I empathize completely. I have chronic insomnia too. Once I'm asleep I'm OK, but getting there is torture. Its a symptom of my GAD and depression; and I, like you, have a family history of addiction and refuse to take medication. I know my anxiety and OCD tendencies contribute to my difficulties sleeping (ever check your alarm is on 20 times a night?- that's me!)
Unfortunately none of the supplements, home remedies, etc. work for me... Fortunately, I work from home mostly on my own schedule when I feel like it... Which I know is not an option for most people. I do tend to sleep better during the day, so I usually get to sleep by 8am and crash for most of the day.
I do find meditation-type exercises can sometimes ease the anxiety (and resulting tension headaches)and let me sleep. I personally use a kind of cobbled together un-mindfulness, pulling the tension into tight focus on the inhale and pushing it out on the exhale. I also find building myself a mental dreamscape or narrative (which shouldn't be hard for a mind as creative as yours) helps. I end up building it until I get so engrossed I forget the worries, and fall into the dream without realizing it... It's my own version of a bedtime story. Without the book- If I try to read I end up reading the entire book in a single night.
In any case, good luck! I'm right there with you tonight!
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Unfortunately none of the supplements, home remedies, etc. work for me... Fortunately, I work from home mostly on my own schedule when I feel like it... Which I know is not an option for most people. I do tend to sleep better during the day, so I usually get to sleep by 8am and crash for most of the day.
I do find meditation-type exercises can sometimes ease the anxiety (and resulting tension headaches)and let me sleep. I personally use a kind of cobbled together un-mindfulness, pulling the tension into tight focus on the inhale and pushing it out on the exhale. I also find building myself a mental dreamscape or narrative (which shouldn't be hard for a mind as creative as yours) helps. I end up building it until I get so engrossed I forget the worries, and fall into the dream without realizing it... It's my own version of a bedtime story. Without the book- If I try to read I end up reading the entire book in a single night.
In any case, good luck! I'm right there with you tonight!