Sleeping aid advice

[coffeebuddha]

So here's the thing. I'm tired. I'm ridiculously, literally fall down when I try to walk, feel like my eyes are about to fall out of my head tired, but I just can't fall asleep. It's 5:45AM and I haven't slept even a moment. I only slept about three hours last night (night before last at this point? idek) before my alarm went off and I had to get up. This has been the norm for me for months now. I've been drinking a single glass of red wine before going to bed, which helped to slow my brain down enough that I could fall asleep, but that doesn't seem to be working anymore. I don't want to go on sleeping pills. I really don't want to go on sleeping pills. I have an addictive personality and a history of alcohol/narcotics abuse in my family. For me, sleeping pills are the absolute last resort, and maybe even not then.

I'm tired and I'm desperate. If anyone has any tricks they use to help themselves fall asleep, I'd be willing to try pretty much anything at this point. Except for sleeping pills--vitamins and supplements would be okay--or meditation--because I've been trying that on and off for years and it's never once helped me. Other things I've tried that don't work include warm milk, tea, and lavender scented lotion. Tried that shit for a week and I hate the smell of lavender. Which is possibly part of the reason it didn't work.

Comments

[dreams-of-irony.livejournal.com]

I take two Herbalife supplements: Sleep Now and Relax Now. If, at around 9 pm, I realize I'm not tiring and probably won't be able to fall asleep easily I will take just the Sleep Now (about 1-1 1/2 hrs before I want to go to sleep). If I am feeling particularly wired, I will take both the Sleep Now and Relax Now. If I feel like I am just not going to fall asleep no matter what (I'm sure you know the feeling), I'll take a Relax Now and two Sleep Now. However, if you try the last option, make sure you have at least eight hours for sleep...you will regret it otherwise.

A therapist once told me that if you're an insomniac, you should not do anything in your bed other than sleep. When you, say, do homework or read in/on your bed, it creates an association with something other than sleep and can exacerbate insomnia symptoms.

[coffeebuddha.livejournal.com]

I'll see if I can't pick those up when I'm out tomorrow.

Huh. That makes sense. I usually sit on my bed when I'm using my laptop and/or watching tv in my room just because of where it's positioned in my room, but I have an armchair in there too that I could try using if I cleared all the books off of it. Thank you!