To ask what you do when you can't get to sleep?

[WillBendTheKnee4Jon]

She asks while on her smartphone at 1 in the bastard morning

Fuck me I've tried everything I can but just can't drop off. I get maybe 3 hours during the day. It's starting to take its toll. I'm miserable. Dd is going through a very difficult time right now (waiting on a Cahms referral, the school are just now starting the process of getting her formally diagnosed with ADHD and Autism. I've had emergency meetings with the Senco officer and her teachers. Plus I had to get her an emergency appointment when she started crying and hyperventilating in class. Her teacher rang me in a panic) so as you can see I've plenty on my mind.
I was even prescribed a short course of zopiclone which had no effect at all. I'm stuck in a vicious cycle.

I read, listen to music, watch spot popping videos on YouTube, weird I know but it chills me out. I'm on pretty strong pain meds that in theory should knock me out but they don't always. If I get really desperate, i take Piriton or Night Nurse.

Audible. Choose a book narrated by a soothing voice. My favourite go to sleep book is 'Love Nina' 😊

I re design and re decorate friends and families houses in my head, I find it very calming.

I fall asleep in nano seconds
But then wake at 4.30 and can’t get back to sleep
Those taking melatonin - where do you buy from?

I’m up and showered and hair washed and it’s not 3am yet. I go downstairs and read or watch tv and usually find by about five o’clock I could sleep. Which is no bloody good because my alarm goes off at six.

Is it any bloody wonder if your showering, washing your hair etc. This actions are meant to wake you up! Not relax you in to going back to sleep

Crochet or read.

Play poker on my phone. Within 10-20 mins I'm ready to go back to sleep.

I have a cup of milky coffee, couple of digestive biscuits and read until I feel dopey. Usually works! If desperate I take Nytol tablets.

I’ve not read the whole thread but the Sleep with Me podcast never fails to get me off (to sleep)

This is my specialist subject!

Radio 4 app- In Our Time, A Good Read or similar. Also love an Agatha Christie.
ASMR videos on youtube
Change where I am sleeping, or get up for twenty minutes and then go back to bed and read

Just bought some pukka sleep tea from Sainsburys so Im pinning all my hopes on that!

Count backwards from 500

Downloaded a few podcasts. Can’t wait to not sleep now!

Another for YouTube ASMR videos here. Especially 'ASMRMagic'.

Oh but make sure you watch them with a red screen filter app so the light doesn't keep you awake!

Insomnia is gruelling & feckin miserable (quoth a longstanding insomniac.)

Have a look at this - especially point 5, which most people find too had to do, but it works if you commit & stick to it - www.tuck.com/sleep-hygiene/

If you're not asleep in about 15 mins, get up & do something else. It's a pain in the arse, especially when you have that awful overwhelming exhaustion but sleep is still not happening (I used to feel 'too tired to sleep' if that makes sense). But again, it's training yourself that bed = sleep.

Final tip - combined with all the above, do your routine, get in & get comfy, then work really hard at imagining it's half 6 in the morning & you have to get up at 7.
Weirdly, this has often worked for me ... because too often, that's been the exact scenario: up all damn night then nod off just before the alarm. It seems to be easier to convince self to drop off for a few minutes rest than expect a whole night of blissful rest - so once you've tricked yourself into doing this at 10:30 pm, bingo!

Good luck & I hope your understandable daytime worries soon diminish as you get more info & support. x