# Klonopin/Valium as sleeping aid?



## daniel34 (Mar 6, 2007)

I've read a few posts where people take Klonopin as a form of sleep aid. For the past 2 weeks I've been taking about 1 to 1.5 mg of K about an hour before bed and find that it makes me more relaxed and calm. I usually don't have trouble falling asleep whereas before I did. After a few weeks, I'm finding that I may need to augment my dosage to get the same effect. I'm just curious what the difference between K and Valium are as far as the relaxing/calming effect. I'm thinking of asking my doc to prescribe me Valium just to try it out. Does it induce a more relaxed state compared to Klonopin??


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

valium supposedly has muscle relaxing properties


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## daniel34 (Mar 6, 2007)

Noca said:


> valium supposedly has muscle relaxing properties


Can you please elaborate on this? To me, Klonopin makes me relaxed as well but I'm not sure what part of me is relaxed (it just makes me tired and drowsy). thanks.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Noca said:


> valium supposedly has muscle relaxing properties


I've probably consumed more Valium than most folks on this board and I sure can't find these muscle relaxing properties, but then I didn't suffer from muscle spasms so that could help explain it -- treating a problem that doesn't exist. Valium feels the same as Xanax & Ativan to me. I'm not a fan of Klonopin myself, though many like it and YMMV.


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## Speak Easy (Jun 27, 2006)

Don't all benzos have muscle relaxing properties to some degree or another? To the poster: I try to dissuade anyone from using benzos as long-term sleep treatment, because in the long-run, you're only hurting yourself.


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## korey (Apr 25, 2006)

Valium produces more sedation than anxiety relief (compared to Xanax, at least). I think Klonopin is more often indicated for anxiety or even convulsions, but as far as benzo sleep aids go, Valium would probably be a better choice than Klonopin.

Before everyone explodes into rants about how benzos are terrible sleep aids because of the tolerance, etc., let me strike to it first! Benzos can make good _short-term_ sleep aids. Benzos do not make good long-term sleep aids because yes, tolerance will eventually build up and they will become useless


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## korey (Apr 25, 2006)

Or second, at least :b


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## daniel34 (Mar 6, 2007)

Yes, I've only been on Klonopin for a few weeks. Maybe I'll give Valium a try. And thanks for the suggestion about the tolerance side effects. I'm not a big fan of meds itself so I'm considering this a short-term fix. 

For the using Klonopin before getting to bed, what dosage do you use? Do you find that it makes you quite drowsy the day after (not lethargic but just a wee bit tired).

txs.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

daniel34 said:


> Yes, I've only been on Klonopin for a few weeks. Maybe I'll give Valium a try. And thanks for the suggestion about the tolerance side effects. I'm not a big fan of meds itself so I'm considering this a short-term fix.
> 
> For the using Klonopin before getting to bed, what dosage do you use? Do you find that it makes you quite drowsy the day after (not lethargic but just a wee bit tired).
> 
> txs.


i take 1mg to sleep whenever, It doesnt make me drowsy the next day. By the next day all its effects are gone.


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## Speak Easy (Jun 27, 2006)

I think the keyword(s) to avoid when taking benzos as sleep-aids (that Korey and I touched base upon) is long-term use. Short-term use of benzos as sleep aids (1-2 weeks) should be acceptable. Anything more than that and you've got a 70% chance of developing a withdrawal syndrome, so you can decide for yourself if the risk's worth it...


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## SADSP (Sep 17, 2007)

When you build up a tolerance to one benzo (let's say, klonopin), does that tolerance also apply if you switch over to another one (like xanax) ?


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

SADSP said:


> When you build up a tolerance to one benzo (let's say, klonopin), does that tolerance also apply if you switch over to another one (like xanax) ?


yes


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## Speak Easy (Jun 27, 2006)

Benzos all work in the same manner. They kick your GABA receptors into overdrive. Generally speaking, Ativan will hit exactly the same neurotransmitters as Klonopin, as will Xanax, Valium, etc, etc. So, if you build up tolerance with Klonopin, and then switch to an equivalent dose of Xanax, the Xanax will be doing pretty much the same thing. It's just a different medication, with a different patent, different name, half-life, etc, etc. SSRIs and benzos, in general, all work the same


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