If you’ve ever suffered with no being able to sleep well, what finally worked for you?

[GingerKittenTail]

what was it that actually helped you

I stopped taking medicine for pain and switched to a preventative for migraines which now means I sleep me sleep better and have much less migraines.

Getting promoted and giving less of a shit about my job.

Getting divorced.

Low-dose sertraline.

Insight Timer sleep meditations.

Melatonin bought from US and Jan De Vries Night Essence. And I don’t ingest any caffeine at all.

HRT.

Amitryptiline, magnesium, reading.

accepting that some nights sleep will be difficult. I was in a massive earthquake a few years ago and didn’t sleep for 3 days (too scared to fall asleep in case it happened again). Realised I didn’t die, the days were doable, and sleep eventually comes.

Getting up at stupid o' clock and going to bed at 11pm every night. Night after night. No naps.

Sadly, the getting up bit was what it all hinged on - without that, nothing worked.

I have tried ;
Meditation
Sleep apps
Hot bath/milky drink/book
Exercise/Yoga
Mirtazipine (gained 5 stone in 5 years until I read the patient information and found out it has a secondary use as an appetite stimulant. It did work though.

For the last three Years I have found the holy grail. A none addictive, pill that doesn't make me feel groggy in the morning. Amitriptyline. It is miraculous and makes my quality of life so much better after 2 decades of insomnia.

CPAP

Still not a good sleeper and probably never will be but some things that have helped some of the time
Melatonin
Wearing soft, fluffy socks to keep my feet warmer than my body
White noise app (I favour distant thunder and heavy rain, and find myself getting sleeping during daytime storms because of the association)
Going to bed and getting up at the same time (This one is tough to achieve and the positive effects only start to kick in after around 10 days)
Counting backwards from 1,000 (This actually works surprisingly well but is easy to get distracted from and I have to keep pulling my wandering thoughts back to counting. I don't remember ever getting lower than 900.)
Having my own bedroom, I am very fond of DH but he moves around a lot and snores

Own bedroom, cool room, rain sounds app.
I read here on a thread that if you're struggling to get to sleep to sleep in the other end of the bed. It works really well. It works well for my 11 yo too!

Sleep podcasts for me too. I never get past a certain point because I'm 😴

Diet change, no coffee after noon and meditation. No TV or other tech in bedroom, black out curtains and changed mattress.

Interesting the number of people on amitriptyline. On a tiny dose I was a complete zombie. I'll admit it helped me sleep, waking up was the problem! I couldn't function on it.

This thread just prompted me to order a repeat prescription of amitriptyline 😀

Apologies if this has already been posted: www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/sep/24/want-to-get-a-good-nights-sleep-first-of-all-stop-trying
It makes interesting reading.

I live alone so can do what I like.

For myself white noise/audiobooks I know well/sounds of rain on a metal roof app. That's until the real rain starts on my real metal roof and wakes me up.

Exercise, annoyingly.

Co codamol

Same here..

Am almost embarrassed to write this😳 HARRY STYLES... I use the Calm App & usually listen to jungles/rain/brown noise/white noise etc But last night, noticed him doing a "Dream With Me" podcast on the app. 40 minutes I think. I may have slept several hours interrupted! Possibly even right thru the night - which I NEVER do!

 calmcom.app.link/BpHI3WLWFtb

Having a tummy tuck. It enabled me to get my core sorted which in turn stopped my bruxism which was affecting my sleep.

A bit drastic, very painful but totally worth it.

As a young adult: therapy
When middle aged: HRT. insomnia was the last and most stubborn symptom to go

Exercise

Benzos - both xanax and temazepam both give me amazing sleeps. And no morning after effects, I bounce out of bed. However, only take rarely as don't want to get addicted, and the effects wear off over time.

Melatonin helps me a bit as well.

Running. I did the c25k and it saved my sanity. Also, pre-bedtime yoga (5 Mins), and knowing that I had some zopiclone in the bedside table in case I needed it. I haven’t for a good year or two now, but I know it’s there and that helps me not to panic if I feel a bit wakeful. And also, reminding myself that everyone has the odd bad night and that’s normal, and it doesn’t mean I’m sliding back into not being able to sleep at all.

I hope you find your combination that works for you, insomnia sucks.