Insomnia? Iv tried everything from Ambien to Showers?

[airikag@rocketmail.com]

I can't sleep at night. It's been an on going problem for about a year now. Every time I try to lay down and sleep, I am suddenly wide awake. I have tried everything from Ambien to listening to music, to taking a hot shower. Iv read articles, and have even gone to the extent of remodeling my room to make it more "relaxing". Pitch black, T.V., reading, hot shower. Nothing seems to work. Im not just talking about having issues falling asleep. I mean I can't sleep at all. I am awake until the sun comes up. Literally. Then I seem to fall asleep and wake up about 4 hours later. It varies. I don't eat sugar, coffee. I am very flabbergasted about this.. Please, any advice would work.

[Ginny Jin]

It's a case of the more you worry, the worse it gets. Try exercising beforehand.

[godchild]

Dear airikag,

What a distressing state of affairs!

You may have an unresolved problem that is keeping you awake this year. Maybe if you could get to the bottom of that, you would be able to sleep again.

Certainly don't do your exercises within a couple of hours before going to bed.

Do you have a bathtub? If you could soak lying down, it might work better. Warm rather than hot might be better, too, whether it's a shower or a bath. Aromatherapy can be helpful.

Are you averse to using food supplements? I've had good results from taking theonine, magnesium, 5htp, or melatonin. Very often just eating a plain potato or some other starch will slip me over the edge into slumber.

One more suggestion: Instead of just any reading material, you might try the Bible. It used to make me sleepy because I found it boring, but now it makes me sleepy because I find it reassuring and comforting. And when I close my eyes again in my dark room, I pray silently, submitting to God's will in all things, or try to remember what I've read and learned, and it absolutely puts me right to sleep.

Hope you will soon be able to sleep on schedule - YOUR schedule!