Insomnia- slowly going insane

[hotchocolateisallme]

So for the last year and a half I've often been relying on nytol to sleep,bad I know but when you're desperate you'll do anything to get a bit of kip.
Anyway I've recently fallen pregnant and cut it out from my sleeping routine. All I can say is that I'm struggling. I haven't slept at all last night and I also have to look after my 1 and a half year old son. It's like this every night I get 2-3 hours a night max at the moment and I end up crying nearly every morning when I wake up. I'm exhausted. The GP tells me to 'have a hot milky drink' or 'relax before bed don't go on your phone'.
Everything I've been suggested to do I've done and it hasn't worked at all. I don't drink caffeine,I have a warm bath before bed,I have a horlicks afterwards. I don't use my phone before bed or in bed when I'm struggling to sleep. I'm active during the day I just don't know what else to do. Is there anything herbal I can take? I'm on the verge of screaming I'm desperate for some sleep ☹️

I have to use white noise now to get any sleep at all. I actually wear my headphones to bed with the sound sleeper app going all night. It has transformed my sleep from broken couple of hours to 7-8 solid. Give it a go.

Okay I will thankyou for your suggestion!!

It sounds like you are doing all the right things: gentle exercises/keeping active, no caffeine (or decaf anything because that still has caffeine in), no screens of any sort for minimum 2 hours before bed, bath and hot drink etc.
What's keeping you awake? Is it overthinking? That can be a sign of something underlying e.g anxiety
There are podcasts and apps that can read you stories to get to sleep and I've heard great things about them.

I listen to podcasts while I drop off to sleep - stops me from clock watching and my brain from whirring as it always takes me over an hour to get to sleep. When I wake up, I pop another podcast on.

Really helps take away the ‘omg why aren’t I sleeping yet’ anxiety! Just got to make sure the podcast isn’t TOO interesting! Try myths and legends + stuff you should know. There’s a specific one designed for sleeping too but I don’t remember it’s name 🤔

If you find the answer let me know, 24+3 now and still can’t sleep 😭

Try the 'this works' deep sleep pillow spray. Its working a treat for me x

An Alexa plays wave sounds to me and that sends me off to sleep. I also do audio books via bbc sounds. Basically you have to go with the flow and stop stressing about lack of sleep, that's guaranteed to destroy rest. If you are awake, get up and do something useful, read a book, do relaxation exercises and mindfulness tapes and tell yourself it doesn't matter you can have an afternoon nap. You need to take the pressure off yourself.

I am also suffering pregnancy insomnia. Normally fine but needing a wee a million times a night and then feeling wide awake is a nightmare.

I second white noise/wave sounds. The monotony just turns your brain off.

Lavender oil pills have helped me. Got them on amazon.
I also use a magnesium spray on my body when I get into bed too as it’s meant to relax the nervous system and help you sleep more deeply.
There are some guided meditations on YouTube for insomnia too. They help with relaxing music and breathing techniques to help you drop off.
18 degrees in the bedroom is meant to be the perfect temp for a good night sleep - make sure you’re not too hot or cold when in bed.