Please help me sleep?

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I have become reliant on sleeping aids (prescription) I cannot sleep without them, it’s stressing me out so much, I know I can’t continue to take the medication but the no sleep is driving me to tears.

Does anybody have any tried and tested solutions that may help? Thanks in advance 😞

I was just like you, i tried everything and the only thing that helped was dealing with what i was worrying about / focused in at 3am . I had counselling where i discussed the woman at work who was the work bully . With support i reported her and the situation was dealt with, i now sleep happily. What are yr worries ?

I have too many worries to even mention @Molly333 many of which will not be resolved for a long time 😞

Insomnia is horrible.

Different things work at different times. But a fairly reliable thing is to listen to an audio book with over the ear headphones on in bed in the dark. Low volume. Easy read.

Headspace app or calm on headphone as above too.

Magnesium as a supplement too.

Kalms valerian root extract is gentle as well.

Perhaps wrote your worries down and put them
In an envelope and place in a safe box for the morning. Essentially put them to bed for the night. A little ritual.

I’m a chronic insomniac but find that playing white noise at low volume can often lull me off to sleep for a bit.

I put the cooling fan on, not sure if it's the noise or being a bit cooler.

I have had sleep issues for ever years. The best thing is to accept that you will only sleep part of the night. I listen to audiobooks. I have to say that looking back I think the biggest problem was worrying about not getting enough sleep and that this was causing stress, possibly more than the lack of sleep. I now consider 5-6 hours as a good night, 4 hours not so good and under 4 not really enough. But you can keep going and it's funny how worried you can feel about being sleep deprived but still go on to have a good day. I have sleeping pills but only 14 every, say 2 months. If I take them every night they soon stop working.
Perhaps your GP will give you something 'for emergencies'. Meditating is good and I would say it is probably as good for the brain as sleep itself so try to do that regularly.
You are not alone, though that doesn't help much at 3am. I have ordered Michael Moseley's latest book to see what ideas he as as he is an insomniac.

I've discovered a podcast that I don't seem to be able to stay awake to. Fortunately on BBC sounds. It's 2 ladies chatting, one from womans hour I think. I've heard 5 mins tops. Can't put it on in the middle of the night like now as will wake DH. Should find some earphones shouldn't I?

There was a good program on recently. Helped a v bad insomniac by making him stay awake later. He ended up sleeping longer than he ever had.
Most of my friends aren't sleeping properly at the mo. I already had insomnia before all this

I've had insomnia all my life but so glad I never resorted to any meds for it. I want to recommend lots of aerobic exercise, but that's very difficult right now. Sorry, not much help. I have discovered i can manage on 2 hrs/night for many nights running, which is sort of amusing self-discovery.