Insomnia, poor sleep, nightmares

Seven people said magnesium glycinate at bedtime helped: some slept better, some had fewer nightmares or woke less after wet dreams, and some felt less muscle tension or pain and a calmer heart and body — though not for social anxiety. One person slept better the first time but felt dizzy. Personal reports — talk to a doctor before taking supplements.

Two people said about a week without ejaculating brought relief: one said they get more tired and more sensitive to high-histamine foods, causing insomnia that usually only eases after over a week of abstaining; the other said avoiding ejaculation for a week or so gave relief.

Two people said 1 mg of melatonin before bed helped. One said that once they slept well they felt clearer, with quicker reflexes and word recall, smoother speech, and better mood and anxiety. How long they took it wasn't stated. Personal reports — talk to a doctor before taking supplements.

Two people said melatonin helped. One took 5 mg fast-acting melatonin before bed and said their POIS dropped by about 90%; another took 1 mg four to five hours before bedtime to avoid next-day lethargy. Personal reports only — check with a doctor before taking supplements.

One person said that after two months of taking 10 mg of amitriptyline every night before bed, their sleep, mood, pain and brain fog had all improved somewhat. They also mentioned reading that the drug blocks histamine. Personal report only — amitriptyline is a prescription drug, so talk to a doctor first.

One person recommended diphenhydramine 50–100 mg when POIS symptoms start, reasoning that as an antihistamine it should help with POIS and also help with sleep. They counted it as helpful but did not describe specific results. Personal view only — talk to a doctor before using medication.

One person took 1 mg of melatonin before sleep to improve their sleep, and said that once they were sleeping well they had more mental clarity, quicker reflexes and word recall, more coherent speech, and better mood and anxiety. They didn't say how long they took it.

After three weeks without ejaculating, one person ejaculated expecting the worst, but felt fine and slept normally, with roughly 90% of their usual symptoms gone. They had been taking NAC and lion's mane, and had started L-glutamine the day before, and said any of them could be responsible. Personal report only — talk to a doctor before taking supplements.

One person with muscle twitching said they take the muscle relaxant cyclobenzaprine when they can't sleep, and it works well for them. No dose was given. It's a prescription drug — ask a doctor first.

Some said avoiding ejaculation helped with poor sleep. One person said high-histamine foods bring on their insomnia, which usually only clears after more than a week of abstaining, and added that they feel more tired meanwhile. Another report didn't say how long.

One person said taking 10 mg of low-dose amitriptyline (Elavil) every night for two months improved their sleep, mood, pain and brain fog somewhat, and mentioned having read that it blocks histamine. Personal report only — amitriptyline is a prescription drug, so talk to a doctor first.

One person said even straining during a bowel movement sets off their symptoms, without anything sexual involved, so they now relax and let it pass naturally. It's one person's experience with no further detail.

One person said that even without ejaculating, spending time in 90°F+ (about 32°C) heat sets off their POIS badly. So they avoid high heat, use air conditioning and stay out of hot cars.

One person listed Benadryl in a “starter kit” for self-treatment, alongside niacin, vitamins C, D and E, and ibuprofen, using it for sleep and brain fog after ejaculation. No dose or timing was given. Personal report only — check with a doctor before trying medication or supplements.

One person said their symptoms eased after a few weeks of taking bromocriptine daily, without naming which symptoms or giving a dose. Bromocriptine is a prescription drug with real medical risks. Personal report only — talk to a doctor before using medication.

One person said smoking cannabis before bed helped their sleep, though they didn't want to keep doing it long term. Dose, frequency and strain weren't given. A personal report that doesn't show it is safe or effective — check with a doctor first.

One person said they use CBD oil for sleep and that it helps. No dose was given. Personal report only — talk to a doctor before taking supplements.

One person said sleeping in a cool room, keeping body temperature down and taking cold showers before bed was the way to go for them. Exact temperatures and shower length weren't given.

One person said keeping a fixed bedtime and sleeping 10–12 hours after an episode made symptoms manageable, while late nights made them worse. They now wake energized after 6–7 hours, where they used to need 10 and still felt groggy. Other habits included bed before 11 pm and no blue light for an hour before sleep.

One person said they take muscle relaxants when they can't sleep, and that cyclobenzaprine works well for them. No dose or prescribing details were given. Personal report, not a recommendation — it's a prescription drug, so talk to a doctor first.

One person with sleep problems said they tried GABA supplements for sleep and found them pretty good, without giving a dose. Personal report only — check with a doctor before trying supplements.

One person said glycine is no cure but clearly improves their sleep, especially deep sleep, and good sleep makes symptoms hit less hard. They mentioned taking it on an empty stomach.

One person said sleep after orgasm was very poor, and taking 20–30 mg of a brain-penetrating antihistamine such as Zyrtec stretched it from zero or one hour to three or four, though sleep still wasn't good. Personal report — this is a high dose, so talk to a doctor before using medication.

One person noticed lots of nightmares when eating plenty of bread and little protein. Switching to a high-protein diet and adding magnesium seemed to cut them down.