Anyone else a bit of an insomniac?

[misspopsicle]

I'm at the end of my tether with it. I go through phases of not sleeping but it usually lasts a week or less and I get maybe 5 hours sleep a night. This time it;s been 3 weeks and I'm getting about 3 hours a night. I've been to my gp who said that he wasn't going to give me aby tablets and gave me some leaflets (which I'd tried everything on already). I've googled and tried to find my own remedy, tried 5htp whi made me feel ill (pounding heart, nervous), tried all sorts of herbal teas, nytol, relaxation methods...I don't know what's left! I don't drink tea or coffee so it's not caffeine. Anyone got any suggestions? I'm finding it very hard to look after 4 kids and function properly on this amount of sleep.

Do you intially sleep and then wake up in the night ? Or you just never go to sleep.

I find st john's wort and tryptophan help

I don't get to sleep in the first place, I go to bed as late as I can so I'm feeling really tired (as I was advised to) but can't fall aslep when I get into bed. It's usually 4/5am when I get to sleep then up at 7. A couple of mornings last week, I fell asleep at 6 and 6.30 am haha, no point at all in that! I'll have a look at those 2 topsi, thanks. I'm willing to try literally anything just now.

www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/8863309/Cherry-juice-can-help-get-a-good-nights-sleep.html

have you read this re cherry juice? worth a try?

has to be Montmorency cherry apparently, thats quite important

Ah thanks for that! A friend with parents in the States had recommended melatonin but she said I probably couldn't get it here so I'll definitely give that a bash too :)

you can get melatonin from i-herb!

I've never heard of it, thanks, will bookmark that place now. I'm so looking forward to a good kip!!

Do you go on the computer late at night? The brightness can mess up your body clock.

I'm an on & off insomniac. Over the years I've found the following things help:

• Melatonin (I get mine from Biovea, online). Be careful with it - use small amounts at first & take 8 hours before you plan to wake, as it can sometimes give you a "hangover" effect

• Reading a book at bedtime. Getting away from the computer/phone for at least half an hour before I go to sleep!

• Self-hypnosis. I have a great app on my iPhone called Relax with Andrew Johnson, and he also does CDs (look him up). He has this amazing soothing voice that makes me drop right off!