Medications & Sleep

I have run into many issues regarding medications and sleep. I have some insight into some and their impact but I also have questions about others and how they effect REM sleep.

1. Opiates/Opioids - I find that narcotic medications change the bodies natural sleep cycle due to the extreme sensitivity to light that accompanies its use and sedation. I found that sleeping all day and avoiding going outside due to the narcotic light sensitivty completely flipped my sleep cycle. Also the narcotic analgesics utilize dopamine to kill pain which is stimulating regardless of the sedating effects. Can narcotics be taken while maintaining regular sleep cycles.

2. Lithium - It helps me sleep and regulates mood but does it have an effect on REM sleep?
If so, can it be administered to avoid this dynamic?

3. Benzodiazepenes - I take clonazepam at night. I am aware that it supresses REM sleep but does it have rebound REM after cessation?

Benzos typically decrease your dream recall and chance of LDing. Opiates can potentially enhance dream recall and LDs, but usually have the opposite effect if you are using them on a daily basis.
Not sure about lithium.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dukewizard1986

I have run into many issues regarding medications and sleep. I have some insight into some and their impact but I also have questions about others and how they effect REM sleep.

1. Opiates/Opioids - I find that narcotic medications change the bodies natural sleep cycle due to the extreme sensitivity to light that accompanies its use and sedation. I found that sleeping all day and avoiding going outside due to the narcotic light sensitivty completely flipped my sleep cycle. Also the narcotic analgesics utilize dopamine to kill pain which is stimulating regardless of the sedating effects. Can narcotics be taken while maintaining regular sleep cycles.

2. Lithium - It helps me sleep and regulates mood but does it have an effect on REM sleep?
If so, can it be administered to avoid this dynamic?

3. Benzodiazepenes - I take clonazepam at night. I am aware that it supresses REM sleep but does it have rebound REM after cessation?

Being addicted to Vicodin for 2 years is the reason for the 2 year gap in my dream journal. It made recall harder, but more importantly I lost the will to try. The problem for me is Vicodin feels just too damn good. To the point of when I didn't have it all I did was think about it, nothing could compare, not even lucid dreams which would be right up there with "the best i've ever felt". I gave it up 17 days ago, of my own will, and asked my doctor not to write it for me anymore as I was abusing it. That is why I am back on this forum, my dreams are back yay! (Not to say narcotics are evil or anything, even recreationally. I just can't limit myself. Or I won't. I always told myself I could and would. But the truth is could or not, I won't. So no more narcotics for me, recreational or otherwise.) Can you maintain a regular sleep cycle? yeah I've seen it done. I don't have a regular sleep cycle, so I can't speak first hand though.

Benzodiazapines, Clonazepam being the only one that can help me sleep, I have taken it off and on. I find it destroys my dream recall, and has no rebound effect. Clonazepam has a long elimination half life, which means it takes a long time to get out of you, which probably means no REM rebound.

Lithium IDK either.

On a final note, no one ever said anything about "getting high" so to speak here but me. I would like to say I finally learned that while euphoria is awesome, euphoria is not equal to happiness. Just a thought.