to sleep.  
The only downside is I do feel a little drowsy if I get less than 7 hours of sleep but it wears off as I start my day.

TheaT · Answer

Any or all of you could answer my question....Do you take Klonopin or the generic?  Thanks!

islandgurl75 · Answer

I too have just been prescribed Klonopin for chronic insomnia, and I really hope it helps me get a good nights sleep cuz I have a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep....crossing my fingers!!

Ctee · Answer

I was recently placed on Klonopin for insomnia.  I take 1 mg. every night about 30 minutes before I go to bed.  I no longer wake up all night long and I don't toss and turn nearly as much as I used to.  For me, it was a lifesaver.  I am completely new to the forum but I found all of your comments very interesting.  
Klonopin has really worked well for me for sleep, though.

barfer · Answer

I think we need to clarify something here.  Klonopin will make you drowsy when you first start taking it.  That will wear off in time.  Klonopin, as said by Ryan and now nursegirl, should be administered .5mg twice daily for panic/anxiety.  The reason it can work for sleep is that it is an anti-anxiety medication...therefore, it relaxes you enough so that you can sleep.  

Treeman, my guess and this is only a guess is that even though you have been taking it for 18 years for sleep and you are still having sleep issues, it is because you have anxiety that builds up all day and then you expect .5mg of klonopin to help you sleep.  What about the rest of the day where you have virtually nothing in your system to help with the pent up anxiety?  My guess is that if you were on .5mg twice a day then your anxiety/panic level would diminish and by the time you are ready for bed, you would be relaxed enough to actually get some sleep.  This medication is not a sleeping pill, it is an anti-anxiety medication and that in itself makes you feel relaxed enough to get a good nights sleep.   I've slept well ever since I started taking this medication .5mg twice daily and believe me when I say that sleep was a huge issue before which is not unusual for a person who has anxiety and/or panic. This may not be the case for everyone but without a doubt, this meds. has reduced my anxiety enough so that I can have a good night's sleep.  I hope this clarifies things for both of you.

nursegirl6572 · Answer

I agree with Ryan on this.  While Klonopin CAN cause some initial drowsiness...it really isn't indicated for use for insomnia.  You mentioned that it is also for anxiety.  If that is the case...like Ryan said...it must be dosed twice daily in order to reach a steady state so that it can be most effective.  Since you are a bit anxious about new meds...I'm sure starting at a low dose, like 0.25 mg twice daily would be fine...discuss with your doctor.

Another common fallacy is that people build up a "tolerance" to Klonopin, meaning the patient would require a higher dose over time to reach the same effect.  In reality...with the exception of very rare cases....it doesn't do that...like the shorter acting benzodiazepines (ie Xanax and Ativan) do.  A person could actually take Klonopin indefinitely for anxiety....and in states where anxiety is a problem without depressive illnesses....Klonopin is a great option.

Have you tried anything natural for sleep?  Some people swear by Melatonin.  Of course...run anything like that by your doc first...but it may be something to look into.

Just some things to keep in mind.  You may do very well with it just as a short term nightly dose...but all of the other specifics about it are worth mentioning.  Stick around and let us know how you're doing!  Take Care!

susan303 · Answer

Klonopin (clonazepam) In a class of medications like Ambien, is the drug Klonopin (clonazepam). "In sleep management, one of the best things we have found is Klonopin," states Charles W. Lapp, M.D. Klonopin can help you get to sleep fast and sleep longer and thus have less fatigue the next day. It also is a muscle relaxant that can help with restless leg syndrome and, as it is closely related to Valium, can relieve anxiety and panic attacks. Klonopin is not without drawbacks though, since it can be addictive, and thus if you need to discontinue its use, you must carefully taper it under a doctor's care. Also as with many sedatives one can build up tolerance to Klonopin's effects, thus reducing its benefit. 

Providing suggestions on use, Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, says ".25 to 2 milligrams of Klonopin at night can have a dramatic effect. Start with low dose and work up gradually because Klonopin is initially quite sedating.

treeman · Answer

I always thought that this was supposed to help you sleep. Well I guess I was wrong. I have been on this for 18 yrs. 0.5 mgs at night no wonder I always feel I haven't slept. HMMM I will my Dr about this. The reason I was put on meds was because I had anxiety over not being able to sleep.

jimgreg · Answer

i was on that for 15 yrs a real good long acting drug..yes it will help you sleep  good..im on xanax,its not a long acting as klonopin is...i started out at 0.5 twice aday,after 15 yrs was up to the max 4mgs aday for pantic...good luck too you!!

susan303 · Answer

I would also be taking it for anxiety as well at night.  This is not long term only short term.
                         susan

MrGreen · Answer

Most similar types of medication make you feel tired. And to make you feel more relaxed. Hence it probably states it on the bottle / leaflet. The higher the dose the more sleepy you would feel. Never been on that tablet myself. But been on similar ones. Some people they knock out. Others might not feel tired at all. So if nothing is happening after about 2 weeks let your doctor know and he may up the dosage or change the medication. Keep us posted.